Private Idaho
B-52’s Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo
You're living in your own Private Idaho
Living in your own Private Idaho
Underground like a wild potato
Don't go on the patio
Beware of the pool
It leads you straight, right throught the gate
That opens on the pool
You're living in your own Private Idaho
You're living in your own Private Idaho
Keep off the path, beware of the gate
Watch out for signs that say "hidden driveways"
Don't let the chlorine in your eyes
Blind you to the awful surprise
That's been waitin' for you at
The bottom of the bottomless blue, blue, blue pool
You're livin' in your own Private Idaho, Idaho
You're out of control, the rivers that roll
You fell into the water and down to Idaho
Get out of that state
Get out of the state you're in
You better beware
You're living in your own Private Idaho
You're living in your own Private Idaho
Keep off the patio (your own private Idaho)
Keep off the path (your own private Idaho)
The lawn may be green but you better not be seen
Walkin' through a gate that leads you down
Down to a pool fraught with danger
It's a pool full of strangers
Hey, you're living in your own Private Idaho
Where do I go from here to a better state than this?
Well
Don't be blind to the big surprise
Swimming round and round like the deadly hand
Of a radium clock
At the bottom
Of the pool
I-I-I-daho
I-I-I-daho
Woah-oh, woah-oh, woah-oh, oh
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Get out of that state
Get out of that state
You're living in your own Private Idaho
Livin' in your own Private
Idaho
The song “Private Idaho” by B-52’s is a quirky, upbeat tune that warns the listener about the dangers of living too much inside their own mind or world. The lyrics warn the listener about being too withdrawn or cut off from others, focusing too much on their own internal world, and thus likely to miss the dangers that lurk outside. The song describes an underground world not unlike that of a wild potato- a strange but existing parallel reality- where people can be blinded from the dangers around them. The song suggests that while we all have an inner world that we retreat to, one should not retreat too far inside, warning of the dangers of living in an enclosed but dangerous environment where we may ultimately meet our demise.
The lyrics cleverly use metaphors throughout the song which serve as cautionary tales for those who live in their own private Idaho. The underground world compared to a wild potato is a metaphor to describe how people can live in their own reality and remain detached from the world around them. The pool with no bottom represents the dangers that await when one is careless and falls into the trap of their own self-referential world. Overall, the song is about the dangers of isolation and self-absorption.
Line by Line Meaning
You're living in your own Private Idaho
You're living in your own world, with your own rules.
Living in your own Private Idaho
You're completely self-involved.
Underground like a wild potato
You're hidden away from the world, like a potato that grows underground.
Don't go on the patio
Stay away from the outside world.
Beware of the pool
Watch out for things that seem enticing but are actually dangerous.
Blue bottomless pool
The danger of your world is bottomless and endless.
It leads you straight, right through the gate
The danger is easy to fall into, and it leads you right to it.
Keep off the path, beware of the gate
Stay away from anything that could lead you down a dangerous path.
Watch out for signs that say "hidden driveways"
Be careful of things that seem secretive or hidden.
Don't let the chlorine in your eyes
Don't be blinded by something that seems harmless, like the chlorine in a pool.
Blind you to the awful surprise
Don't be blinded to the danger that's waiting for you.
You're out of control, the rivers that roll
You're completely wild and uncontainable.
You fell into the water and down to Idaho
You've fallen from grace and into your own world.
Get out of that state
Leave the comfort of your own world and face reality.
Keep off the patio (your own private Idaho)
Stay away from things that could pull you back into your own world.
Keep off the path (your own private Idaho)
Stay away from anything that seems like it's leading you back to your own world.
The lawn may be green but you better not be seen
Things may look good on the surface, but they may not be safe or truly enjoyable.
Walkin' through a gate that leads you down
Be careful of things that seem like they're leading you to danger.
Down to a pool fraught with danger
The danger is always lurking, waiting to pull you back in.
Where do I go from here to a better state than this?
How do I escape my own world and find a better, more fulfilling life?
Don't be blind to the big surprise
Don't be unaware of the danger that's waiting for you.
Swimming round and round like the deadly hand
The danger is always moving, and it's hard to avoid.
Of a radium clock
The danger is radioactive, destructive, and long-lasting.
Get out of that state
Leave your own world and find a better one.
You're living in your own Private Idaho
You're living in your own world, and it's time to leave.
Livin' in your own Private Idaho
You're completely consumed by your own world.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CINDY WILSON, FRED SCHNEIDER, KATE PIERSON, KEITH STRICKLAND, RICKY WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
M a r a u d e r
Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo
Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo
You're living in your own Private Idaho
Living in your own Private Idaho
Underground like a wild potato
Don't go on the patio
Beware of the pool
Blue bottomless pool
It leads you straight, right throught the gate
That opens on the pool
You're living in your own Private Idaho
You're living in your own Private Idaho
Keep off the path, beware of the gate
Watch out for signs that say "hidden driveways"
Don't let the chlorine in your eyes
Blind you to the awful surprise
That's been waitin' for you at
The bottom of the bottomless blue, blue, blue pool
You're livin' in your own Private Idaho, Idaho
You're out of control, the rivers that roll
You fell into the water and down to Idaho
Get out of that state
Get out of the state you're in
You better beware
You're living in your own Private Idaho
You're living in your own Private Idaho
Keep off the patio (your own private Idaho)
Keep off the path (your own private Idaho)
The lawn may be green but you better not be seen
Walkin' through a gate that leads you down
Down to a pool fraught with danger
It's a pool full of strangers
Hey, you're living in your own Private Idaho
Where do I go from here to a better state than this?
Well
Don't be blind to the big surprise
Swimming round and round like the deadly hand
Of a radium clock
At the bottom
Of the pool
I-I-I-daho
I-I-I-daho
Woah-oh, woah-oh, woah-oh, oh
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Ah, ah, ah, ah
Get out of that state
Get out of that state
You're living in your own Private Idaho
Livin' in your own Private
Idaho
darkcoeficient
Que dificl era antes.
Ahora tienes Shazzam en tu celular y listo.
Yo tengo un video que baje como en el 2000 o 2001 con 30 segundos de una cancion que era de un idioma que nunca habia escuchado.
Hace dos meses atras puse el video de nuevo por que estaba haciendo un backup y me dio con usar Shazzam. La cancion era de una banda de Europa del Este.
Jamas iba a encontrar el interprete de otra manera.
Felipe Aragão
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
You're living in your own private Idaho
Living in your own private Idaho
Underground like a wild potato
Don't go on the patio
Beware of the pool
Blue bottomless pool
It leads you straight
Right through the gate
That opens on the pool
You're living in your own private Idaho
You're living in your own private Idaho
Keep off the path
Beware of the gate
Watch out for signs that say hidden driveways
Don't let the chlorine in your eyes
Blind you to the awful surprise
That's waitin' for you at
The bottom of the bottomless
Blue, blue, blue pool
You're livin' in your own private Idaho
Idaho you're out of control
The rivers that roll
You fell into the water and down to Idaho
Get out of the state
Get out of the state you're in
You better beware
You're living in your own private Idaho
You're living in your own private Idaho
Keep off the patio
Your own private Idaho
Keep off the path
Your own private Idaho
The lawn may be green
But you better not be seen
Walkin' through the gate that leads you down
Down to a pool fraught with danger
Is a pool full of strangers
Hey, you're living in your own private Idaho
Where do I go from here
To a better state than this?
Well, don't be blind to the big surprise
Swimming round and round like the deadly hand
Of a radium clock
At the bottom of the pool
Idaho, Idaho
Whoa-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh
Ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah
Get out of the state
Get out of the state
You're living in your own private Idaho
Livin' in your own private Idaho
Andrea Picardo T
Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo
You're living in your own Private Idaho
Living in your own Private Idaho
Underground like a wild potato
Don't go on the patio
Beware of the pool
Blue bottomless pool
It leads you straight
Right throught the gate
That opens on the pool
You're living in your own Private Idaho
You're living in your own Private Idaho
Keep off the path, beware the gate
Watch out for signs that say "hidden driveways"
Don't let the chlorine in your eyes
Blind you to the awful surprise
That's waitin' for you at
The bottom of the bottomless blue blue blue pool
You're livin in your own Private Idaho. Idaho
You're out of control, the rivers that roll
You fell into the water and down to Idaho
Get out of that state
Get out of that state you're in
You better beware
You're living in your own Private Idaho
You're living in your own Private Idaho
Keep off the patio
Keep off the path
The lawn may be green
But you better not be seen
Walkin' through the gate that leads you down
Down to a pool fraught with danger
Is a pool full of strangers
You're living in your own Private Idaho
Where do I go from here to a better state than this
Well, don't be blind to the big surprise
Swimming round and round like the deadly hand
Of a radium clock, at the bottom, of the pool
I-I-I-daho
I-I-I-daho
Woah oh oh woah oh oh woah oh oh
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah
Get out of that state
Get out of that state
You're living in your own Private Idaho
Livin in your own Private.... Idaho
Metalgamerjonny
The backup vocals around 0:50 is just STUNNING, not only that but the guitar at 1:02 sound epic. I love everything about this song
Kevin Long
That guitar riff is too much. I can not stand still. These guys belong in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Alan Strom
I'm glad to say that this song charted very well in Australia, reaching #11.
We were the first region in the world to shoot Rock Lobster to #1 on the charts, even though Wiki says it reached #3.
Our music TV show Countdown, which was the Bible of Pop Culture in Australia, placed Rock Lobster at #1 for multiple weeks.
So, their record company organised a Concert Tour Downunder in the Winter of 1980.
They played material from their 2nd album " Wild Planet"
I remember they got a very good response to " Gimme Back My Man".
My main memory of the concert is Fred Schneider playing glockenspiel on " Gimme Back My Man".
I love thousands of music acts, though The B-52s are in my TOP 5 Bands.
Taco Terrier
They are from Athens, Georgia, USA. Glad you enjoyed them.
cinilaknedalm
I really wish that the "Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo' part happened more times in the song. It's literally one of the best classic moments in music for me
Studio
I can arrange this but I just heard the song for the first time. But man, I know how you feel. I feel that way with songs all the time. I'm not even sure what part you're talking about, but I'm a music editor and I could easily add that all over the song.
Mo-Mutt Music
It's a lot of fun. I love the guitar riff. Shawn R., Mo-Mutt Music/Sacred & Secular
Anil Kumar
Hoo hoo is way better than Baby baby babyooo 😜
Professor Sasha
When I was driving across Idaho a few weeks ago I kept trying to emulate it. it felt like the perfect soundtrack to I-84 as a storm approached.
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMW
looooool