Sissyneck
Beck Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't need no gasoline
Cause the wind that is blowing
Is blowing like a smoke machine
If I said to you
That I was looking for a place to get to
Cause my neck is broken
I got a stolen wife
And a rhinestone life
And some good old boys
I'm writing my will
On a three dollar bill
In the evening time
All my friends
Tell me something is getting together
I got a beard that would disappear
If I'm dressed in leather
Now let me tell you about my baby
She was born in Arizona
Sitting in the jail house
Trying to learn some good manners
I got a stolen wife
And a rhinestone life
And some good old boys
I'm writing my will
On a three dollar bill
In the evening time
Match sticks strike
When I'm riding my bike to the depot
Cause everybody knows my name
At the recreation center
If I could only find a nickel I would pay myself off tonight
Cause nobody knows
When he good times have passed out cold
I got a stolen wife
And a rhinestone life
And some good old boys
I'm writing my will
On a three dollar bill
In the evening time
I got a stolen wife
And a rhinestone life
And some good old boys
I'm writing my will
On a three dollar bill
In the evening time
Don't talk to me
If you're looking for somebody to cry on
Don't talk to me
If you're looking for somebody to cry on
Ah!
Beck's song Sissyneck is a playful, tongue-in-cheek song about a man who doesn't need material possessions to be happy. He declares that he doesn't need wheels or gasoline because the wind blowing is like a smoke machine. He then states that he is looking for a place to get to because his neck is broken and his pants aren't getting any bigger. These lyrics suggest that the singer is content with his situation and doesn't need more than what he already has.
The singer then proclaims that he has a stolen wife and a rhinestone life, which could be interpreted as a way of saying that he has a life that is glamorous but not truly his own. He also mentions that he's writing his will on a three dollar bill, which is an amusing way of saying that he doesn't have much to leave behind. The song continues with the singer telling us about his friends and his baby, who was born in Arizona and is currently sitting in jail trying to learn good manners.
The last section of the song talks about match sticks striking when he's riding his bike to the depot and how he would pay himself off if he could only find a nickel. These lyrics suggest that the singer doesn't have much money and is content with the simple pleasures in life. The song ends with the singer declaring that he doesn't want anyone to talk to him if they're looking for someone to cry on.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't need no wheels
I don't require a mode of transportation
I don't need no gasoline
I don't require fuel for any vehicle
Cause the wind that is blowing
Is blowing like a smoke machine
The wind is strong and produces an effect similar to a smoke machine
If I said to you
That I was looking for a place to get to
Cause my neck is broken
And my pants ain't getting no bigger
If I confided in you that I'm seeking an escape because I'm completely stuck and stagnant
I got a stolen wife
And a rhinestone life
And some good old boys
I'm writing my will
On a three dollar bill
In the evening time
I have an unfaithful partner, a shallow existence, some male friends, and I'm writing a fake will in the evening
All my friends
Tell me something is getting together
I got a beard that would disappear
If I'm dressed in leather
My friends are insisting that everything is coming together, but I feel uncomfortable because my masculine image is based on a fake beard
Now let me tell you about my baby
She was born in Arizona
Sitting in the jail house
Trying to learn some good manners
Let me introduce you to my girlfriend. She's from Arizona, she's currently incarcerated, and she's attempting to change her ways
Match sticks strike
When I'm riding my bike to the depot
Cause everybody knows my name
At the recreation center
My presence is so familiar that even the act of riding my bike causes people to take notice and greet me by name at the recreation center
If I could only find a nickel I would pay myself off tonight
Cause nobody knows
When he good times have passed out cold
If I could come across a small amount of money, I'd splurge tonight because it's uncertain when good opportunities will evaporate without warning
Don't talk to me
If you're looking for somebody to cry on
Don't talk to me
If you're looking for somebody to cry on
I'm not the person to vent to if you need someone to cry on
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HAROLD S. PARIS, ADAM TAYLOR, BECK DAVID HANSEN, JOHN KING, MICHAEL SIMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
D. Vaughn
The year was 1999...picture this. My Dad and I cruising down the interstate in North Carolina - heading to remote part of the state, for a gold prospecting outing. We are 8 hours into the trip when this song comes on. I’m not sure what my aging Dad will think...
Seconds later, both our heads are bobbing to the beat, with my Dad humming along with the lyrics.
I knew then, this was a great moment in time!
Everyone reading this, enjoy your parents while you can!
Velsbasketcase
cheers!
Raymond Anthony Rojas
D. Vaughn the only musicians I shared with my dad was cash and domino
Tim Campbell
it didn't come on the radio
TheProgramShow
Did y'all hold hands?
Bruce Whitaker
@Tim Campbell depends. 88.7 in NC was around then and would of totally been playing this album then.
ALFAJERK_BFH
That whistling in the beginning has been stuck in my head for about 2 decades now.
Jace Mc
Well then, you need to check out “The Moog and Me” - Dick Hyman. Enjoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIaN9FL7NEI
George B. Pryor
Burrowed in like a tick.
tycobb667
And here I thought I was the only one!