The Hill
Legendary Pink Dots Lyrics
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why people shook him by the hand,
then laughed at him and talked behind his back.
Michael didn't know the rules,
Abused, confused at all the schools they sent him to - gave him the view to leave.
Michael's got a gun,
Watch the people run,
shooting down the kids at play,
He'll teach them all to stay away.
Mothers screaming, running round
No-one laughs at Michael now!
Out the classroom window stood a hill which made him feel so good,
He thought he'd like to have it as a home.
People never spoke to him,
Ignored, deplored, he got so bored,
He ran away and bought himself a gun.
Michael's got a gun...
Michael lay down in the sun,
Perhaps he'd put away the gun if only they would leave him quite alone.
No-one heard his point of view,
The crowd of vigilantes grew,
so Michael used the gun just one last time...
Michael's got a gun,
Now he's buried on the hill...
The lyrics of Legendary Pink Dots' "The Hill" follow the story of Michael, who is portrayed as a troubled character, and his eventual downfall. Michael is a lonely and confused individual who can't seem to fit into society's expectations or norms. He doesn't understand the reasons why people shake his hand and then gossip or laugh behind his back, which makes him feel even more isolated. Michael has been sent to various schools where he faced abuse and confusion, which eventually led to his decision to leave.
Michael acquires a gun and moves to a hill, where he hopes to live peacefully without anyone bothering him. However, things take a dark and violent turn as Michael starts shooting children who come to play on his property. The mothers of the children scream and plead for help, but no one can stop Michael now. The once laughed-at character is now feared and respected. In the end, Michael is buried on the same hill where he once lived, having abandoned his initially noble intentions in favor of violence.
"The Hill" is a powerful song that delves into the issues of isolation, mental health, and discrimination. The singer, Michael, is a victim of social exclusion, which leaves him feeling powerless and hopeless. The song also draws attention to the negative consequences of gun ownership and vigilante justice. Ultimately, the song can be seen as a tragic commentary on humanity's propensity for violence, and the devastating effects it can have on those who are caught up in it.
Line by Line Meaning
Michael couldn't understand,
Michael was unable to comprehend why people greeted him with a handshake and then talked about him behind his back.
why people shook him by the hand,
Michael didn't understand why people treated him with a fake and insincere greeting.
then laughed at him and talked behind his back.
People ridiculed him, and spoke poorly about him behind his back.
Michael didn't know the rules,
Michael was clueless about how to act in accordance with what was considered to be normal or appropriate.
Abused, confused at all the schools they sent him to - gave him the view to leave.
Michael was beaten emotionally, and unable to understand or deal with the situations presented him in all of the schools he was sent to, which led him to believe that he needed a way to escape his situation.
Michael's got a gun,
Michael obtained a firearm as a means of dealing with his emotional distress.
Now he's living on the hill.
Michael moved to a hill to create a life for himself.
Watch the people run,
Michael got a sense of satisfaction from watching others run away from him.
shooting down the kids at play,
Michael targeted innocent children with his weapon.
He'll teach them all to stay away.
Michael wanted to scare people away from coming near him or getting to know him.
Mothers screaming, running round
Michael caused innocent mothers to run around in a panic due to his violent actions.
No-one laughs at Michael now!
Michael feels that people have stopped ridiculing him since he acquired a weapon and became violent.
Out the classroom window stood a hill which made him feel so good,
Michael found comfort looking out the classroom window at a nearby hill.
He thought he'd like to have it as a home.
Michael decided he wanted to create a life for himself on the hill he admired.
People never spoke to him,
Michael didn't have any meaningful interactions with people in his life.
Ignored, deplored, he got so bored,
Michael was deeply unhappy due to the lack of interaction from people and their negative reactions towards him.
He ran away and bought himself a gun.
Michael chose to run away from his situation and acquire a weapon as a way of escaping.
Michael lay down in the sun,
Michael found solace laying down in the sun on his hill.
Perhaps he'd put away the gun if only they would leave him quite alone.
If people left him alone or tried to understand him, Michael might put away his weapon.
No-one heard his point of view,
Unfortunately, no one listened or tried to understand Michael's perspective.
The crowd of vigilantes grew,
A group of people who wanted to punish Michael grew in size.
so Michael used the gun just one last time...
Michael chose to use his weapon one last time, leading to his demise.
Now he's buried on the hill...
Michael died, and his final resting place was the very hill he had wanted to make his home.
Contributed by London N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@deborah3250
You did a really awesome job, wow! 🤍
@sharonben-tov8513
Great video for a great song , i remember i heard it the first time , it was really A defining moment. Asylum is one of the greatest albums ever.
@sisyphus4889
Why is this so brilliant!
@patrickwright7939
Hi David, I'm Patrick Q Wright the guy that wrote this song and I really like what you did! I'd like to put a version of your video on my forthcoming CD/DVD and obviously fully credit you etc. Please let me know how you feel about it. You can find me at https://www.facebook.com/patrick.wright.355138 or better still https://patrickq.bandcamp.com/ where you can listen to the new album (which contains a sequel to "The Hill" called "Still burying Michael") and find my email address.