You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch
Dr. Seuss & Boris Karloff Lyrics
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You really are a heel
You're as cuddly as a cactus
You're as charming as an eel
Mr. Grinch
You're a bad banana
With a greasy black peel
Your heart's an empty hole
Your brain is full of spiders
You've got garlic in your soul
Mr. Grinch
I wouldn't touch you
With a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole
"All I need is a reindeer"
The Grinch looked around
But since reindeer are scarce, there was none to be found
Did that stop the Grinch
Ha, the Grinch simply said
"If I can't find a reindeer, I'll make one instead!"
So he took his dog Max, he took some black thread
And he tied a big horn on top of his head
Then he loaded some bags and some old empty sacks
On a ramshackle sleigh
And he whistled for Max
Then the Grinch said, "Giddap!"
And the sleigh started down
Toward the homes where the Whos lay asnooze in their town
All their windows were dark
No one knew he was there
All the Whos were all dreaming sweet dreams without care
When he came to the first little house on the square
"This is stop number one," the old Grinchy Claus hissed
And he climbed to the roof, empty bags in his fist
Then he slid down the chimney, a rather tight pinch
But, if Santa could do it, then so could the Grinch
He got stuck only once, for a minute or two
Then he stuck his head out of the fireplace flue
Where the little Who stockings all hung in a row
"These stockings," he grinched, "are the first things to go!"
Then he slithered and slunk, with a smile most unpleasant
Around the whole room, and he took every present!
Pop guns! And bicycles! Roller skates! Drums!
Checkerboards! Tricycles! Popcorn! And plums!
And he stuffed them in bags, then the Grinch, very nimbly
Stuffed all the bags, one by one, up the chimney!
The song "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch" serves as an ode to the holiday's most notorious villain, the Grinch. The song is introduced in Dr. Seuss's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" and focuses on the Grinch's characteristics and actions. It is said that the Grinch is "as cuddly as a cactus" and "as charming as an eel," which are not the most endearing traits. His heart is described as being an "empty hole," and his soul is filled with garlic, painting him as a malevolent creature. The lyrics continue to describe how the Grinch attempts to steal Christmas by pretending to be Santa Claus while stuffing all the Whos' presents up the chimney, showing how he has no ethical qualms or moral boundaries. The song concludes by stating that the singer wouldn't come near the Grinch, even with a 39.5-foot pole.
Line by Line Meaning
You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch
You are a cruel person, Mr. Grinch
You really are a heel
You are truly vicious and unpleasant
You're as cuddly as a cactus
You are as affectionate as a prickly plant
You're as charming as an eel
You are as captivating as a slippery fish
Mr. Grinch
Addressing the individual named Mr. Grinch
You're a bad banana
You are a worthless and rotten person
With a greasy black peel
Your outer appearance is unappealing and grimy
You're a monster, Mr. Grinch
You are a frightening and malicious creature
Your heart's an empty hole
Your heart lacks empathy or compassion
Your brain is full of spiders
Your thoughts are twisted and malicious
You've got garlic in your soul
Your innermost self is contaminated with wickedness
Mr. Grinch
Addressing the individual named Mr. Grinch
I wouldn't touch you
I would not come close to you
With a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole
Under no circumstances would I like to have any association or involvement with you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Albert Hague, Theodor S. Geisel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind