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Shhhhh
Purrbot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am so much like him
Will I be 27 before I date again
I want to kiss my father
We could trade secrets on which we'd let no one in
I want learn what I don't know about him
Share what I have not shared
Which is no short order
We will be met with cold chipped shoulders
Encouraging us to stay our hands
They will say "Shhhhh! Don't be so loud!
Don't draw attention to yourself!
Don't talk with your hands!
Don't act like you like each other in public!
Don't stick out like sore thumbs!
What would we do if you raised the bar
On father/son relations
We'd look so bad!
We're already so sub par"
I do not know you half as well as I'd like
And we live so far away
We could trade stories
And uncover common hopes and neuroses
God, I am just like you, aren't I
The lyrics to Purrbot's song "Shhhhh" offer a poignant reflection on the desire to connect with one's father despite societal pressures to suppress emotion and vulnerability. The opening lines, "I'm turning into my father / I am so much like him," express a sense of inevitability and resignation to the idea that we often become like our parents whether we intend to or not. The lyrics then shift to a specific longing to connect with the father figure, as the singer expresses a desire to kiss his father and hold his hand, gestures that may seem unconventional or uncomfortable to express in public.
The singer wants to "trade secrets" with his father and "learn what I don't know about him / share what I have not shared," highlighting a sense of distance or disconnect that can exist in familial relationships. However, the final lines of the first verse reveal the societal pressures that can inhibit this desire for connection. The line "We will be met with cold chipped shoulders / encouraging us to stay our hands" suggests that others may discourage this emotional openness, urging the singer and his father to hide their connection and not "draw attention" to themselves.
The chorus then heightens this tension, as the refrain "Shhhhh! Don't be so loud!" reinforces the idea that emotional vulnerability and connection are not welcome in public spaces. The singer notes that society encourages us not to "act like you like each other in public" and "don't stick out like sore thumbs," reinforcing a sense of shame or taboo around expressing familial intimacy. The final lines, "What would we do if you raised the bar / on father/son relations / we'd look so bad! / We're already so sub par," reveal that societal pressure to conform to these norms can be so strong that the fear of being seen as "unusual" or "different" can inhibit our ability to form genuine connections with our loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm turning into my father
I am becoming more like my father with time
I am so much like him
I share a lot in common with my father
Will I be 27 before I date again
I'm wondering if I'll go another year without dating
I want to kiss my father
I desire to show affection towards my father
I want to hold his hand
I wish to have a physical connection with my father
We could trade secrets on which we'd let no one in
We could share intimate details that we haven't shared with anyone else
I want learn what I don't know about him
I'd like to learn more about my father and his life
Share what I have not shared
I want to open up and share things I usually don't
Which is no short order
This is no easy task
We will be met with cold chipped shoulders
People will be unfriendly towards us
Encouraging us to stay our hands
They'll try to dissuade us from showing any public affection
They will say 'Shhhhh! Don't be so loud!'
They will try to keep us quiet and unnoticed
Don't draw attention to yourself!
Don't attract unwanted attention
Don't talk with your hands!
Don't use excessive gesturing
Don't act like you like each other in public!
Don't display any signs of affection in public spaces
Don't stick out like sore thumbs!
Don't stand out in a negative way
What would we do if you raised the bar
What would we do if you set a new standard for father/son relationships?
On father/son relations
In terms of our bond as father and son
We'd look so bad!
We would be perceived in a negative way by others
We're already so sub par"
Our relationship is already below average
I do not know you half as well as I'd like
I don't know you as much as I would want to
And we live so far away
It's difficult to meet up because we're not geographically close
We could trade stories
We could share experiences with each other
And uncover common hopes and neuroses
We could discover that we have similar desires and fears
God, I am just like you, aren't I
I realize now that we are more alike than I previously thought
Contributed by Liliana H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.