Jungle Telegraph
Eels Lyrics
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Hoping I would be a girl
The night was black
The sky was booming
Darker clouds were surely looming
I heard screaming
Doctor shouts
And baby then I came out
And here I am
Found my way down the street
Chicken hawk's favorite meat
The man was big
The gun was loaded
He had cash but never showed it
I heard screaming
Bleeding throat
And baby I got on the boat
And here I am
Now I'm up here in the trees
Shakin' off the bugs and fleas
The days are long
The sun is beating
Each day I don't die is cheating
Send me some lovin'
Send me some lovin'
Send it now
Send it by giraffe
Or jungle telegraph
The song "Jungle Telegraph" by Eels is a story of survival against all odds. The opening verses narrate the story of the singer's birth, revealing that his mother had an epidural, hoping for a girl, but he came out instead. The night he was born, the sky was dark and ominous, and the screaming and shouting in the delivery room suggest a difficult and tumultuous birth. The second verse shifts to the present, where the singer has found himself in a life-threatening situation. He is on the street and being confronted by someone with a loaded gun, but he manages to escape by getting on a boat.
The final verse finds the singer in the jungle, where he is living a primitive existence, fending off insects and heat exhaustion every day. He is pleading for someone to send him some love and makes the unique request to have it sent via giraffe or jungle telegraph. Overall, the lyrics suggest that the singer has faced many adversities in his life, but he has managed to persevere through all of them and is still standing.
Line by Line Meaning
Mama had an epidural
My mother had an epidural to relieve the pain while giving birth to me.
Hoping I would be a girl
My mother was hoping to have a daughter instead of a son.
The night was black
It was nighttime when I was born.
The sky was booming
It was thundering loudly in the sky that night.
Darker clouds were surely looming
It seemed like a storm was approaching with dark clouds in the sky.
I heard screaming
I could hear my mother screaming while giving birth to me.
Doctor shouts
The doctor was shouting instructions during the birth process.
And baby then I came out
I was born at the end of the delivery process.
And here I am
I have survived and am alive to tell the story.
Found my way down the street
I wandered down a street, perhaps as a child or adult.
Chicken hawk's favorite meat
A chicken hawk (bird of prey) eats a small animal that is its favorite food.
The man was big
A man who was large in size was present in the area.
The gun was loaded
The man had a gun that was fully loaded (ready to fire).
He had cash but never showed it
The man had money, but did not display it for others to see.
I heard screaming
I could hear someone screaming, perhaps the man or someone else in the area.
Bleeding throat
Someone was injured and bleeding from their throat.
And baby I got on the boat
I escaped on a boat, possibly to flee from the danger in the area.
And here I am
I survived the dangerous situation and am alive to tell the story.
Now I'm up here in the trees
I am currently in a tree or forest area.
Shakin' off the bugs and fleas
I am shaking off insects and pests that are on my skin or clothing.
The days are long
The days in this new environment feel longer than usual.
The sun is beating
The sun is shining brightly and intensely in this area.
Each day I don't die is cheating
Surviving each day in this harsh environment feels like a victory or a miracle.
Send me some lovin'
I need someone to show me love or care in this difficult situation.
Send it now
I need love and support urgently.
Send it by giraffe
Send a message or gift using a giraffe as a messenger or carrier.
Or jungle telegraph
Send a message using a system of communication that is common in the jungle or forest area.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARK O. EVERETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind