Know something about this song or lyrics?
Add it to our wiki.
twelve men broke loose in seventy-three
from Millhaven maximum security
twelve pictures lined up, across the front page
seems the Mounties had a summertime war to wage
the chief told the people they had nothing to fear
said, "the last thing they wanna do is hang around here"
they mostly came from towns with long french names
but one of the dozen was a hometown shame
same pattern on the table
same clock on the wall
been one seat empty, eighteen years in all
freezing slow time, away from the world
he's 38 years old, never kissed a girl
we were sitting around the table, heard the telephone ring
father said he'd tell em if he saw anything
heard the tap on my window in the middle of the night
held back the curtain for my older brother Mike
see my sister got raped, so a man got killed
local boy went to prison, man's buried on the hill
folks went back to normal when they closed the case
but they still stare at their shoes when they pass our place
my mother cried, "the horror has finally ceased!"
he whispered, "yeah, for the time being at least"
over her shoulder, on the squad car megaphone
said, "let's go Michael, son, we're taking you home."
from Millhaven maximum security
twelve pictures lined up, across the front page
seems the Mounties had a summertime war to wage
the chief told the people they had nothing to fear
said, "the last thing they wanna do is hang around here"
they mostly came from towns with long french names
but one of the dozen was a hometown shame
same pattern on the table
same clock on the wall
been one seat empty, eighteen years in all
freezing slow time, away from the world
he's 38 years old, never kissed a girl
we were sitting around the table, heard the telephone ring
father said he'd tell em if he saw anything
heard the tap on my window in the middle of the night
held back the curtain for my older brother Mike
see my sister got raped, so a man got killed
local boy went to prison, man's buried on the hill
folks went back to normal when they closed the case
but they still stare at their shoes when they pass our place
my mother cried, "the horror has finally ceased!"
he whispered, "yeah, for the time being at least"
over her shoulder, on the squad car megaphone
said, "let's go Michael, son, we're taking you home."
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death
Track duration: 04:20
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
Personally I believe America is just too big to appreciate a band like the Hip. A smaller community like canada can more easily embrace a complex band like them,especially when you get a chance to see them live on a regular basis.
oh yeah, and this is a great song, I get shivers every time i hear it. I don't know that i would kill a man who raped my ister, but i would f*&k him up pretty bad.
The line "lets go michael, son ,i'm taking you home" resonates. the cop knows the man, knows the family, probably knows the man doesnt deserve to be there, but he has to take him back anyway.
But i guess since all americans are idiots, what point do i have to make. Music isn't created to bash another persons culture over.
so instead i will add that hendrix had to go to England to get noticed.
"12 men broke loose"
"Chief told the people"
"never kissed a girl"
"Father said he'd tell em"
"brother mike"
"sister got raped, so a man got killed"
"local boy went to prison, man's buried on the hill"
"folks went back to normal"
"my mother cried the horror"
"let's go Michael, son, we're taking you home."
It's so chilling when the megaphone calls him by his full name and calls him son. The sad part is that he's actually been in prison longer then he's lived with his parents.
I think all those mentions of family really make this song hit your heartbone harder. It gives it a human touch. This song is so well written it's almost a short story. I would call it 'The Face They Covered'.