Eraserheads, or E-Heads was a prominent Filipino rock band of the 1990s, fo… Read Full Bio ↴Eraserheads, or E-Heads was a prominent Filipino rock band of the 1990s, formed by Ely Buendia, Raimund Marasigan, Buddy Zabala, and Marcus Adoro. The band is one of the most successful, critically-acclaimed, and significant bands in the history of Original Pilipino Music, earning them the accolade, "The Beatles of the Philippines". Eraserheads are also credited for spearheading a second wave of Manila band invasions, paving the way for a host of influential Philippine alternative rock bands.

The band released several singles, albums, and EPs that reached number one. This commercial success was most evident in the release of their third album Cutterpillow, which achieved platinum status several times. Eraserheads are one of the best-selling musical acts of all time in the Philippines, paving way for an international career that earned them the "Moon Man" in the MTV Video Music Awards.

Their diverse music worked both in the underground and mainstream scenes of the Philippine music industry. By fusing different musical styles such as alternative, pop, rock, reggae, and synthpop, Eraserheads helped change the sound of Pinoy rock.

Honky-Toinks Granny
Eraserheads Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well my lola she told me
Well she told me not to smoke
Well my lolo he told me
Well he told me not to smoke
Dope
So I, I promised to myself
I'll never never smoke
Hope!

(Grandma complex lead gtr and fade-out)

Overall Meaning

The song "Honky-Toinks Granny" by the Filipino rock band Eraserheads talks about the importance of listening to elders and taking their advice seriously, specifically about smoking marijuana. The song conveys a sense of respect towards grandparents who often have accrued wisdom and experience throughout their lives. The importance of family values is also emphasized in the song's lyrics.

The opening two lines show the traditional approach grandparents might take and their opposition to modern practices like smoking marijuana. The repetition of "not to smoke" in both lines highlights the concern and emphasis grandparents place on the issue. The lyrics then move on to the promise the singer makes to himself about not taking drugs. The word 'hope' in the final line can be interpreted in two ways: it's either an extension of the promise or a sudden breakdown of the promise, which might give the listeners something to think about.

Line by Line Meaning

Well my lola she told me
My grandmother, Lola, gave me a piece of advice

Well she told me not to smoke
She advised me against smoking

Well my lolo he told me
My grandfather, Lolo, also gave me a piece of advice

Well he told me not to smoke
He too advised me against smoking, specifically marijuana

Dope
The line is a pun or play on words, as 'dope' can mean both drugs and a slang word for cool or exciting

So I, I promised to myself
As a result of my grandparents' advice, I made a personal promise or commitment to myself

I'll never never smoke
I vowed to never smoke or use drugs, possibly for fear of disappointing my grandparents or due to my respect for their wisdom

Hope!
Another playful line, as 'hope' rhymes with 'smoke'. It could mean that the artist is optimistic or looking forward to a drug-free future

(Grandma complex lead gtr and fade-out)
This is a musical direction for the instrumental part of the song, which features a guitar solo. The fade-out may indicate a dream-like or wistful quality to the song's memories

Writer(s): Marcus Adoro

Contributed by Eva M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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