Sherman was just a television producer, most famous for the quiz show "I've Got a Secret," not at all known as a comedian or performer, and it shocked everyone in the know when songs from his album My Son, The Folk Singer became popular. In fact, president John F. Kennedy was heard singing the song Sarah Jackman. Sherman's overnight popularity suddenly ended when the nation's attention focused on Kennedy's assassination, and the nation was too sad for such up-beat musical offerings.
Sherman then slipped back into his longtime depression, and died, quietly, at the young age of 48.
That Old Back Scratcher
Allan Sherman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That old back scratcher like the Chinese sell
Your plastic fingers up and down my spine,
The same old itchcraft when your touch meets mine
You tame that tingle when I'm all alone;
For I am single, so, to itch his own
So down and down you go,
Scratching my unreachable zone
I should throw you away,
But I never do
I must give in to itchy skin
A skin with such a burning desire
When I'm scratching low,
The itching gets higher
Oh, you're the scrubber that placated me,
That chased each place that irritated me
And then, last night, you broke my heart
Because I sat down on you,
Two hundred pounds on you,
Then, snap, crack,
Everything just went black
My wonderful old back scratcher fell apart
Yes, you broke in half,
And now you're too short
I tried Scotch tape as a last resort
But with Scotch tape it wasn't the same
The thrill that was wild is suddenly tame
But, Old Man Sorrow will not get me down
I leave tomorrow night for Chinatown
For I must follow Heaven's plan
Around and around I'll go,
Through Chinatown I'll go,
Hoping to find another one just like you,
An old Chinese back scratcher made in Japan!
The lyrics of Allan Sherman's song That Old Back Scratcher depict the strong attachment the singer has towards his back scratcher. The first few lines talk about how the back scratcher has bewitched him and how it feels like something the Chinese would sell. The plastic fingers of the back scratcher running up and down his spine brings a unique sensation of itch and pleasure, which he cannot resist.
He acknowledges the absurdity of his obsession but feels helpless, given his single status. He also describes how the scratcher helps him reach unreachable spots and suppresses his burning desire to scratch. The song takes a drastic turn when he sits on the scratcher and it breaks in two. He is devastated by the loss, but he is not ready to give up. He decides to embark on a journey to find another old Chinese back scratcher made in Japan, which is something of a paradox.
The song goes beyond simple comedy and uses humor to address the irrationality of human attachment and how we can develop emotional bonds with the most mundane and insignificant things. The lyrics suggest that there can be something unique and irreplaceable about an object that can evoke strong emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
That old back scratcher has me in its spell,
I am captivated by the power of the back scratcher.
That old back scratcher like the Chinese sell
The back scratcher is as good as the ones made by the Chinese.
Your plastic fingers up and down my spine,
Your fake fingers are moving smoothly along my back.
The same old itchcraft when your touch meets mine
It feels the same every time we meet, and you take care of my itches.
You tame that tingle when I'm all alone;
When I am alone, you help me manage the itch.
For I am single, so, to itch his own
Since I am single, I have to scratch my back alone.
So down and down you go,
You move down my back, bringing relief.
Around and around and around you go
You cover my entire back in a circular motion.
Scratching my unreachable zone
You help me reach the itchy spots I couldn't reach on my own.
I should throw you away,
It's time to get rid of you.
But I never do
But I can never bring myself to do it.
I must give in to itchy skin
I cannot resist scratching my skin when it itches.
A skin with such a burning desire
I have intense itching, and you are the only one who can relieve it.
When I'm scratching low,
When I'm scratching my lower back,
The itching gets higher
The itch spreads to the upper back as well.
Oh, you're the scrubber that placated me,
You are the only tool that has ever brought me relief.
That chased each place that irritated me
You followed my every itch and scratch, taking care of it for me.
And then, last night, you broke my heart
You broke, and I am heartbroken by the loss of my dear back scracther.
Because I sat down on you,
I sat on you,
Two hundred pounds on you,
With my weight of 200 pounds on you,
Then, snap, crack,
You could not take it, and you snapped and broke.
Everything just went black
There was a moment of shock and disbelief at losing you.
My wonderful old back scratcher fell apart
My amazing back scratcher broke into pieces.
Yes, you broke in half,
You snapped into two pieces.
And now you're too short
The length of the scratcher is too short for me now.
I tried Scotch tape as a last resort
As a last-ditch effort, I used Scotch tape to fix you.
But with Scotch tape it wasn't the same
However, the magic of you was no longer there after I had fixed you.
The thrill that was wild is suddenly tame
The excitement of using the scratcher was no more, and it had become ordinary.
But, Old Man Sorrow will not get me down
I will not let this grief triumph over me.
I leave tomorrow night for Chinatown
I am going to Chinatown tomorrow night.
For I must follow Heaven's plan
It is my destiny to find a new back scratcher.
Around and around I'll go,
I will keep searching in circles,
Through Chinatown I'll go,
Looking for a back scratcher in every Chinatown store.
Hoping to find another one just like you,
I hope to find one that is identical to you.
An old Chinese back scratcher made in Japan!
Hopefully, I will find a back scratcher made in Japan that is the same as you.
Lyrics © TUNECORE INC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: ALLAN SHERMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
goldenskyhook
on Here's to the Crabgrass
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