Hair
Galt MacDermot/Tom Pierson Lyrics
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I'm hairy noon and night, hair that's a fright
I'm hairy high and low, don't ask me why, Don't know
It's not for lack of bread, like the Grateful Dead
Darlin', give me a head with hair, long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming, steaming, flaxen, waxen
Give me down to there hair, shoulder length or longer
Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it, long as God can grow it, my hair
Let it fly in the breeze and get caught in the trees
Give a home to the fleas in my hair
A home for fleas, (yeah) a hive to bees, (yeah) a nest for birds
There ain't no words for the beauty, the splendor, the wonder of my
Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it, long as God can grow it, my hair
I want it long, straight, curly, fuzzy, snaggy, shaggy
Ratty, matty, oily, greasy, fleecy, shining, gleaming
Streaming, flaxen, waxen, knotted, polka dotted
Twisted, beaded, braided, powdered, flowered and confettied
Bangled, tangled, spangled and spaghettied
They'll be ga ga at the go go when they see me in my toga
My toga made of blond, brilliantined, biblical hair
My hair like Jesus wore it, Hallelujah, I adore it
Hallelujah; Mary loved her son, why don't my mother love me?
Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it, long as God can grow it, my hair
Flow it, show it, long as God can grow it, my hair
Flow it, show it, long as God can grow it, my hair
Flow it, show it, long as God can grow it, my hair
The lyrics to "Hair" by Galt MacDermot and Tom Pierson explore the relationship between a hairy man and society's expectations of male cleanliness and grooming. The song plays with the idea of hair as a symbol of rebellion and freedom, with the singer defiantly celebrating his hairy body as a source of beauty and wonder.
The first verse introduces the hairy man and addresses the question of why he is so hairy. The second verse is a plea for others to accept and appreciate his hair, expressing a desire for long, flowing locks that can be styled and admired. The third verse is almost a manifesto, listing the many ways in which hair can be worn and decorated, with the narrative imagining a moment of triumphant display in a toga made of "blond, brilliantined, biblical hair."
The chorus of the song is a simple repetition of the word "hair," with the adjective "long" added to reinforce the importance of hair length as a symbol of freedom and self-expression. The song ends with a reiteration of the desire for hair to be allowed to "flow" and "show" as it grows naturally, unfettered by societal expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
She asks me why, I'm just a hairy guy
She wonders why I am so hairy
I'm hairy noon and night, hair that's a fright
I'm hairy at all times and my hair is a fright
I'm hairy high and low, don't ask me why, Don't know
My hair is everywhere, I don't know why
It's not for lack of bread, like the Grateful Dead
I'm not lacking money or success, like the Grateful Dead
Darlin', give me a head with hair, long beautiful hair
My love, I desire someone with long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming, steaming, flaxen, waxen
I want hair that shines, gleams, and steams and is yellow or pliable
Give me down to there hair, shoulder length or longer
I want hair that reaches down to there, shoulder length or longer
Here, baby, there, momma, everywhere, daddy, daddy
Hair, I want it everywhere
Flow it, show it, long as God can grow it, my hair
Let my hair grow long and show it off
Let it fly in the breeze and get caught in the trees
Let my hair flow in the wind and get caught in trees
Give a home to the fleas in my hair
Allow fleas to live in my hair
A home for fleas, (yeah) a hive to bees, (yeah) a nest for birds
My hair houses fleas, bees, and even birds
There ain't no words for the beauty, the splendor, the wonder of my Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
There are no words to describe the beauty of my hair
I want it long, straight, curly, fuzzy, snaggy, shaggy
I want my hair to be long, straight, curly, fuzzy, snaggy, and shaggy
Ratty, matty, oily, greasy, fleecy, shining, gleaming
My hair can be ratty, matty, oily, greasy, fleecy, shiny, or gleaming
Streaming, flaxen, waxen, knotted, polka dotted
My hair can also be streaming, flaxen, waxen, knotted, or polka dotted
Twisted, beaded, braided, powdered, flowered and confettied
My hair can be twisted, beaded, braided, powdered, flowered, or confettied
Bangled, tangled, spangled and spaghettied
My hair can also be bangled, tangled, spangled, and spaghettied
They'll be ga ga at the go go when they see me in my toga
People will go crazy when they see me in my toga
My toga made of blond, brilliantined, biblical hair
My toga is made of blond, shiny, and holy hair
My hair like Jesus wore it, Hallelujah, I adore it
I worship my hair like it is holy, just like how Jesus wore it
Hallelujah; Mary loved her son, why don't my mother love me?
I am wondering why my mother doesn't love me like Mary loved her son
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GALT MAC DERMOT, GEROME RAGNI, JAMES RADO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind