Atlatl
Bhi Bhiman Lyrics
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They’re putting' Lionel down on vinyl
The blood bank stickup went along without a hiccup
We jumped in the truck with a clucking' mucky duck
And then we fostered a plan
You talk a lot about about killin', killin'
But then there's being killed, too.
And the natives are coming for you
The tissue's not the issue
Its a matter of the latter
Carradine's a choker, I could broker any batter
I could sell ice to an Eskimo
In fact I think I done it before
You talk a lot about about killin', killin'
But then there's being killed, too.
You went out to battle with a broken atlatl
And the natives are coming for you
You sprung a little hole in your dingy
There's a ringing in your ears and you’re drinking it dry
The banjo strummer with the mean clawhummer
Got a couple nasty licks for I
Ain't nobody want a nice hot toddy
You drink it through your face and release it through your body
I learned a little trick about arithmetic
If you ain't got no money you don't need to know why
Relax with the wax
They’re putting' Lionel down on vinyl
The blood bank stickup went along without a hiccup
I could sell ice to an Eskimo
In fact I think I done it before
You talk a lot about about killin', killin'
But then there's being killed, too.
You went out to battle with a broken atlatl
And the natives are coming for you
The song "Atlatl" by Bhi Bhiman tells an abstract story about a group of people who have committed a blood bank stickup and are on the run. The opening verse sets the scene as they relax with wax, referencing vinyl records, and talk about the heist which went off without a hitch. They then jump in a truck with a "clucking mucky duck" in tow and devise a plan.
The chorus reflects on the risks of violent behavior and how one can easily become the victim of their own actions. The singer is warned about going out to battle with a broken atlatl, a traditional hunting weapon, and is told that "the natives are coming for you." This can be interpreted as a warning to anyone who glorifies violence and may eventually face violent consequences themselves.
The following verse is a reflection on the importance of strategy and technique rather than brute force. The singer mentions "Carradine's a choker," referencing a possible Bruce Lee conspiracy theory surrounding the death of actor David Carradine. They then boast about their ability to sell ice to an Eskimo and how money is not always necessary to understand the value of things.
The final verse brings the song full circle as they reference the opening verse about Lionel being put down on vinyl and the blood bank stickup. They once again end with the chorus, a final warning about the dangers of violence and the consequences of one's actions.
Overall, "Atlatl" is a cryptic commentary on societal violence and the cyclical nature of its consequences. The use of abstract imagery and disjointed storytelling leaves room for interpretation and personal reflection.
Line by Line Meaning
Relax with the wax
Take it easy and relax
They’re putting' Lionel down on vinyl
They are recording Lionel's music on vinyl
The blood bank stickup went along without a hiccup
The robbery of the blood bank went smoothly without any problems
We jumped in the truck with a clucking' mucky duck
We got into the truck with a noisy and dirty duck
And then we fostered a plan
We came up with a plan
You talk a lot about about killin', killin'
You speak often about killing
But then there's being killed, too.
But you can also get killed
You went out to battle with a broken atlatl
You went to fight with a broken spear-throwing tool
And the natives are coming for you
And the native people are after you
The tissue's not the issue
The paper is not the problem
Its a matter of the latter
It's about the second thing
Carradine's a choker, I could broker any batter
Carradine is a failure, I can succeed at anything
I could sell ice to an Eskimo
I am really good at selling things, even if they don't need it
In fact I think I done it before
In fact, I think I have done it before
You sprung a little hole in your dingy
You made a small hole in your boat
There's a ringing in your ears and you’re drinking it dry
Your ears are ringing and you are drinking all your alcohol
The banjo strummer with the mean clawhummer
The person playing the banjo with a mean style
Got a couple nasty licks for I
Got a couple of mean hits for me
Ain't nobody want a nice hot toddy
No one wants a hot alcoholic drink
You drink it through your face and release it through your body
You consume it through your mouth and expel it from your body
I learned a little trick about arithmetic
I learned a trick about math
If you ain't got no money you don't need to know why
If you don't have money, you don't need to understand math
Contributed by Riley C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bill Wheeler
Listening to this song for a couple of years. Still surprised it never made more popular...... herd it on the radio in an interview, wrote part of the lyrics down and had to search it to find. Wife found the partial written words and wondered WTF I was thinking!
shliknik
I just discovered your music today, Bhi. Your music is amazing. Plus you get bonus points for this video!
Bhi Bhiman
Thanks for listening! I have a new album that's being released as a weekly podcast. You can check it out here: https://fanlink.to/PeaceofMind. The music is available on Spotify / Apple / Amazon as well. Tour dates at bhiman.com.
World One Video
I love it! I also love old black and white cartoons. Very creative Bhi. Love your sense of humor. Thanks for appearing in my 'in the moment' page!
Bhi Bhiman
Thanks for listening! I have a new album that's being released as a weekly podcast. You can check it out here: https://fanlink.to/PeaceofMind. The music is available on Spotify / Apple / Amazon as well. Tour dates at bhiman.com.
Andrew Bartleson
awesome song!!
Bhi Bhiman
Thanks for listening! I have a new album that's being released as a weekly podcast. You can check it out here: https://fanlink.to/PeaceofMind. The music is available on Spotify / Apple / Amazon as well. Tour dates at bhiman.com.
MatsItinerary
really, really good stuff
Bhi Bhiman
Thanks for listening! I have a new album that's being released as a weekly podcast. You can check it out here: https://fanlink.to/PeaceofMind. The music is available on Spotify / Apple / Amazon as well. Tour dates at bhiman.com.
sunny005ism
amazing bhi!