Royal Jelly
Dewey Cox Lyrics
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In the twisted birth canal of the coliseum
Rim job fairy teapots mask the temper tantrum
O' say, "Can you see 'em?"
Stuffed cabbage is the darling of the Laundromat
'N' the sorority mascot sat with the lumberjack
Pressing, passing, stinging half synthetic fabrications of his time
The mouse with the overbite
Explained how the rabbits were ensnared
'N' the skinny scanty sylph trashed the apothecary diplomat
Inside the three-eyed monkey within inches of his toaster oven life
In my mind, I'm half blind
My inner ref is mostly deaf
I'm smell impaired if you cared
My sense of taste is wasted
On the phosphorescent orange peels
Of San Francisco axe-encrusted frenzy
So let me touch you
Let me touch you
Let me touch you
Let me touch you
Where the Royal Jelly gets made
Coloratura singers bringing weeds and social clingers
Hangers-on and fancy flinger's to the dress ball
Mushrooms and bowling pins
Stove pipe hats and other things I can't recall from Juvenile hall
We're so unlucky and stuff
Woodrow Wilson never had it so tough
Dairy Queen and Vaseline and Maybelline
Paul Bunyan and James Dean
Allegory agencies of pre-Raphaelite paganry
And Shenandoah tapestries compared with good mahogany
Collapsing the undying postcard romance
With feline perspicacity by the university
That night I held a paucity
Which you deemed common courtesy
I wasn't what you thought I'd be
I shouldn't have invited you to dance
In my tree I'm halfway free
And in my chair one quarter there
In my dream one-sixteenth cream
In the coffee of the courtier
Of the sycophant assistant to the king
So let me touch you
Let me touch you
Let me touch you
Let me touch you
Where the Royal Jelly gets made
You're a liar
To interpret the lyrics of Dewey Cox's song, "Royal Jelly," it's important to note that the song is notoriously nonsensical, full of absurdities and oddities. It's almost as if the lyrics were written by taking random phrases and putting them together to form a song. But upon closer inspection, one can identify elements of surrealism and absurdism, along with playful use of words and phrases.
The opening lines, "Mailboxes drip like lampposts, in the twisted birth canal of the coliseum" sets the tone for the disjointed and absurd imagery that follows. The line conjures up an image of a surreal landscape where everyday objects take on a new and bizarre form. Similarly, phrases like "rim job fairy teapots" and "stuffed cabbage is the darling of the Laundromat" further reinforce the song's surreal nature.
However, amidst the chaos, there are moments of poignancy, such as the lines, "In my mind, I'm half blind, my inner ref is mostly deaf." Here, Dewey Cox portrays himself as a flawed character, who is struggling to make sense of the world around him. In contrast, the chorus, "Let me touch you where the Royal Jelly gets made" is a humorous nod to sexual innuendo.
Overall, "Royal Jelly" is a song that defies easy interpretation. It's a surreal and absurd journey that takes the listener on a wild and unpredictable ride.
Line by Line Meaning
Mailboxes drip like lampposts
The world is upside down and confusing.
In the twisted birth canal of the coliseum
Life is a turbulent journey full of obstacles.
Rim job fairy teapots mask the temper tantrum
Things that seem innocent may actually be hiding something deceitful.
O' say, "Can you see 'em?"
Can you see the truth behind the facade?
Stuffed cabbage is the darling of the Laundromat
Even mundane things can have their own charm.
'N' the sorority mascot sat with the lumberjack
People from different backgrounds can come together and find commonality.
Pressing, passing, stinging half synthetic fabrications of his time
Society puts pressure on people to conform to certain ideals that may not be authentic.
The mouse with the overbite
Even the small and seemingly powerless can have wisdom to share.
Explained how the rabbits were ensnared
Exposing the truth behind deception and manipulation.
'N' the skinny scanty sylph trashed the apothecary diplomat
Appearances can be deceiving, and those who seem weak may actually have power.
Inside the three-eyed monkey within inches of his toaster oven life
Feeling trapped and confined in one's existence.
In my mind, I'm half blind
Feeling confused and unsure about life.
My inner ref is mostly deaf
Ignoring one's inner voice and intuition.
I'm smell impaired if you cared
Feeling disconnected from one's senses and the world around them.
My sense of taste is wasted
Not fully experiencing life and all its pleasures.
On the phosphorescent orange peels
Finding beauty and wonder in unexpected places.
Of San Francisco axe-encrusted frenzy
The chaos and energy of life in the city.
So let me touch you
Yearning for human connection and intimacy.
Where the Royal Jelly gets made
Where life, love, and creativity come together to create something beautiful.
Coloratura singers bringing weeds and social clingers
Different people coming together and creating something unique and beautiful.
Hangers-on and fancy flinger's to the dress ball
People clinging onto something superficial and meaningless.
Mushrooms and bowling pins
Unexpected and surreal elements thrown into life's mix.
Stove pipe hats and other things I can't recall from Juvenile hall
Memories from the past; things that haunt us and shape us.
We're so unlucky and stuff
Feeling like life is unfair and constantly conspiring against us.
Woodrow Wilson never had it so tough
Feeling like one's struggles are greater than those who came before us.
Dairy Queen and Vaseline and Maybelline
Commercialism and consumerism infiltrating every aspect of life.
Paul Bunyan and James Dean
Icons of American culture, representing different ideals and aspirations.
Allegory agencies of pre-Raphaelite paganry
The power of stories to inspire and influence us.
And Shenandoah tapestries compared with good mahogany
Measuring the worth and value of things based on their beauty and quality.
Collapsing the undying postcard romance
Bringing an end to the rose-colored glasses we often wear towards love and relationships.
With feline perspicacity by the university
Approaching life with the insight and instincts of a cat.
That night I held a paucity
Feeling empty and unfulfilled.
Which you deemed common courtesy
Feeling unappreciated by others when offering kindness.
I wasn't what you thought I'd be
Failing to live up to others' expectations and ideas of who we should be.
I shouldn't have invited you to dance
Regretting past actions that may have had negative consequences.
In my tree I'm halfway free
Finding solace and freedom in one's own mind and imagination.
And in my chair one quarter there
Feeling confined and limited in one's own body and existence.
In my dream one-sixteenth cream
Holding onto fleeting moments of joy and peace.
In the coffee of the courtier
The bitter realities of life, particularly for those in positions of power and privilege.
Of the sycophant assistant to the king
The manipulative and self-serving nature of some people.
You're a liar
A final expression of bitterness and disappointment, directed at someone who has let you down.
Contributed by Mia C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.