Wheel of Fortune
Hans Zimmer Lyrics


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Gotta a whale of a tale to tell you lad.
It's a whale of a tale or two,
About the flappin' fish and girls, I've loved on nights like this, With the moon above.
And a whale of a tale,
It's all true,
I swear by my tattoo.
There was Mermaid Minnie, met her down in Madagascar.
She would kiss me,
Anytime that I would ask her.
Then one evening, her flame of love blew out,
Blow me down and pick me up,
She swapped me for a trout.
Gotta a whale of a tale to tell you lad.
It's a whale of a tale or two,
About the flappin' fish and girls, I've loved on nights like this, With the moon above.
And a whale of a tale,
It's all true,
I swear by my tattoo.
There was Typoon Tessie, met on the Coast of Java.
When we kissed I... bubbled up like molten lava.
Then she gave me,
The scare of my young life.
Blow me down and pick me up,
She was the captain's wife.
Gotta a whale of a tale to tell you lad.
It's a whale of a tale or two,
About the flappin' fish and girls, I've loved on nights like this, With the moon above.
And a whale of a tale,
It's all true,
I swear by my tattoo.
Then there was Harpoon Hannah,
Had a look that spelled out danger.
My heart quivered,
When she whispered, "I'm there stranger."
Bought her trinkets,
That sailors can't afford.
Sailors can't afford.
And when spent my last red cent,
She tossed my overboard.
Gotta a whale of a tale to tell you lad.
It's a whale of a tale or two,
About the flappin' fish and girls, I've loved on nights like this, With the moon above.
And a whale of a tale,




It's all true,
I swear by my tattoo!

Overall Meaning

Hans Zimmer's "Wheel of Fortune" is a playful and lively tune that tells the tale of a seafarer who has lived a life full of adventure, loves, and experiences that he is excited to share with those around him. The lyrics are full of exaggerations and humorous anecdotes that make the listener feel as though they too are partaking in the storyteller's adventurous lifestyle.


The song begins with the singer claiming to have "a whale of a tale" to share, alluding to the idea that the stories he has accumulated are larger than life. The mention of a tattoo also adds to this perception, as tattoos are often chosen to commemorate important events or milestones in a person's life. The first story is about a mermaid named Minnie, whom the singer met down in Madagascar. Minnie was willing to kiss him whenever he desired, but she eventually left him for a trout.


The next story talks of Typhoon Tessie, who made the singer bubble up with passion like molten lava. She turns out to be the captain's wife and nearly gives the singer the scare of his life. Finally, the third story is about Harpoon Hannah, who the singer finds dangerous yet irresistible. After buying her trinkets that sailors can't afford, she tosses him overboard when he's down to his last cent. Through these stories, the singer paints a picture of a life full of excitement, danger, and passion.


Line by Line Meaning

Gotta a whale of a tale to tell you lad.
I have an incredible story to share with you.


It's a whale of a tale or two,
Actually, I have two incredible stories to share.


About the flappin' fish and girls, I've loved on nights like this, With the moon above.
These stories involve my love affairs with beautiful women and my love of fishing under the moonlight.


And a whale of a tale,
These stories are so unbelievable that they may seem like they are from fiction.


It's all true,
However, I assure you that these stories are completely factual.


I swear by my tattoo.
I am so certain about the truth of my stories that I am willing to swear on my tattoo.


There was Mermaid Minnie, met her down in Madagascar.
One of my stories is about a mermaid named Minnie that I encountered in Madagascar.


She would kiss me, Anytime that I would ask her.
Minnie and I had a romantic relationship where she would always kiss me when I asked.


Then one evening, her flame of love blew out, Blow me down and pick me up, She swapped me for a trout.
Unfortunately, Minnie's love for me faded and she dumped me for a trout.


There was Typoon Tessie, met on the Coast of Java.
My other story features a woman named Typhoon Tessie, whom I met on the coast of Java.


When we kissed I... bubbled up like molten lava.
Tessie and I had a passionate romance where I felt like I was bubbling up like lava when we kissed.


Then she gave me, The scare of my young life.
However, our relationship took a dark turn when Tessie gave me the scare of my life.


Blow me down and pick me up, She was the captain's wife.
Tessie was actually the wife of the ship's captain and I had unknowingly become involved in an affair.


Then there was Harpoon Hannah, Had a look that spelled out danger.
My final story is about a woman named Harpoon Hannah, who had a dangerous aura about her.


My heart quivered, When she whispered, "I'm there stranger."
Despite the danger, I was oddly drawn to Hannah and my heart quivered when she whispered to me.


Bought her trinkets, That sailors can't afford. Sailors can't afford.
In an attempt to win Hannah over, I spent money on trinkets that no sailors could afford.


And when spent my last red cent, She tossed my overboard.
Unfortunately, Hannah was not interested in my trinkets or me and she threw me overboard when I ran out of money.


Gotta a whale of a tale to tell you lad.
In conclusion, I have shared with you some of the wildest and most unbelievable stories that have ever happened to me.


It's a whale of a tale or two,
These stories may seem like they are from a tall tale, but I assure you that they are completely true.


About the flappin' fish and girls, I've loved on nights like this, With the moon above.
They involve my passions for fishing and romance under the moonlight.


And a whale of a tale,
These stories are truly incredible and deserve the title of a 'whale of a tale'.


It's all true,
Again, I want to emphasize that these stories are completely true.


I swear by my tattoo!
I am willing to swear on my tattoo that these stories are factual and not just tall tales.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KLAUS BADELT, TOM GIRE, JOHN ANTHONY SPONSLER, JOHN ANTHONY JR. SPONSLER, HANS ZIMMER, HANS F. ZIMMER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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