Holy Mackerel
Les Claypool And The Holy Mackerel Lyrics


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Pick a name, pick a place.
Chances are I've had the means to be there.
Pick a date, pick a time,
I've got it from a friend of mine.
The ability to socialize.
Holy Mackerel
Once when I was young,
I troubled over imperfection in my knees.
When you cultivate a pompadour,
it's best to keep the top up for the breeze.
Cuts like hell, ya know.
Sporty was a poetry boy
and liked to puff his pipe into the night.
But since he sold him hits of ectasy,
Johnn Law, he took a decade of his life.




That's a hunk o' life.
Holy Mackerel.

Overall Meaning

The song "Holy Mackerel" by Les Claypool And The Holy Mackerel is a whimsical and playful tune with quirky lyrics that describe the life experiences of the singer. The first few lines, "Pick a name, pick a place, chances are I've had the means to be there, pick a date, pick a time, I've got it from a friend of mine, the ability to socialize" suggest that the singer is a well-traveled and social person who is well-connected and has experienced a lot in life. The song then goes on to describe the singer's youth and how he was preoccupied with small imperfections, such as his knees. The lyrics suggest that the singer has grown wiser and more carefree, as evidenced by the line "When you cultivate a pompadour, it's best to keep the top up for the breeze."


The song takes a darker turn in the following lines, where the singer recalls a friend named Sporty who was a "poetry boy" and enjoyed smoking a pipe. However, Sporty's involvement in the drug trade led to his arrest and ten years of his life being taken away by the authorities. The singer reflects on the fragility of life and the consequences of our actions in the lines "That's a hunk o' life, holy mackerel."


Overall, "Holy Mackerel" is a lighthearted song that touches on themes of travel, socializing, self-acceptance, and the consequences of our actions.


Line by Line Meaning

Pick a name, pick a place
I've been to a lot of places and met a lot of people, so just name a place and person and chances are I've been there.


Chances are I've had the means to be there.
I've had the resources and opportunities to travel and meet different people.


Pick a date, pick a time
I have a wide network of friends and contacts, so I can get information on almost any date or time you need.


I've got it from a friend of mine
I rely on my network of friends to keep me informed and updated on various events, occurrences, and news.


The ability to socialize.
My social skills and network allow me to easily connect with people, build relationships, and stay informed of different events and opportunities.


Once when I was young,
When I was younger, I used to worry about minor physical imperfections.


I troubled over imperfection in my knees.
I was self-conscious about the way my knees looked and worried that they weren't perfect.


When you cultivate a pompidour,
If you style your hair like a pompadour,


It's best to keep the top up for the breeze.
it's recommended to keep the top portion of your hair up and exposed to let the air flow through and avoid overheating.


Cuts like hell, you know.
The wind can be painful, especially when it hits the exposed edges of your hair.


Sporty was a poetry boy
Sporty was a nickname for a person who enjoyed writing poetry.


And liked to puff his pipe into the night.
He also enjoyed smoking a pipe, often late into the night.


But since he sold him hits of ecstasy,
However, his involvement in selling ecstasy caused him major legal problems.


John Law, he took a decade of his life.
Law enforcement officials arrested and prosecuted him, and he served ten years in prison.


That's a hunk o' life.
That's a significant portion of a person's life to lose to incarceration.


Holy Mackerel
An expression of surprise, excitement, or disbelief.




Lyrics Β© Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: LES CLAYPOOL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@kulturvultur5036

I remember going to college, studying graphic design. I would smoke about 5 joints a day back then. And would always put this album in my portable CD player when I was doing some graphic design work at college. Memories from 1998.

@kulturvultur5036

It's OK son. Now you get off the youtubes.

@kulturvultur5036

I know, right? I wasn't aware I had an 18 years old son until today.

@kulturvultur5036

I know truth hurts. You asked me what I was doing on December 30th 1998, because that's when you were born. There are no coincidences, son. I was making love to your mother that night. The rest of the story is easy to figure out.

Or this whole thing could've been a lot simpler if you found my first reply funny. Man, it's HARD to internet these days.

@kulturvultur5036

Sure, i'm sending it to you via Paypal. You should receive payment confirmation soon.

@andrelunaisatuna

kulturvultur What were you doing nine months before January 14th of 2000? Are you my daddy too?

5 More Replies...

@MrScannermann

Forgotten how good this album was!! I still love that bass sound all these years later.......

@ChrisTripp

I lost this album years ago, but I remember this being the first track and it got me immediately hooked

@liberatemars

Why Primus didn't sound this groovy on Green Naugahyde I'll never know.... Some of Les' best playing is on this album though.

@stiltomonkey6137

Been a fan of primus for 20+years, one of my cats named even named himself Claypool. Gotta say Les' music hits me in my feels

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