Abominable Snowman in the Market
Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers (LocoStavos) Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well look, see, there's an abominable snowman in the supermarket
And apparently the housewives have never seen anything like that before
Hear the housewives complaing to the manager,
"Get that snow thing out of this store."

Abominable snowman in the market,
That's right, you heard me right, gang.
And the housewives, they all remarking,

"Looks like a dirty marshmallow with fangs."

Well, there's an abominable snowman in the market,
Now he's down by the peas and carrots.
Abominable snowman in the market.
And they cannot chase him away.

Abominable snowman in the market.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Abominable snowman in the market.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

See, there's an abominable snowman in the market,
And the situation is grave.
Well, the housewives hurt and confuse him,
And I can't see him treated this way.

Well, there's an abominable snowman in the market,
And I think he's a real nice guy.
I like the snowman, I want to help him out,
I don't want to see him hurt this way.

Well, Abominable snowman in the market.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Abominable snowman in the market.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Look, we have to talk to this abominable snowman man. And we have to say something that he can understand.

There's an abominable snowman in the market,
And he's doin' better every day.
I know it's helped him to have a more tolerant feeling.
And I like to see him treated this way.

Well, there's an abominable snowman in the market,
And he's down by the peas and carrots.
There's an abominable snowman in the market,
And that is what I now say.

Abominable snowman in the market,
all right Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Abominable snowman in the market
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

There's an abominable snowman in the market
Down by the peas and carrots.
Abominable snowman in the market
He just arrived by plane yesterday.

There's an abominable snowman in the market
And the housewives never seen something like that before.
Housewives treat him like a stranger,
They want him away from the supermark't door.

Abominable snowman in the market.

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Abominable snowman in the market

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jonathan Richman's song Abominable Snow Man In The Market describes a bizarre scene of an abominable snowman inside a supermarket. The song narrates how the housewives who are also inside the store react to the presence of the strange creature. They complain to the manager and demand that the snowman be removed from the store. The song expresses the singer's sympathy for the snowman and his opposition to the housewives' mistreatment.

The song seems to satirize people's tendency to fear and reject what is different or strange to them. The snowman is described as looking like a "dirty marshmallow with fangs," and the housewives view him as a threat even though he poses no harm. The singer, on the other hand, sees the snowman as a "real nice guy" and wants to help him out.

Overall, the lyrics suggest a message of tolerance and acceptance of others who might be different from us, challenging us to question our own prejudices and biases.

Line by Line Meaning

There's an abominable snowman in the market
A mythical creature, the abominable snowman, is present in the market

And apparently the housewives have never seen anything like that before
The housewives are not familiar with the abominable snowman and find it strange

Hear the housewives complaing to the manager,
The housewives are voicing their concerns to the manager

"Get that snow thing out of this store."
The housewives want the abominable snowman to be removed from the store

That's right, you heard me right, gang.
The singer confirms that what he said about the abominable snowman is true

And the housewives, they all remarking,
The housewives are all commenting on the abominable snowman's appearance

"Looks like a dirty marshmallow with fangs."
The housewives are describing the abominable snowman's appearance

Now he's down by the peas and carrots.
The abominable snowman is currently located in the produce section

And they cannot chase him away.
The housewives are unable to get the abominable snowman to leave

The situation is grave.
The situation with the abominable snowman is serious

Well, the housewives hurt and confuse him,
The housewives are causing emotional distress to the abominable snowman

And I can't see him treated this way.
The singer does not want the abominable snowman to be mistreated

And I think he's a real nice guy.
The singer believes that the abominable snowman is a kind creature

I like the snowman, I want to help him out,
The singer wants to assist the abominable snowman in some way

Look, we have to talk to this abominable snowman man. And we have to say something that he can understand.
The singer believes it's important to communicate with the abominable snowman in a way it can comprehend

And he's doin' better every day.
The abominable snowman is improving over time

I know it's helped him to have a more tolerant feeling.
The abominable snowman's situation has led to it becoming more accepting

And that is what I now say.
The statement about the abominable snowman being in the market still stands

He just arrived by plane yesterday.
The abominable snowman is a recent arrival to the market

Housewives treat him like a stranger,
The housewives are treating the abominable snowman as an outsider

They want him away from the supermark't door.
The housewives do not want the abominable snowman near the entrance of the store

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@zindy29

5y↑7

Nobody can write songs like Jonathan, his songs are upbeat and happy, almost like a child could write, pure genius.

@wereadouremail

11y↑6

Greatest ... song ... EVER!

@gorrillion1

12y↑4

i once saw an abominable snowman in the supermarket , he wasn't near the peas and carrots tho , he was nearer the biscuits

@stevious7278

3y↑2

Had this album in 1976. A case of Frank Zappa meets 50's rock. Pure joy and fun!
Still good in 2021

@CrkdBluShds

14y↑2

OH MY GOD Thank you so much for posting this. My three year search for the full version of this song is now complete. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

@nickhaines3834

46w

Why was this left off the Roadrunner Compilation? Great song.

@tommyhaynes521

11y↑2

Only JR could write this ! genius

@thedutchman3929

10y↑5

Love this song, class act,

@alovelyjessture

13y↑3

totally wanted to look this up cuz it was mentioned in "A Long Way Down" which I'm currently reading (and loving it btw) anytime a song is mentioned in a book i HAVE to look it up :)

@elcapocrack5955

3y↑1

Ten years later and the book still rocks

@hallywatts

13y↑1

a dirty marshmallow with fangs...brilliant! ^^

@thedutchman3929

10y↑2

Love this song

@sherbertpandainspace

13y↑1

I loved this song when I was little. c:

@mamapetillo8675

I like the snowman

@johnfountain1070

11y

what an insperation to sing about anything i first heard this bloke when i was 14 he is all good

@GetBusyLiving27

8y↑22

Nick Hornby sent me here ;)

@furkanaysal6339

6y↑4

I think you meant JJ

@nydarosaphon7904

6y↑5

Ah I'm actually reading the book rn !

@rankinglp2127

4y↑4

Same

@sophiamuchiri4469

4y↑3

Same here ...

@elcapocrack5955

3y↑2

Yeah JJ sent me here as well

@ruthdixon7807

31w

jonathan richman can do "dark" with the best of them, but dozens of his early songs are for or about childhood.

@loosingmymemory7

This is a catchy song

@SkellyDrAgOn

I know this song because of Dr. Demento radio show back in the 80's when I was a kid.

@trekforphotos

Awesome Song :)

@broadstem

11y↑5

i heard there was a compromise reached in the frozen food section

@dpallio5765

11y

This reminds me of the Cramps! Surprised they never covered it!

@tommyhaynes521

11y↑1

Only JR could write this

@adritamanna1512

10y↑12

Not bad, read about it in Along Way Down

@veraandriessen9345

9y↑2

+Adrita Manna Omg me too :)

@aldesser

Esta música deve ser tocada antes ou depois da música dos marcianos. Esse Jonathan é muito doidinho hehehehe

@MalarkySparky

4y↑1

0:57
"Courses"

@SteffenRaknes

I find the Top of the Pops version so much more endearing, it's just as much visual as aural when it comes to Johnathan, imo. Wish it was still on YouTube.

@cblock2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EqdgLo5Lo8&frags=pl%2Cwn

@Searchandpreserve

12y↑2

As a teenager back in ´78 The Modern Lovers made me a lonely man. I loved them, but they were definitely uncool.

@MatsFollon

Funny song : )

@tommyhaynes9157

Someone need to make a video of this

@slobomotion

10y↑6

Wow, did people ever hate on me in the '70s for grooving to this!

@jeremybds1901

why? its a 70s take on like... folk.... its music. people are jerks lol

@tommyhaynes521

11y↑2

Yea , everybody decided they needed to chill out

@xpaige87

11y

I can't find this album anywhereee

@thejollycheezcompany

12y

@fervieira ha i meant jonathan

@TheTalkingTina

12y↑1

..If he looks and smells like the Manager, I know what Supermarket he was in :)

@renatamolina689

11y↑1

i'm here because of the same exact reason!

@SonofMrPeanut

12y

@thejollycheezcompany Just saw him at the Galaxy a week ago tonight.

@notraven__

3y↑1

Steak Bently sent me

@Koshirozation

<33

@SonofMrPeanut

12y

@alovelyjessture Sounds like a cool book. Better do with the book what you did with the song: check it out.

@SIyDoll

11y

@MsTroubadour001

14y

i like dirty marshmellows with fur, maybe i not a housewife? wo oh oh oh oh

@thejollycheezcompany

13y

is he still alive

@jonathans.1448

3y↑2

9 years later...yes

@thejollycheezcompany

12y

@mrwibbles1 ca-rots :)

@DiscoManSam

4y↑1

Came here from a mistake when guy got confused by a puppet.

@MarvinhoMarveloso

13y

ha ok, that was silly.. :P so here again: @WebTravellerPETJIM a long way down, yeah, same with me :P good book so far, but can it compare with "about a boy"?? let's see.. :-)