A Man Walks Into a Bar
Jens Lekman Lyrics

A man walks into a bar
A man goes to a bar

Orders a beer and a bowl of peanuts
The man orders a beer and some peanuts

But the bar turns into a spaceship
Suddenly, the bar transforms into a spaceship

And the bartender gives him a hair cut
The bartender cuts the man's hair

I can't remember the end of that joke
The artist forgets the end of a joke

You once told it to me when we smoked
The singer remembers someone telling them the joke when they were smoking together

On your father's expensive cigars
The smoking took place with expensive cigars from the singer's friend's father

All I remember is the part of a man walking into a bar
The artist only remembers the setup of the joke, not the punchline

How many lovers does it take
A question is asked about romantic partners

To put a light bulb into a socket?
This question is about performing a simple task requiring teamwork

Why did Mona Lisa smile?
The singer asks about the enigmatic expression of a famous painting

I have the answer written down in my pocket.
The artist carries the answer to this question on their person

I just remember I laughed til I cried
The singer recalls a time of intense joy

Because you told it with your funny voice
The source of the joy was the humorous delivery of a joke

Your southern dialect makes me rejoice
The singer enjoys the regional flavor of their friend's accent

Those special times we had
These were moments of fond memory

When love was just a silly gag
The source of the joy was the lightheartedness of love

I know why Mona Lisa smiled
The singer claims to have figured out the answer to the previous question

Da Vinci must have been a really funny guy
The singer suggests the artist was humorous

And laughter is the only way into my heart
Laughter is the most important thing to the artist

Summer night on a gravel road
Another moment of fond memory is described

You told me about your childhood friend Veronica
Someone shares a story about their past with the artist

Who was claimed to have swallowed a toad
The storyteller has a memorable anecdote about a strange occurrence

And I picked up my harmonica
The artist decided to play some music after they heard the story

A man walks into a bar
The same opening line for the second half of the song

Orders a scotch and a bottle of coke
The man orders specific drinks

But the laughter is gone in his heart
There is a sense of sadness or loss compared to the earlier scenes

You never told me the end of the joke
The artist never learned the punchline to the joke from the beginning of the song