Sleeping Beauty
Martha Lyrics


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Oh brother I would swap my Wendy House for your spud gun any day/
Your clothes for my clothes, I can't get mine dirty anyway, you see/
Your football boots/
My football knees/
I hate the shoes they bought for me/
Inside gets boring but when I showed I had an interest in Rugby/
They laughed at me.
Oh sister I would love your Wendy House/
But I'll keep my spud gun for today/
They don't hear me either, I can't get a word in edgeways, you see/
My football boots/
Your football knees/
If you're not too cool/
Come play with me/
Outside gets boring but when I asked if I could watch Sleeping Beauty/
They laughed at me.




But it's alright, when no grown ups are around/
You can still be Daphne and I'll be Fred

Overall Meaning

The song "Sleeping Beauty" by Martha is a reflective piece about reminiscing over childhood memories and feeling left out. The song begins with a nostalgic tone, as the lyrics reveal a desire to swap various items with siblings. The singer expresses a willingness to part with their own possessions, traded for something that they see as more exciting such as a spud gun or football boots. The desire to step into someone else's shoes suggests an underlying feeling of dissatisfaction with their own life, and a longing for something better.


The chorus of the song, "Outside gets boring but when I asked if I could watch Sleeping Beauty, they laughed at me," is a striking contrast to the rest of the lyrics. It reveals that there is something more concerning underlying their desires to switch things up with their siblings. The other children don't seem to understand or care about the singer's interests, and their laughter at the suggestion shows how isolated and left out they feel. This leads to the singer seeking refuge in a world of make-believe, and the line "but it's alright, when no grown ups are around, you can still be Daphne and I'll be Fred" is a nod to the popular children's cartoon Scooby Doo, suggesting that the only way to find solace and acceptance is through escapism.


Overall, the song highlights the struggles and isolation children sometimes face in their youth. It also shows how important it is for siblings to share interests and appreciate each other's differences.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh brother I would swap my Wendy House for your spud gun any day/
I value your spud gun more than my Wendy House.


Your clothes for my clothes, I can't get mine dirty anyway, you see/
I prefer your clothes over mine as they are not allowed to get dirty.


Your football boots/
I want your football boots.


My football knees/
I have knee pain due to playing football.


I hate the shoes they bought for me/
I do not like the shoes purchased for me.


Inside gets boring but when I showed I had an interest in Rugby/
Staying inside is boring but when I expressed my interest in Rugby, it was not appreciated.


They laughed at me.
They made fun of me.


Oh sister I would love your Wendy House/
I would like to have your Wendy House.


But I'll keep my spud gun for today/
However, I want to keep my spud gun for today.


They don't hear me either, I can't get a word in edgeways, you see/
I am not heard by others and they do not let me speak.


If you're not too cool/
If you are not too cool to play with me.


Come play with me/
Please come and play with me.


If I could watch Sleeping Beauty/
I want to watch Sleeping Beauty.


They laughed at me.
They made fun of me.


But it's alright, when no grown ups are around/
It is okay when there are no adults around.


You can still be Daphne and I'll be Fred
We can still pretend and have fun playing our favorite roles.




Contributed by Sophia I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Colossal Squid FM

I love this. I love the lyrics.

Yesika

Naomi has such a great voice :3

J Fiedler

Martha, Delay, Marco, Trumbullplex, Fat Patty, traveling - this video is perfection. It makes my heart happy.
Also the song is the best.

Prithvi Jadhav

amazing stuff guys!!

Keegan Hudson

You guys are the best! Love from Washington DC.Β 

Dave not Doug

This song reminds me of a girl I used to know in Paraparaumu. Her name was Shazza, and she had a gammy leg, but for a girl with a gammy leg she used to dance better than my dad. He's passed away now. Shazza did have sexual relations with my best friend, Bud, but I forgave her, and I think that is what this song is all about.

JOYNER Martinez

u're the best band,Β greetings from Mexico.

boddypenn x liam

durhams finest

Grant Myles-Era

Thin Lizzy ending! Sweet!

dagnabitkat

❀️

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