Living With a Hernia
"Weird Al" Yankovic Lyrics


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All I do is grunt and groan
Hurts me to walk anywhere
Went to see my physician, Dr. Jones
He took my trousers off, told me to cough
Doctor says there ain't nothin' to discuss
He tells me any day I might have to wear a truss

Living with a hernia
All the time, such aggravation
Living with a hernia
Gonna be my ruination
Living with a hernia
Got to have an operation
Feel so old

Too much bad pain
Good gawd, drives me insane
Can't run, barely crawl
Got a bulge in my intestinal wall
Walk real funny, bless my soul
Can't play tennis and it's hard to bowl
You can't even do the splits now, better call it quits now
I'm sick of all this dancin' anyhow

Living with a hernia
Hurts me bad in a tender location
Living with a hernia
Had enough humiliation
Living with a hernia
Got to have an operation

I live with a hernia
Can't get up, can't bend over
Now I live with a hernia
Wait a minute
You may not be familiar with the common types
Of hernias that you could get
So just settle down, let me clue you in
There's incomplete
Epigastric
Bladder
Strangulated
Lumbar hernia
Richter's hernia
Obstructed
Inguinal and Direct

Living with a hernia . . . Rupture!
I said it's causin' me such irritation
Living with a hernia
Have to have my medication




Living with a hernia
I feel bad!

Overall Meaning

"Weird Al" Yankovic's song Living With a Hernia is a humorous take on the pain and discomfort associated with having a hernia. The song opens with the singer expressing the daily struggle of his condition, how he grunts and groans, and it hurts for him to walk anywhere. He then visits his physician, Dr. Jones, who asked him to take off his trousers and then to cough. Dr. Jones confirms that he is having a hernia and informs him that he might need to wear a truss. The song continues with the singer's various struggles, such as the pain, the inability to run or play tennis, and the need to undergo an operation to resolve this illness.


The lyrics of Living With a Hernia convey a lighthearted approach to a serious medical condition, which makes it humorous. Yankovic is famous for his parodies of famous songs, and this one parodies James Brown's song Living in America. The song has a significant number of medical terms, which adds an educational element to the piece. The different types of hernias are listed, and the song's narrator has experienced one of them. The song's humor comes from its use of irony in a comedic style.


Line by Line Meaning

All I do is grunt and groan
My hernia is causing me so much pain that all I can do is make sounds of discomfort.


Hurts me to walk anywhere
The pain is so severe that it's difficult for me to walk without grimacing.


Went to see my physician, Dr. Jones
I went to see my doctor for medical advice.


He took my trousers off, told me to cough
The doctor performed a physical exam that required me to remove my pants and cough.


Doctor says there ain't nothin' to discuss
The doctor finds the hernia to be a common issue and therefore, there is not much to discuss about its treatment.


He tells me any day I might have to wear a truss
The doctor warns me that soon, I might have to use a truss, a supportive undergarment for herniated tissue.


Living with a hernia
I am enduring physical and emotional pain due to this condition.


All the time, such aggravation
The constant discomfort and pain are making my life difficult


Gonna be my ruination
This condition could negatively impact my well-being and life as a whole.


Got to have an operation
Surgery is required to treat the hernia.


Feel so old
The chronic pain and the limitations it causes make me feel like I'm prematurely aging.


Too much bad pain
The pain is unbearable and makes my life miserable.


Good gawd, drives me insane
I am struggling mentally and emotionally due to this physical condition.


Can't run, barely crawl
The hernia makes physical activities extremely challenging and painful


Got a bulge in my intestinal wall
There is a visible bulge on my stomach due to the hernia.


Walk real funny, bless my soul
I am forced to walk in an awkward way because of the pain and discomfort caused by the hernia.


Can't play tennis and it's hard to bowl
My physical limitations make it difficult to play sports like tennis and bowling.


You can't even do the splits now, better call it quits now
I have lost my flexibility due to the hernia, and I must give up certain activities.


I'm sick of all this dancin' anyhow
Even if I were able to dance, I do not enjoy it anymore due to the pain this condition causes.


Hurts me bad in a tender location
The location of the hernia makes even basic movements and daily activities difficult and painful.


Had enough humiliation
This condition is causing me shame and embarrassment.


I live with a hernia
This condition is a part of my daily life and is affecting me in many ways.


Can't get up, can't bend over
The hernia is making simple tasks like getting up and bending over difficult, if not impossible.


Wait a minute
There is something I would like to share or explain to you about hernias.


You may not be familiar with the common types
Hernias can manifest in different forms, and not everyone is aware of the various types.


Of hernias that you could get
There are different kinds of hernias that one could develop.


So just settle down, let me clue you in
Allow me to provide some information that can help you understand hernias better.


There's incomplete
One type of hernia is incomplete, where there is a bulge on the abdominal wall that does not cause pain.


Epigastric
Epigastric hernias occur on the midline of the upper abdomen.


Bladder
A hernia where the bladder bulges through the lower abdominal wall is a bladder hernia.


Strangulated
This type of hernia involves the tissue being trapped, leading to blood flow issues that could be life-threatening.


Lumbar hernia
A hernia located on the back is a lumbar hernia.


Richter's hernia
A hernia where only a part of the intestinal wall protrudes is a Richter's hernia.


Obstructed
A hernia where a portion of the bowel becomes trapped may lead to bowel obstruction and is called an obstructed hernia.


Inguinal and Direct
Inguinal hernias occur in the groin area, while direct hernias develop when a weakness in the abdominal muscles causes a bulge.


Rupture!
The hernia has ruptured, leading to further complications.


I said it's causin' me such irritation
The ruptured hernia is causing me more pain and irritation.


Have to have my medication
Medication is essential to combat the symptoms of a ruptured hernia.


I feel bad!
This situation is causing me physical and emotional distress.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AL YANKOKOV, CHARLIE MIDNIGHT, DAN HARTMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Charles Bird

Weird Al needs to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He's been putting out good material for almost 40 years.

Mzu5000 Mzu

I agree too . His parody songs are better than the original

Michael Randol

It’s already a lock at this point they just need to get off their butts he’s so consistent and good at the same time

Dean Fordi

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Are you crazy?!!! He's funny once in a while

G4mmaLotus

Oh hell no, he needs his own hall of fame! Don't put him in a box

Arnold Tóth

And he is looking almost the same for almost 40 years :D

198 More Replies...

Ilia

It's amazing how he actually parodys the voice the rifts the mannerisms, everything. It's not just rhyming, it's right down to the minute details. Al is amazing!

Lex Kanyima

@Allen Grier why ?

Lex Kanyima

@Allen Grier ohh

James Noord

Weird Al is truly an inspired genius!

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