Their style has been compared to a mixture of Tom Waits, Frank Zappa, and Captain Beefheart. Man Man is known for their distinctive live shows where the members of the band dress in white tennis outfits and don war paint. During their sets the band does not take breaks between songs in order to keep a constant energy level.
Man Man has released two LPs with Ace Fu Records: The Man in the Blue Turban With a Face (2004) and Six Demon Bag (2006). In November 2007 they signed with Anti- to release Rabbit Habits (2008). Their second Anti- release is titled Life Fantastic and was released in 2011.
Goat
Man Man Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A dumpy goat
Bit her finger
Like a baby carrot last night
She's sweating through the sheets
Like a bag of rotting meat
She′s talking to the ghosts
She's got
Salmonella!
We dialed the doctor but there's no reply
(Straight to voicemail)
The rumor on the street
Is he′s cheating on his wife
With the locum tenens
And a guy who swallows knives
And looks like
Sal Mineo!
And her complexion is a curious shade of green
Brighter than a bunion
Paler than a peach
Darker than a dungeon
A ripe sardine
She′s got
Salmonella!
(She is now)
Dead as a doornail!
The lyrics of Man Man's song "Goat" depict a disturbing and grotesque scene. The opening lines, "Don't fuck this up. This a paid gig," imply a sense of urgency and pressure. It sets the tone for what follows, as if there's something important at stake.
The following lines introduce a dumpy goat who bites the singer's finger, comparing the bite to a baby carrot. This surreal imagery adds to the offbeat nature of the song. The goat seemingly infects the singer with salmonella, leading to vivid descriptions like "sweating through the sheets like a bag of rotting meat." The song takes a macabre turn as she talks to ghosts who gather around her feet.
The chorus delves deeper into the chaos, with attempts to call a doctor resulting in no reply and rumors of infidelity. The mention of Sal Mineo, an American actor known for his troubled life, adds to the song's theme of darkness and dysfunction.
The final lines reveal that the singer has succumbed to the illness, becoming "dead as a doornail." The lyrical journey of "Goat" is a bizarre and haunting one, exploring themes of sickness, decay, and the strange connections between the living and the dead.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't fuck this up. This a paid gig
Be careful not to ruin this opportunity. It is a job that pays.
A dumpy goat
An unattractive or unimpressive goat
Bit her finger
Nipped or gnawed on her finger
Like a baby carrot last night
Similar to how a goat would bite on a baby carrot
She's sweating through the sheets
She is perspiring heavily, causing the bed sheets to become damp
Like a bag of rotting meat
As if she is emitting a foul odor like decaying meat
She's talking to the ghosts
Engaging in conversation with supernatural beings
Who gather at her feet
The ghosts are assembling around her lower extremities
She's got Salmonella!
She is afflicted with Salmonella, a bacterial infection
We dialed the doctor but there's no reply
When we attempted to contact the doctor, there was no response
(Straight to voicemail)
(The call was immediately redirected to voicemail)
The rumor on the street
The speculation circulating within the community
Is he's cheating on his wife
He is allegedly being unfaithful to his spouse
With the locum tenens
Involving the temporary substitute doctor
And a guy who swallows knives
And a man who intentionally consumes knives
And looks like Sal Mineo!
And bears resemblance to Sal Mineo, an actor
And her complexion is a curious shade of green
Her skin tone has an unusual and intriguing green hue
Brighter than a bunion
More vivid in color than a protruding foot deformity
Paler than a peach
Lighter in complexion than a soft, orange fruit
Darker than a dungeon
Dusky or shadowy like the interior of a prison cell
A ripe sardine
Similar to the appearance of an overripe fish
She's got Salmonella!
She is afflicted with Salmonella, a bacterial infection
(She is now)
(She is currently)
Dead as a doornail!
Completely lifeless, similar to an inanimate door fixture
Writer(s): Ryan Patrick Kattner
Contributed by Joseph D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.