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A Wooden Horse
British Sea Power Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

When wooden horses were in use
I would have built one
And left it for you

Yeah but I wanted to know
Yeah I wanted to know
How much are you?
How much are you?
How much are you?
How much are you?
Yeah I wanted to know
Yeah I wanted to know

Oh bring it in and let us see it
Oh let us see it
Oh bring it in and let us see it
Oh let us see it

Oh bring it in
And let us see it

A token heir means nowt in the hills
I swear I'm ready
Ready to kill

Yeah I wanted to know
Yeah I wanted to know

Oh bring it in and let us see it
Let us see it
Oh bring it in and let us see it
Let us see it

Oh bring it in
Oh bring it in
Bring it in
Bring it in

Overall Meaning

In the opening lines of "A Wooden Horse", British Sea Power sings of a simpler time when wooden horses were in use. It's possible that they are alluding to the Trojan Horse, a wooden horse that was used as a military strategy by the Greeks in the Trojan War. The line "I would have built one and left it for you" gives the impression that the band is offering something to the listener - perhaps a way to sneak past defenses, or a way to win a battle. But the shift in the next set of lines refocuses the attention back to the listener: "Yeah but I wanted to know / How much are you?". The band is asking the listener how much they value themselves - what they would be willing to give up for the opportunity of victory.


As the song progresses, the lines "Oh bring it in and let us see it / Oh let us see it" add an air of urgency to the song. The band seems to be demanding something from the listener - whether it's that willingness to sacrifice or something else entirely, it's hard to say. The line "A token heir means nowt in the hills / I swear I'm ready / Ready to kill" suggests that the stakes are high, and that this is a fight that could be won or lost. Whatever the subject matter of the song, it's clear from the repeated lines of "Bring it in" that this is a confrontation of some sort - one that will not end until the band has what they're after.


Line by Line Meaning

When wooden horses were in use
In the past, when deceptive tactics were common, I would have resorted to building a fake artifact to deceive you.


I would have built one
I would have dedicated myself to building a wooden horse, despite the effort and time it would have taken.


And left it for you
I would have left the completed wooden horse as a bait for you to fall into my trap.


Yeah but I wanted to know
However, what I truly desired was not to trick you, but to find out something about you.


How much are you?
I was curious about your values and principles, wondering how much they were worth to you.


Oh bring it in and let us see it
I urge you to reveal yourself and show me what you truly stand for.


A token heir means nowt in the hills
A superficial inheritance or a mere symbol of authority does not hold value or significance in the harsh reality of life.


I swear I'm ready
I am determined and prepared to take significant action.


Ready to kill
I am ready to do whatever it takes to achieve my goal or protect what I value.


Let us see it
I insist that you reveal your true nature, intentions, or values to me.


Oh bring it in
Please, bring it closer and let me examine it closely.


Bring it in
I implore you to bring whatever it is that I am asking to be brought.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: MARTIN NOBLE, JAN SCOTT WILKINSON, NEIL HAMILTON WILKINSON, MATTHEW JAMES WOOD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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