Hickey
Lambchop Lyrics
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Cause he wanted to smell
What was left of the girl
That stayed at his hotel
Still the water was warm
With the soap in his hand
As he halted the process
Just to stare at this man
Right after his nap
He buried his face in her pillow
Then he stared down at his lap
A small circle of miracles
Surrounded his head
That ranged dark blue
All the way to dark red
And in honor of this new affair
He bought some socks and some underwear
He was feelin' so sporty and lookin' brand new
To cover up his invisible tattoo
The box on the carpet
Matched the lines on his head
As he was ready to sleep
And he turns down the bed
Removes all his clothes now
Lays them on the floor
Slips under the covers
He hears her key in the door
His eyes blink for a minute
His lids open and close
A cool warmth fills the room
He feels her chest on his nose
His brow brushes her navel
His hand follows her hips
His neck jerks on the pillow
Feels the touch of her lips
And in honor of this new affair
He bought some socks and some underwear
He was feelin' so sporty and lookin' brand new
To cover up his invisible tattoo
But not as good as this invisible tattoo
The song "Hickey" by Lambchop is a haunting, introspective portrayal of a man who is deeply infatuated with a woman he has met in a hotel. The opening lines describe the man's reluctance to shower, because he wants to preserve the scent of the woman that he perceives to be on his body. He is preoccupied with her, and the remainder of the song serves as a stream of consciousness meditation on their relationship.
The man is depicted as being deeply in love with the woman, as evidenced by his behavior when she is not around. He lays in bed and smells her pillow, marvels at the miracles of her body, and reinvents himself in her image by buying new clothes. In this way, the song captures the intensity of infatuation and the power it can have over a person's thoughts and actions.
The repeated refrain, "To cover up his invisible tattoo," adds an additional layer of meaning to the song. While it is not clear what this tattoo represents, it seems to symbolize the man's hidden desires, insecurities, or secrets. By covering it up, he is attempting to present a new, improved version of himself to the object of his affection.
Overall, "Hickey" is a complex and nuanced portrayal of a man consumed by love, desire, and self-doubt. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of his thoughts and emotions, while the music adds an eerie, haunting quality that underscores the intensity of his feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
He hated to shower
This guy didn't want to wash off the smell of the woman who stayed in his hotel room
Cause he wanted to smell
He wanted to keep that scent of the woman on him
What was left of the girl
He enjoyed the idea of leaving behind a lasting reminder of her presence
Still the water was warm
Although he disliked showering, the warmth of the water was soothing
With the soap in his hand
He had halted his shower process and noticed his reflection
As he halted the process
He stopped showering mid-process to check himself out
Just to stare at this man
He observed his own reflection and appearance
In the dark of his room
He was alone in his room, possibly full of regret over his actions
Right after his nap
He woke up from a nap and was alone with his thoughts
He buried his face in her pillow
He sought comfort in the remnants of the woman's presence in his room
Then he stared down at his lap
He lamented his own actions and possible feelings of guilt
A small circle of miracles
He noticed a small, intricate pattern on his body
Surrounded his head
This pattern was located near his face, perhaps on his forehead
That ranged dark blue
The pattern included various shades of blue
All the way to dark red
It also included shades of red
And in honor of this new affair
He was celebrating his new relationship with this woman
He bought some socks and some underwear
He treated himself to some new clothing items to feel better about himself
He was feelin' so sporty and lookin' brand new
These new clothes made him feel rejuvenated and better about himself
To cover up his invisible tattoo
He wanted to hide the pattern on his body from others
The box on the carpet
There was a box sitting on the floor
Matched the lines on his head
The pattern on his body was similar to the shape of the box
As he was ready to sleep
He was getting ready for bed
And he turns down the bed
He prepared his bed for sleeping
Removes all his clothes now
He stripped down to sleep naked
Lays them on the floor
He didn't care about where he left his clothes
Slips under the covers
He gets into bed to sleep
He hears her key in the door
He becomes aware of the woman's arrival
His eyes blink for a minute
He opens and closes his eyes
His lids open and close
He blinks a few times, maybe feeling anxious or excited
A cool warmth fills the room
The temperature in the room changes, perhaps due to her presence
He feels her chest on his nose
He embraces her, feeling her body close to his
His brow brushes her navel
He kisses and caresses her body
His hand follows her hips
He continues kissing and touching her in a sensual manner
His neck jerks on the pillow
He moves his neck and head while enjoying her touch
Feels the touch of her lips
They share a kiss
But not as good as this invisible tattoo
He acknowledges that nothing compares to the feeling he gets from the pattern on his body
Lyrics © SCHUBERT MUSIC PUBLISHING INC.
Written by: KURT WAGNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alex R
A great album! Thank you!