For more than twenty years he has been releasing, to only marginal commercial and critical success, playful and transgressive albums on labels in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan. In his lyrics and his other writing he makes seemingly random use of decontextualized pieces of continental (mostly French) philosophy, and has built up a personal world he says is "dominated by values like diversity, orientalism, and a respect for otherness." He is also known in certain circles outside the U.S. as a producer. He is fascinated by identity, Japan, the avant-garde, time travel and sex. Live Momus shows are rare but when he does perform he often sings the crowd favourite 'maf' from the Stars Forever LP.
He wears a patch over his right eye because he lost the use of it after contracting acanthamoeba keratitis from a contact lens case washed with Greek tap water.
Nick Currie currently resides in Osaka, Japan.
What are you Wearing?
Momus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A little sweater, it's irridescent
It's got a geometric grid of little squares
My legs are bare
I will describe my underwear
It's warm against my hair
Soft against my skin
Until the pink and yellow duck
That is printed on the front
Begins to smile
(What are you wearing?)
I've got a hat on
My shirt is satin
It's got a picture of a pony in a field
My hair is green today
I'm wearing see through Pierre Cardin
My scent is Paco by Rabanne
My hair is in a bun
My holster holds a gun
I filled it from a tap
My tummy sprang a drip
Your water pistol spilled
Be very careful, someone could get wet
Or someone could get killed
And I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve
I am wearing my wound with pride
I am wearing a smile and nothing at all
Up on the catwalk
Down in the strip club
Up on the catwalk
Down in the strip club
Catwalk (meow!)
Strip club (grrr!)
(What are you wearing?)
I bought a pair of shoes by Jeremy Scott
I threw away the wrapper and I threw away the box
I went to an opening in my new clothes
Serge Comte Post-It Notes
I used to be a hologram, Anagram Sam
I used to be a big Suicide fan
I used to have a wiggle, now I walk like a man
And where it's at is where I am
(What are you wearing?)
I made this skirt from
A groovy curtain
Somebody ripped out of a pretty bungalow
And in my knickers
There is a flower my mother sewed
My shirt is shiny like a toad
I'm wearing Heidi braids
And aviator shades
I favour flatter shoes
My sailor suit is blue
And if it weren't for you
I'd take it off and leave it in a heap
Right here in the street
And I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve
I am wearing my wound with pride
I am wearing a smile and nothing at all
Up on the catwalk
Down in the strip club
Up on the catwalk
Down in the strip club
Catwalk (meow!)
Strip club (grrr!)
(What are you wearing?)
I used be a telegram, Hologram Sam
I used to be the walrus, now I'm John
I used to be a wham bam thank you ma'am
I used to be the kitten of all Japan
I come from everywhere I have ever been
Every boy is a king and every girl is a queen
Every girl is a king and every boy is a queen
And where it's at is where I am
Call me
"What Are You Wearing?" is a playful and provocative song by the artist Momus that describes the clothes and accessories the singer is wearing. The lyrics are highly detailed and specific, and they often include unusual or surprising elements, such as "see through Pierre Cardin" or "Serge Comte Post-It Notes." The overall effect of the song is to create a vivid and imaginative portrait of the singer and his unique sense of style.
One of the most interesting aspects of the song is the way that it blurs the line between reality and fantasy. Some of the items of clothing are clearly fanciful or even impossible, such as the shirt with a picture of a pony in a field or the holster that holds a tap. The lyrics also make reference to the singer's past identities, including being a hologram and the kitten of all Japan, which adds to the surreal, dream-like quality of the song.
Despite the whimsical tone, there is also an undercurrent of danger and sexuality that runs throughout the song. The references to guns, water pistols, and strip clubs suggest a more adult and edgy atmosphere. The provocative line "I am wearing a smile and nothing at all" also adds to the sensual and intimate mood of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
A little sweater, it's irridescent
I'm wearing a small, shiny sweater.
It's got a geometric grid of little squares
The sweater has a pattern of small squares.
My legs are bare
I'm not wearing pants or stockings.
I will describe my underwear
I'm going to tell you about my undergarments.
It's warm against my hair
My underwear is keeping me warm against my pubic hair.
Soft against my skin
My underwear is soft and comfortable against my skin.
But you can't come in
You are not allowed to see my underwear.
Until the pink and yellow duck
My underwear has a cartoon duck on it.
That is printed on the front
The duck is located on the front of my underwear.
Begins to smile
The duck's expression changes from neutral to smiling.
I've got a hat on
I am wearing a hat.
My shirt is satin
My shirt is made of satin fabric.
It's got a picture of a pony in a field
The shirt has a design of a pony in a field.
My hair is green today
I dyed my hair green for today.
I'm wearing see through Pierre Cardin
I have transparent clothing designed by Pierre Cardin.
My scent is Paco by Rabanne
I am wearing the fragrance Paco by Rabanne.
My hair is in a bun
I have styled my hair in a bun.
My holster holds a gun
I have a holster that contains a weapon.
I filled it from a tap
I obtained water for the weapon from a tap.
My tummy sprang a drip
I have an upset stomach and am experiencing diarrhea.
Your water pistol spilled
Your toy water gun accidentally leaked or spilled.
Be very careful, someone could get wet
Be cautious because someone might get splashed with water.
Or someone could get killed
If the gun was a real weapon, someone could be fatally injured.
I made this skirt from
I constructed this skirt myself.
A groovy curtain
I used a cool-looking curtain as the fabric for my skirt.
Somebody ripped out of a pretty bungalow
The curtain was taken from a nice house.
And in my knickers
My underpants have something special in them.
There is a flower my mother sewed
I have a flower sewn into my underwear, made by my mother.
My shirt is shiny like a toad
My shirt is as shiny and reflective as a toad's skin.
I'm wearing Heidi braids
I have styled my hair in braids that resemble the character Heidi's hairstyle.
And aviator shades
I am wearing sunglasses popularized by aviators.
I favour flatter shoes
I prefer to wear shoes with a flat sole/heel.
My sailor suit is blue
I am wearing a blue outfit that looks like a sailor's uniform.
And if it weren't for you
If it were not for you.
I'd take it off and leave it in a heap
I would remove my clothing and abandon it in a pile.
Right here in the street
In the middle of the road.
I used to be a hologram, Anagram Sam
I used to identify as a character called Anagram Sam, who was a hologram.
I used to be a big Suicide fan
I used to really enjoy the band Suicide.
I used to have a wiggle, now I walk like a man
I used to move in a more feminine manner, but now I walk in a more masculine way.
I come from everywhere I have ever been
I am the sum of all my experiences and travels.
Every boy is a king and every girl is a queen
Every person has the potential to be powerful and royal.
And where it's at is where I am
I am fully present in the current location and situation.
Call me
A request to contact the singer.
Contributed by Christopher T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kyah Faria
it's sad that Momus is so wholly unknown /unpopular
kills me inside
Spike Burst
I met Nick in Miami. Cool nice guy.