Combining elements of Rap, Folk and Indie, the two men have created a superb thinking man's melodic hip hop record. Songs range from the happy pop like chorus of '21st Century Pop Song' and the minimal sadness of 'Lightning Bolts and Man Hands'.
Parrots
Hymie's Basement Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Memo to all recent autumn owners:
We, your landlord and employer,
Have decided to start pulverizing parrots
In an effort to rid our fort
Of the shiny vintage cigarette cases
They see their reflection in.
In addition, we have outlawed tug-of-war
And give in to the taking of determined walks
With a fox with black cherries
For eyes to burn holes through the books
That the parrots read and then said,
Read and then said.
Why?:
Day traders wear penny-loafers sockless on sundays.
White undershirts, ass-tight baseball shorts
From the jag to the drugstore without popping wood.
"double dip of rocky-road."
It's understood,
These are men with all or nothing wardrobes;
Men generally kept in closets on weekends.
Stiffened by rigor mortis; wooden men,
Wingless in their wife-beaters,
Wifeless in their little lives of wading.
Waiting like an unwound toby robot toy
For god to reconsider gravity...
"quickly from the car to the cleaners
Without being caught in our underwear."
The lyrics of Hymie's Basement's song "Parrots" are nonsensical and seem to be random phrases thrown together. However, there are underlying themes and imagery that can be interpreted metaphorically. The singer is speaking to recent autumn owners, possibly referring to people who have recently gone through a change or transition. The "landlord and employer" in this case represent societal pressures and expectations. The parrots symbolize conformity and the desire to fit in with the crowd. The shiny vintage cigarette cases they "see their reflection in" could represent the materialistic aspects of life that people often become fixated on, leading to their inability to think for themselves. Outlawing tug-of-war is a metaphor for society's attempt to suppress primal instincts and conform to societal norms. The suggestion to take a determined walk with a fox with black cherries for eyes represents the need to break free from these societal constraints and embrace the unpredictable and unorthodox.
The second verse seems to take on a different theme altogether. It speaks to the absurdity of societal expectations for men, specifically day traders who wear penny loafers sockless on Sundays and white undershirts with ass-tight baseball shorts. The concept of an "all or nothing wardrobe" is a commentary on the pressure for men to present a certain image to the world. The reference to god reconsidering gravity is a nod to the idea that societal expectations can feel like a force that is impossible to escape. The final line "quickly from the car to the cleaners without being caught in our underwear" almost suggests that the pressure to live up to these expectations is so intense that people are afraid to be caught in a vulnerable state.
Overall, the lyrics of "Parrots" speak to the pressure to conform to societal expectations and the need to break free from those constraints in order to live a more fulfilling life.
Line by Line Meaning
Memo to all recent autumn owners:
Attention all recent tenants who moved in this autumn:
We, your landlord and employer,
As your landlord and employer,
Have decided to start pulverizing parrots
We have made the decision to start destroying parrots
In an effort to rid our fort
With the goal of eliminating
Of the shiny vintage cigarette cases
The shiny, old cigarette cases
They see their reflection in.
Parrots see their reflection in.
In addition, we have outlawed tug-of-war
Furthermore, we have prohibited tug-of-war
To encourage the betrayal of chicken-head cut off instinct
To promote going against the instinct to fight like a headless chicken
And give in to the taking of determined walks
And give in to taking intentional walks
With a fox with black cherries
With a clever fox with dark eyes that shine like cherries
For eyes to burn holes through the books
Whose eyes have the power to penetrate and read through books
That the parrots read and then said,
That the parrots had read and then repeated aloud,
Read and then said.
Read and then repeated aloud.
Day traders wear penny-loafers sockless on sundays.
Day traders wear penny-loafers without socks on Sundays.
White undershirts, ass-tight baseball shorts
They wear white undershirts and very tight baseball shorts
From the jag to the drugstore without popping wood.
They drive from their luxury sports car to the drugstore without getting an erection
"double dip of rocky-road."
It's understood,
They indulge in two helpings of ice cream flavor rocky-road. It's a commonly accepted practice.
These are men with all or nothing wardrobes;
These are men who dress either extremely well or not at all.
Men generally kept in closets on weekends.
They are generally men who stay at home on weekends and avoid going out.
Stiffened by rigor mortis; wooden men,
These men are stiff and lifeless, as if they were dead and had gone through rigor mortis.
Wingless in their wife-beaters,
They are powerless, wearing undershirts that look violent like those domestic violence offenders reportedly wear.
Wifeless in their little lives of wading.
Their lives are empty and dull, they have no wives and little happens day to day.
Waiting like an unwound toby robot toy
They are waiting for something to happen but are understimulated, like a mechanical toy.
For god to reconsider gravity...
As if they hope a higher power will change the rules of the universe.
"quickly from the car to the cleaners
Without being caught in our underwear."
They are in a rush to avoid being seen in their underwear while running from their car to the cleaners.
Contributed by Ava S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.