Too Much of Nothing
Paul and Mary Peter Lyrics
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One man's temper might rise, while the other man's temper might freeze.
In the days of long confessions, we can not mock a soul
When there's too much of nothin', no one has control.
[Chorus]
Say hello to Valerie, say hello to Marion,
Send them all my salary, on the waters of oblivion.
Too much of nothin' can make a man abuse a king,
He can walk the streets and boast like most but he don't know a thing.
It's all been done before, it's all been written in the book.
But when it's too much of nothin', nobody should look.
[Chorus]
Too much of nothin' can turn a man into a liar
It can cause some man to sleep on nails, another man to eat fire.
Everybody's doin' somethin', I heard it in a dream
But when it's too much of nothin', it just makes a fella mean.
[Chorus]
The opening lines of Peter, Paul, and Mary’s song “Too Much of Nothing” suggest that an excess of anything can unsettle a man. The song discusses the unbridled nature of humanity in the face of having too much of nothing, implying that there is no balance to promote stable behaviours. Men may have different reactions to having too much of nothing, including becoming hostile and aggressive or slipping into a state of paralysis. The song points out that during times of long confessions - such as in church - it is important to remain respectful of one another, recognizing that we all have different experiences, leading to different beliefs and behaviours. However, when it's too much of nothing, nobody has control.
The lines of "Say hello to Valerie, say hello to Marion, Send them all my salary, on the waters of oblivion," serve as a chorus, but it is not clear who Valerie and Marion are or why they need Peter, Paul, and Mary's entire salary sent to them. The meaning behind these names remains a mystery, emphasizing that sometimes there is no reason or rationale behind the situations one finds oneself in. The final verse suggests that an excess of nothing can lead people to become self-destructive and turn on one another. Despite our best efforts, when there is too much of nothing, people become isolated and irritable, revealing the darker side of the human psyche.
Line by Line Meaning
Too much of nothin' can make a man feel ill at ease
Excessive lack of anything can make a person uncomfortable
One man's temper might rise, while the other man's temper might freeze.
The reaction of different people to the same situation varies with too much of nothing
In the days of long confessions, we can not mock a soul
During the period of open disclosure and vulnerability, it's inappropriate to ridicule anyone.
When there's too much of nothin', no one has control.
Nobody has authority in a situation involving an excessive lack of things.
Say hello to Valerie, say hello to Marion, Send them all my salary, on the waters of oblivion.
The artist is directing greetings to some unknown people while intending to forget them
Too much of nothin' can make a man abuse a king
An excessive lack of anything can cause a person to insult or mistreat even someone of high rank
He can walk the streets and boast like most but he don't know a thing.
Someone can swagger about without knowing anything
It's all been done before, it's all been written in the book.
Everything is predictable and similar to what is already known
But when it's too much of nothin', nobody should look.
There is no point in focusing on a situation that lacks everything excessively.
Too much of nothin' can turn a man into a liar
A person can become deceitful with an excessive lack of necessities.
It can cause some man to sleep on nails, another man to eat fire.
The effects of a lack of necessities differ from person to person
Everybody's doin' somethin', I heard it in a dream
The artist has had a dream in which everyone is occupied with something
But when it's too much of nothin', it just makes a fella mean.
An excessive lack of necessities brings out the worst in people.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind