30000 Pounds Of Bananas
Chapin Harry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The hill that leads into Scranton Pennsylvania.
Carrying thirty thousand pounds of bananas.
Carrying thirty thousand pounds (hit it Big John) of bananas.
He was a young driver,
Just out on his second job.
And he was carrying the next day's pasty fruits
Where children play without despair
In backyard slag-piles and folks manage to eat each day
Just about thirty thousand pounds of bananas.
Yes, just about thirty thousand pounds (scream it again, John) .
He passed a sign that he should have seen,
Saying "shift to low gear, a fifty dollar fine my friend."
He was thinking perhaps about the warm-breathed woman
Who was waiting at the journey's end.
He started down the two mile drop,
The curving road that wound from the top of the hill.
He was pushing on through the shortening miles that ran down to the depot.
Just a few more miles to go,
Then he'd go home and have her ease his long, cramped day away.
And the smell of thirty thousand pounds of bananas.
Yes the smell of thirty thousand pounds of bananas.
He was picking speed as the city spread its twinkling lights below him.
But he paid no heed as the shivering thoughts of the nights
Delights went through him.
His foot nudged the brakes to slow him down.
But the pedal floored easy without a sound.
He said "Christ!"
It was funny how he had named the only man who could save him now.
He was trapped inside a dead-end hellslide,
Riding on his fear-hunched back
Was every one of those yellow green
I'm telling you thirty thousand pounds of bananas.
Yes, there were thirty thousand pounds of bananas.
He barely made the sweeping curve that led into the steepest grade.
And he missed the thankful passing bus at ninety miles an hour.
And he said "God, make it a dream!"
As he rode his last ride down.
And he said "God, make it a dream!"
As he rode his last ride down.
And he sideswiped nineteen neat parked cars,
Clipped off thirteen telephone poles,
Hit two houses, bruised eight trees,
And Blue-Crossed seven people.
It was then he lost his head,
Not to mention an arm or two before he stopped.
And he slid for four hundred yards
Along the hill that leads into Scranton, Pennsylvania.
All those thirty thousand pounds of bananas.
You know the man who told me about it on the bus,
As it went up the hill out of Scranton, Pennsylvania,
He shrugged his shoulders, he shook his head,
And he said (and this is exactly what he said)
"Boy that sure must've been something.
Just imagine thirty thousand pounds of bananas.
Yes, there were thirty thousand pounds of mashed bananas.
Of bananas. Just bananas. Thirty thousand pounds.
Of Bananas. not no driver now. Just bananas!"
From Greatest Stories Live: Ending number one
Yes, we have no bananas,
We have no bananas today
(Spoken: And if that wasn't enough)
Yes, we have no bananas,
Bananas in Scranton, P A
From Greatest Stories Live: Ending #2:
A woman walks into her room where her child lies sleeping,
And when she sees his eyes are closed,
She sits there, silently weeping,
And though she lives in Scranton, Pennsylvania
She never ever eats ... Bananas
Not one of thirty thousand pounds .... of bananas
In "30,000 Pounds of Bananas," Harry Chapin tells the tragic story of a young man's ride that goes terribly wrong, leading to a bizarre and fatal accident. The song begins with the truck driver hauling 30,000 pounds of bananas down a curving hill towards Scranton, Pennsylvania, excited to head home after a long day. However, as he picked up speed, he discovers that his brakes aren't working the way they should, leading to a series of collisions where he hits cars, telephone poles, houses, trees, and people until he finally succumbs to his injuries, spilling thousands of pounds of bananas across the hillside.
Throughout the song, there are signs of a bleak picture of life in Scranton. The city is referred to as "coal-scarred," and there are references to the "backyard slag-piles" and how desperate someone must be to eat 30,000 pounds of bananas in one fell swoop. The song implies that the driver's journey was to help Scranton's residents through delivering their "pasty" fruits. Additionally, this tragedy was one loss that Scranton would have had to bear as no one is mentioned coming to clean up the mass of bananas from the hillside.
Line by Line Meaning
It was just after dark when the truck started down
The story starts with a truck carrying 30,000 pounds of bananas starting its journey after sunset.
The hill that leads into Scranton Pennsylvania.
The truck was heading towards Scranton, Pennsylvania down a slope.
Carrying thirty thousand pounds of bananas.
The truck was loaded with 30,000 pounds of bananas.
He was a young driver,
The driver of the truck was a young and inexperienced person.
Just out on his second job.
This was only his second job which suggests he was not experienced enough.
And he was carrying the next day's pasty fruits
The truck was transporting fruits that were supposed to be consumed the next day by the people of Scranton.
For everyone in that coal-scarred city
The fruits were meant for everyone in Scranton, a city that has been affected by coal mining.
Where children play without despair
Despite the adverse living conditions in Scranton, children play without losing hope.
In backyard slag-piles and folks manage to eat each day
Despite the poor living conditions and financial instability, people in Scranton still manage to provide food for themselves and their families.
Just about thirty thousand pounds of bananas.
The truck was carrying approximately 30,000 pounds of bananas.
He passed a sign that he should have seen,
The driver missed a sign that he should have read.
Saying "shift to low gear, a fifty dollar fine my friend."
The sign warned the driver to shift to low gear or face a fine.
He was thinking perhaps about the warm-breathed woman
The driver's mind was occupied with thoughts of a woman waiting for him at his destination.
Who was waiting at the journey's end.
The woman was waiting for him at the end of his trip.
He started down the two mile drop,
The driver began the steep two-mile descent downhill.
The curving road that wound from the top of the hill.
The road was winding and curved from the top of the hill.
He was pushing on through the shortening miles that ran down to the depot.
The driver was racing towards the depot at the end of the journey.
Just a few more miles to go,
The driver had only a few more miles left to complete the journey.
Then he'd go home and have her ease his long, cramped day away.
The driver looked forward to meeting the woman waiting for him and relaxing after a long day of work.
And the smell of thirty thousand pounds of bananas.
The truck emitted the strong smell of 30,000 pounds of bananas.
He was picking speed as the city spread its twinkling lights below him.
As the city's lights came into view, the driver picked up speed.
But he paid no heed as the shivering thoughts of the nights
The driver ignored the signs and instead got lost in his thoughts.
Delights went through him.
The pleasure of meeting his lover distracted him.
His foot nudged the brakes to slow him down.
As the driver regained his senses, he tried to slow down the truck by applying the brakes.
But the pedal floored easy without a sound.
The brake pedal malfunctioned and went all the way down, making no sound.
He said "Christ!" It was funny how he had named the only man who could save him now.
As the driver realized that his brakes had failed, he exclaimed "Christ!" and appealed for divine intervention.
He was trapped inside a dead-end hellslide,
The driver was stuck in a situation which seemed like a dead end, sliding downhill.
Riding on his fear-hunched back
The driver was terrified and was riding downhill in a fetal position.
Was every one of those yellow green
While sliding past, the driver saw all the bananas in the truck piled together.
I'm telling you thirty thousand pounds of bananas.
The truck was filled with an approximate amount of 30,000 pounds of bananas.
He barely made the sweeping curve that led into the steepest grade.
The driver struggled to negotiate the sharp turn at the point when the slope became steepest.
And he missed the thankful passing bus at ninety miles an hour.
The driver missed a passing bus that could have possibly saved him from the fateful crash.
And he said "God, make it a dream!"
The driver pleaded to God to make this nightmare disappear from reality.
As he rode his last ride down.
The driver tried to accept his fate as the truck continued its fatal journey.
And he sideswiped nineteen neat parked cars,
In his last moments, the truck hit multiple parked cars that were neatly parked on the road.
Clipped off thirteen telephone poles,
The truck hit 13 telephone poles, breaking them off in the process.
Hit two houses, bruised eight trees,
The truck crashed into two houses and caused damage to eight trees.
And Blue-Crossed seven people.
The crash impacted seven people causing them serious injuries.
It was then he lost his head,
The driver lost his mental composure and control over the truck as he saw his impending doom.
Not to mention an arm or two before he stopped.
In the crash, the driver lost one or both his arms before the truck came to a stop.
And he slid for four hundred yards
The truck slid for 400 yards before coming to a complete stop.
Along the hill that leads into Scranton, Pennsylvania.
The truck slid down the slope and ended up along the hill leading into Scranton, Pennsylvania.
You know the man who told me about it on the bus,
The story was being narrated by a man who heard about it from someone else on a bus.
As it went up the hill out of Scranton, Pennsylvania,
The bus was heading out of Scranton on a hill when the story was being narrated.
He shrugged his shoulders, he shook his head,
The man who was narrating the story responded with a sense of hopelessness.
And he said (and this is exactly what he said)
The man then quoted exactly what he heard from the person who narrated the story to him.
"Boy that sure must've been something.
The man responded in awe and astonishment.
Just imagine thirty thousand pounds of bananas.
The idea of 30,000 pounds of bananas scattered all over the crash site was both impressive and tragic to the man.
Yes, there were thirty thousand pounds of mashed bananas.
The force of the crash mashed the bananas which was a part of this tragedy.
Of bananas. Just bananas.
All that was left now was a pile of mashed bananas.
A woman walks into her room where her child lies sleeping,
The story shifts to a woman who enters her room while her child was asleep.
And when she sees his eyes are closed,
The woman noticed that her child had closed his eyes.
She sits there, silently weeping,
The woman starts to weep silently, possibly because of the fear of the truck accident in which people died.
And though she lives in Scranton, Pennsylvania
The woman lives in Scranton, the place where the truck accident happened.
She never ever eats ... Bananas
As she is traumatized by the accident, she can never eat bananas as it could remind her of this tragedy.
Not one of thirty thousand pounds .... of bananas
The woman is not willing to consume bananas after seeing the tragic death of people in the truck accident.
Yes, we have no bananas,
The story ends with the recurring line, 'we have no bananas' which suggests the impact of the tragedy on Scranton.
We have no bananas today
The unavailability of bananas can be symbolic of the tragedy and how it affects the daily life of the people of Scranton.
Bananas in Scranton, P A
The city of Scranton is left without bananas, hinting on the emotional impact that the accident has on the people living there.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRY F. CHAPIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Oliviacaptain
It was just after dark when the truck started down
The hill that leads into Scranton Pennsylvania
Carrying thirty thousand pounds of bananas
Carrying thirty thousand pounds
Hit it big John
Of bananas
He was a young driver
Just out on his second job
And he was carrying the next day's pasty fruits
For everyone in that coal scarred city
Where children play without despair
In backyard slag piles and folks manage to eat each day
About thirty thousand pounds of bananas
Yes, just about thirty thousand pounds
Scream it again, John
Of bananas
He passed a sign that he should have seen
Saying "Shift to low gear, a fifty dollar fine my friend."
He was thinking perhaps about the warm breathed woman
Who was waiting at the journey's end
He started down the two mile drop
The curving road that wound from the top of the hill
He was pushing on through the shortening miles
That ran down to the depot
Just a few more miles to go
Then he'd go home and have her ease his long, cramped day away
And the smell of thirty thousand pounds of bananas
Yes the smell of thirty thousand pounds of bananas
He was picking speed as the city spread its twinkling lights, below him
But he paid no heed as the shivering thoughts of the night's
Delights went through him
His foot nudged the brakes to slow him down
But the pedal floored easy without a sound
He said, "Christ"
It was funny how he had named the only man
Who could save him now
He was trapped inside a dead-end hellslide
Riding on his fear hunched back
Was everyone of those yellow green
I'm telling you thirty thousand pounds of bananas
Yes, there were thirty thousand pounds of bananas
He barely made the sweeping curve
That led into the steepest grade
And he missed the thankful passing bus
At ninety miles an hour
And he said, "God, make it a dream"
As he rode his last tread down
He said, "God, make it a dream"
As he rode his last tread down
And he sideswiped nineteen neat parked cars
Clipped off thirteen telephone poles
Hit two houses, bruised eight trees
And Blue Crossed seven people
It was then he lost his head
Not to mention an arm or two before he stopped
And he slid for four hundred yards
Along the hill that leads into Scranton Pennsylvania
All those thirty thousand pounds of bananas
You know the man who told me about it on the bus
As it went up the hill out of Scranton, Pennsylvania
He shrugged his shoulders, he shook his head
And he said
And this is exactly what he said
"Boy that sure must've been something
Just imagine thirty thousand pounds of bananas"
Yes, there were thirty thousand pounds of mashed bananas
Of bananas, bananas, just bananas, thirty thousand pounds
Of bananas, not no driver now, just bananas
@garysloan9793
The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota has an even more special place in my heart. Thank you Harry
@jenniferthompson9351
I live about 5 miles from that twine ball. I've known Chapin's song since the early 80's, but didn't know about Yankovic's parody until tonight. Thanks for that!
@EmpresssMandinka
I live in Scranton all my life and remember when this and many more trucks came down that hill with horrible endings. It was so frequent almost a truck a month until they finally banned trucks from using it. God Bless their souls
@bobchessick4282
I know the spot well. They couldn't ban trucks until Interstate 380 was completed to I-81. It used to end at Route 307 which leads to the hill in questions. And few trucks would think to follow PA-435 (old US-611) instead but that too led to a similar hill on Drinker Street in Dunmore.
@thephantomoftheparadise5666
That sounds terrifying. @@bobchessick4282
@Marty933
When I was driving truck when I was about 23, I picked up a load of bananas in Baltimore and went through Scranton PA. This song was all I could think of.
@danholland2736
You were going a different way in he came from city and went 307 before 380 was made .
@iron54eagle
But did you die?
@scoobydoo7535
Lol
@harrisonthecarguy3734
oh man