It's an abstract interpretation of the experiences of a kind of inchworm known as the serpentine miner, which eats the chlorophyll in holly leaves. Graham Lewis wrote the words while watching a BBC nature documentary; he was flummoxed when Colin Newman decided to, rather perversely, put them to the Byrdsy little tune which became this song, but ultimately approved.
That said, this song is godly. Ranks with "Map Ref." as one of Wire's best pop songs of their first incarnation ("Madman's Honey", "Ahead" and "Kidney Bingos" probably being the best of their second).
It's an abstract interpretation of the experiences of a kind of inchworm known as the serpentine miner, which eats the chlorophyll in holly leaves. Graham Lewis wrote the words while watching a BBC nature documentary; he was flummoxed when Colin Newman decided to, rather perversely, put them to the Byrdsy little tune which became this song, but ultimately approved.
That said, this song is godly. Ranks with "Map Ref." as one of Wire's best pop songs of their first incarnation ("Madman's Honey", "Ahead" and "Kidney Bingos" probably being the best of their second).