22 Pistepirkko is a Finnish popular music band formed in 1980 at Utajärvi. … Read Full Bio ↴22 Pistepirkko is a Finnish popular music band formed in 1980 at Utajärvi. The name “22 Pistepirkko” means a 22-spotted ladybug. The three members of the band are Asko Keränen, Hannu Keränen (P.K.) and Esa (Espe) Haverinen. 22-Pistepirkko now produce music in English, though at first their main language was Finnish. Their early albums were inspired by rock and roll and underground icons like Bo Diddley and The Sonics, but they have developed their unique sound by adding other influences to their music.

Frankenstein
22 Pistepirkko Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It was a boring day in that big whitehouse
White wearing nurses looking after us
Amen they said and amen i prayed
Then one day i met this strange looking man
He rang their bell and smelled like hell
Oh boy,good heaven
Is he a man, called frankenstein
He said:"i've heard that you wanna play"

Yes you're right but they want me to stay
Don't worry son, i got a golden way
They'll be happy to hear you play
Oh boy,good heaven
Is he a man, called frankenstein
Goodbye mad house
No more pills to eat
I wonder how long he'll try
It was a boring day in that big whitehouse

White wearing nurses looking after us
Amen they said and amen i sayed

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of 22 Pistepirkko’s song Frankenstein tell the story of a person trapped in a psychiatric institution, bored and trapped in the mundanity of each day. The institution is characterized by the presence of white-wearing nurses who take care of the patients. One day, the singer encounters a strange man who is dubbed Frankenstein. He is bizarre in appearance, smelling bad like he had been dead and returned to life. Frankenstein offers the singer a golden way out of the institution, by asking him if he wants to play. The singer is initially hesitant, believing that the nurses would stop him, but Frankenstein assures him that they will approve of his playing. At the end of the song, the singer reflects on his life and his escape from the mental hospital.

Overall, the song Frankenstein is about escaping from the mundanity and boredom of life, and finding a way out of a restrictive environment. The figure of Frankenstein is symbolic - he is odd-looking, with the stench of death surrounding him. Yet, he serves as a guiding light for the singer to find a way out of the institution. Through music, the singer can escape and transcend his mental illness.

Line by Line Meaning

It was a boring day in that big whitehouse
The singer describes the dull environment of the mental institution where they reside.

White wearing nurses looking after us
The medical staff in the facility are always dressed in white and responsible for the patients' care.

Amen they said and amen i prayed
The patients are forced to participate in group prayers led by the staff, which the singer does half-heartedly.

Then one day i met this strange looking man
The artist encounters a mysterious figure who looks different than anyone they've seen in the institution.

He rang their bell and smelled like hell
The stranger has a distinct odor that suggests he has come from a dark and undesirable place.

Oh boy,good heaven
The singer expresses surprise and wonder at the arrival of this strange man.

Is he a man, called frankenstein
The singer questions the stranger's identity and compares him to the literary character Frankenstein.

He said:"i've heard that you wanna play"
The stranger acknowledges the artist's desire to play music.

Yes you're right but they want me to stay
The artist wants to leave the institution but is prevented from doing so by the staff.

Don't worry son, i got a golden way
The stranger claims to have a solution to the artist's predicament.

They'll be happy to hear you play
The stranger assures the singer that the staff will approve of their playing music.

Goodbye mad house
The artist bids farewell to the mental institution and the negative experiences they have had there.

No more pills to eat
The singer is relieved to be free from medication that was administered to them in the institution.

I wonder how long he'll try
The singer is unsure how long the stranger will be able to help them before the staff intervenes.

It was a boring day in that big whitehouse
The singer repeats the opening line to emphasize the dreary setting of the institution they have just left.

White wearing nurses looking after us
The artist repeats a line to reinforce the image of the sterile and controlled environment in the institution.

Amen they said and amen i sayed
The artist repeats a line to highlight the forced and insincere participation in religious practices in the institution.

Contributed by Joseph D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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