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Cooties
Hairspray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tracy Turnblad, this is for you.
They came from way far out
In outer space
And with her help
They may destroy the human race
She's got cooties!
GIRLS
...Cooties
AMBER
They've found a place to nest
GUYS
She's got cooties
GIRLS
...Cooties
AMBER
If i were her i'd be depressed
Long tailed, sharp nailed
Fuzzy legs, laying eggs
"Eww, get 'em away from me,
get 'em away from me ... ewww!!"
In science class
She's like a walking show-and-tell
Her pet skunk ran away
'Cause it couldn't take the smell
GUYS
She's got cooties
GIRLS
...Cooties
AMBER
Nobody want to sit by her
GUYS
She's got cooties
GIRLS
...Cooties
AMBER
She don't need a coat
'Cause she's got fur!
Circle, circle,
ALL
Dot, dot, dot
AMBER
Hurry, get your cootie shot!
"Come on everybody, let's stamp 'em out!"
GUYS
She's got cooties
GIRLS
...Cooties
AMBER
She's just as friendly as can be
GUYS
She's got cooties
GIRLS
...Cooties
AMBER
She shows them cootie hospitality
GUYS
She's got cooties
GIRLS
...Cooties
AMBER
She's like a living "twilight zone"
GUYS
She's got cooties
GIRLS
...Cooties
AMBER
Quick, get rod serling on the phone!
AMBER
Black, white, red, green
AMBER & ENSEMBLE
Every color in between
AMBER
Dresses like a circus clown
AMBER & ENSEMBLE
Somebody oughta hose her down
AMBER
Grew up in a cootie zoo
I bet her two-ton mama's got 'em too!
"And that's for you!"
The song "Cooties" from the musical Hairspray, performed by Amber Von Tussle and her group of friends, is a commentary on societal bullying and conformity. The song discusses a girl named Tracy Turnblad, the singer of the musical, who doesn't fit in with the "cool" crowd due to her perceived unattractive appearance and behavior. The group sings about how Tracy is a misfit and how she has cooties, which is often used as a childhood insult. The song makes fun of Tracy for her appearance and behavior, with lyrics like "Long tailed, sharp nailed, fuzzy legs, laying eggs."
The song is a representation of the societal pressure to conform and the negative effects it can have on those who are seen as different. The bullying and ostracism of Tracy for being different could be interpreted as a commentary on how society treats those who don't fit into the traditional mould of beauty or behavior. The repetition of the phrase "She's got cooties" and the reference to the "cootie shot" represent the idea that Tracy is viewed as dirty and unclean.
Overall, the song "Cooties" is a reflection of the damaging effects of societal bullying and conformity, as well as a commentary on the double standards of beauty and behavior that continue to exist in our society.
Line by Line Meaning
They came from way far out In outer space And with her help They may destroy the human race
These cooties are so gross and foreign, they might as well be from outer space. But Amber thinks Tracy is so infected, she could spread them to everyone and wipe out the human race.
She's got cooties!
Amber and all the other kids are pointing at Tracy and making fun of her for having cooties.
They've found a place to nest
The cooties have made a home on Tracy's body and are thriving.
If i were her i'd be depressed Long tailed, sharp nailed Fuzzy legs, laying eggs
If Amber had cooties like Tracy, she'd be so embarrassed and unhappy. She's describing how gross Tracy's cooties are: they have long tails, sharp nails, and lay eggs. Yuck!
"Eww, get 'em away from me, get 'em away from me ... ewww!!"
Amber and the other kids are really grossed out by Tracy's cooties and want to stay far away from her.
In science class She's like a walking show-and-tell Her pet skunk ran away 'Cause it couldn't take the smell
Tracy is the center of attention in science class because her cooties are so interesting to study. Her pet skunk even ran away because it couldn't stand the smell of Tracy's cooties.
Nobody want to sit by her
All the other kids avoid Tracy because they're afraid of catching her cooties.
She don't need a coat 'Cause she's got fur! Circle, circle,
Tracy's cooties are so bad, it's like she grew fur on her body instead of a coat. Kids are making fun of her by playing the "circle, circle, dot, dot" game, which is supposed to prevent cooties.
Hurry, get your cootie shot! "Come on everybody, let's stamp 'em out!"
Amber wants everyone to get vaccinated so they don't get Tracy's cooties. She's leading a call to action to get rid of these gross things.
She's just as friendly as can be
Despite having cooties, Tracy is a really nice person and treats everyone with kindness.
She shows them cootie hospitality
Tracy is so friendly and welcoming, she makes Amber and the other kids feel like her cooties are normal and part of her personality.
She's like a living "twilight zone"
Tracy's cooties are so strange and unbelievable, it's like she's a character in a science fiction TV show.
Quick, get rod serling on the phone!
Amber is making a joke and suggesting they call Rod Serling, the creator of 'The Twilight Zone', to come and investigate Tracy's cooties.
Black, white, red, green Every color in between Dresses like a circus clown
Tracy's clothes are so wild and colorful, she looks like she's wearing a clown costume. She stands out even more because of her cooties.
Somebody oughta hose her down
Amber is making another joke and suggesting they need to spray Tracy with water to wash off her cooties.
Grew up in a cootie zoo I bet her two-ton mama's got 'em too!
Amber is imagining a scenario where Tracy's family raised her in a place where cooties run rampant. She's even making fun of Tracy's mom for being overweight.
"And that's for you!"
Amber is finishing the song by dedicating it to Tracy, as a way to make fun of her one more time.
Contributed by Aiden J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.