The self-titled debut album "Major Parkinson" was released on the 25. august 2008 and received good reviews in norwegian day press.
Heart Of Hickory
Major Parkinson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a habit to be hip
Like a donkey with a whip
Or an epileptic pantomime
Blowing bubbles with a torch
On your dad's front porch
Peeling off the stitches from your spine
And when the love is dead
Come and get your butcher knife!
Open up my heart and make me happy
Come and get your butcher knife!
Quarterback got the sack
crack backpackers in a black Cadillac
How we sang with the gang
It's the world that makes us cry
They say it's dangerous out here inside these woods
But the more you give the more you break
this narcissistic loving that they planted in your brain
when you were young
Oh, come and get your butcher knife!
Open up my heart and make me happy
Come and get your butcher knife!
The devil's on your bed playing ducks and drakes
with all the pictures from your wasted youth
He pays a penny for you lies,
a dime for truth
Count the nickels for your pills and booze
Oh, come and get your butcher knife!
Open up my heart and make me happy
Come and get your butcher knife!
"Heart of Hickory" by the Norwegian band Major Parkinson is a highly poetic song that portrays a raw and unsettling image of society. The lyrics suggest that people are always trying to fit in, to be cool, to be trendy, which is something besides the tendency to hurt oneself. The opening lines "It's a habit to be hip / Like a donkey with a whip / Or an epileptic pantomime / Blowing bubbles with a torch" illustrate the absurdity and pain of trying to fit in. The next lines "On your dad's front porch / Peeling off the stitches from your spine" suggest that the struggle to be hip has become a painful burden.
The song's chorus urges someone to come and get their butcher knife and open up the singer's heart. The imagery of a butcher knife is striking and possibly represents the singer's desire to rid themselves of their pain and sacrifice their heart to make someone else happy. The line "Quarterback got the sack / crack backpackers in a black Cadillac" suggests that even those who are popular and successful in society are not immune to the painful struggle of trying to fit in, and that society tends to bring everyone down to the same level.
Overall, "Heart of Hickory" portrays a cynical view of society, where fitting in and being popular can become a painful and self-destructive habit. The lyrics are highly figurative and employ metaphors, symbolism, and grotesque imagery to convey their message.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a habit to be hip
Trying to keep up with the latest trends is a compulsion
Like a donkey with a whip
It's like being forced to follow a path that is difficult to leave
Or an epileptic pantomime
Seizing or shaking about uncontrollably while pretending things are normal
Blowing bubbles with a torch
Doing something completely wrong or making false assumptions and being unaware of the consequences
On your dad's front porch, Peeling off the stitches from your spine
Not being able to stand up for oneself or asking for help in a difficult situation, leading to a feeling of being paralyzed
And when the love is dead, Come and get your butcher knife!
When love is gone, seek to make yourself happy despite the pain
Quarterback got the sack, crack backpackers in a black Cadillac
Being unsuccessful and unable to achieve a goal, while watching successful people in the same field pass by with ease
How we sang with the gang, It's the world that makes us cry
Despite having a community, the outside world can cause immense pain
They say it's dangerous out here inside these woods, But the more you give the more you break
It is often thought that being in the wilderness is dangerous, but the closer one gets to it, the more broken one can feel
This narcissistic loving that they planted in your brain, When you were young
An upbringing that is self-centered leads to narcissistic tendencies in later life
The devil's on your bed playing ducks and drakes, with all the pictures from your wasted youth
The devil is playing with your mind and making you feel guilty about your past mistakes
He pays a penny for your lies, a dime for truth, Count the nickels for your pills and booze
The devil rewards lies cheaply but truth is expensive. He counts the money you spent on drugs and alcohol
Oh, come and get your butcher knife! Open up my heart and make me happy, Come and get your butcher knife!
Inviting someone to get their butcher knife to remove the painful parts of their heart and make them happy
Contributed by Nathaniel C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Marjolein
Thanks to Spotify recommendations I found this/your music. It's been on repeat for hours, you guys are awesome!
Haien
Have you listen to the new album yet? It`s brilliant.
CowCake
Same here =D Awsome song
Daniel Macoveiciuc
One year later, I get the same recommendation <3 freaking awesome!
Mickster
This song is a masterpiece... a lot of talent and feels in this song, im surprised it isnt more famous... its not fair
ulverop
I really miss this kind of playfulness from Major Parkinson. The newer stuff is good, but not even close to as good as this. The Songs From A Solitary Home album is MPs best work by miles!
Zkoyllar
I just listened this band a few days ago for the first time. Now it has become one of my favorites!
Sheyvan
Happened to me 4 years ago, they still are my favorite band. Got to see them Live Yesterday! :)
Chris R.
Excellent video by an excellent band. Saw them at ProgPower Europe 2018, and they were the highlight of the festival.
ahmet salih bozkurt
it is a really genius work sadly musicians which are that good cant reach millions