Shampoo
Perkins Elvis Lyrics
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It's you who's got the wig on here
Sweep up, little sweeper boy, sweep up
Yellow is the color of my true love's crossbow
Yellow is the color of the sun
And black is the color of
A strangled rainbow
Black is the color of my true love's arrow
That's the color of a human's blood
You got a shot o-o-o-of shampoo
Though it was made thirty years ago
Yeah, you still got a shot o-o-o-of shampoo
Though you were made twenty years ago
Speak up, little sweeper boy
They are hard of hearing
Anything that anyone has to say
Well, I say
Yellow is the color of my true love's crossbow
Yellow like the color of the sun
And, black is the color of
A strangled rainbow
Just the color of my lung
Black is the color of my true love's arrow
Exactly the color of my blood
But I don't want to die
I-I-I'll never die, tomorrow maybe (however dark tomorrow may be)
Above me a perfect square of sky
You are worth your weight in gold, you are worth your weight in sorrow, baby
Though you will never know why
The song "Shampoo" by Elvis Perkins appears to be a contemplative and complex reflection on the colors that make up the world and the difficulties inherent in communicating with others. The repeated refrain to "sweep up, little sweeper boy" seems to be both a call-to-action for the listener and a reference to someone in the song who might be struggling or in need of assistance. The lyrics about the colors are both beautiful and haunting, as they touch on themes of love, violence, and mortality. The line about yellow being the color of a true love's crossbow is particularly striking, as it suggests that even the most romantic and seemingly harmless thing can be dangerous.
At the heart of the song seems to be a sense of frustration and sadness about the difficulty of truly connecting with other people. The line "they are hard of hearing anything that anyone has to say" suggests that the singer feels unheard or unappreciated, while the reference to being "worth your weight in gold" and "worth your weight in sorrow" hints at a deep sense of insecurity or low self-worth. Ultimately, though, the song seems to end on a hopeful note, with the line "I'll never die, tomorrow maybe", suggesting that despite the challenges and struggles, there is still a sense of determination and resilience.
Line by Line Meaning
Sweep up, little sweeper boy
Start working, young cleaner
It's you who's got the wig on here
You're the one with the real responsibility here
Sweep up, little sweeper boy, sweep up
Perform your task admirably
Yellow is the color of my true love's crossbow
My partner's weapon is yellow
Yellow is the color of the sun
The sun is yellow
And black is the color of
Additionally, black is
A strangled rainbow
The color of a ruined symbol of hope
That's the color of my lung
The same shade as the inside of me
Black is the color of my true love's arrow
My love's weapon is black
That's the color of a human's blood
Comparable to the color of blood that exists beneath our skin
You got a shot o-o-o-of shampoo
You've got a chance to make something of yourself
Though it was made thirty years ago
Despite being made long ago
Yeah, you still got a shot o-o-o-of shampoo
You still have that chance
Though you were made twenty years ago
Despite being two decades old
Speak up, little sweeper boy
Communicate more clearly, young cleaner
They are hard of hearing
The intended audience has difficulty understanding
Anything that anyone has to say
All the statements made by anyone
Yellow like the color of the sun
Comparably the same shade as the sun
Just the color of my lung
The shade inside of me
Exactly the color of my blood
The shade of my own blood
I-I-I'll never die, tomorrow maybe (however dark tomorrow may be)
I won't die, potentially tomorrow, even if the future looks grim
Above me a perfect square of sky
The sky is immaculately square over me
You are worth your weight in gold, you are worth your weight in sorrow, baby
You have great value, both in material wealth and emotional energy, my dear
Though you will never know why
You will never truly understand the extent of your worth
Lyrics © INGROOVES MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC C/O SOVEREIGN MUSIC
Written by: ELVIS PERKINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind