When Oskar Fische Comes to Town
Sarah and the Safe Word Lyrics


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Mister Fische pays what he owes
Peddles hope on southern roads
When he comes to town, you'll surely know

Our street is painted in grey
A trail in fear in his wake
Get what you paid for
That's what you paid for
Your dreams of fortune and fame
Another dime in his plate
Watch what you wish for
That's what you wished for

Mister Fische is rolling through
The sweetest man to bury you
He's got what you need if you want him to
Unaware of what he's sold
His velvet glove
His heart of gold
Another night, another soul

Our street is painted in grey
A trail in fear in his wake
Get what you paid for
That's what you paid for
Your dreams of fortune and fame
Another dime in his plate
Watch what you wish for
That's what you wished for

Come and see Oskar Fische

Now everyone knows his name
He didn't want it this way
That's what he paid for
Got what he paid for
Your dreams of fortune and fame
Another dime in his plate




Watch what you wish for
That's what you wished for

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Sarah and the Safe Word's song "When Oskar Fische Comes To Town" reveal the story of a man named Mister Fische who visits towns and peddles hope, fortune, fame, and promises to people. As he comes to town, everything turns grey and fear spreads. People pay to hear what he has to say, trusting him blindly, and many wish for their dreams to come true. However, the song warns the listeners to be careful about what they wish for because they might end up with what they paid for. The last verse of the song suggests that Mister Fische has become famous, but he didn't want it that way, again implying that everything comes at a price.


The song is an allegory about the entertainment industry, the music industry, and the promises of fame and fortune. The lyrics talk about how sometimes musicians or artists might be in debt or struggling, and they might accept or do things that they wouldn't usually do to achieve success. However, success comes at a price, and the fear and disappointment that it might bring can lead to people wishing they had never achieved success in the first place. The song talks about how the entertainment industry can transform people, their lives, and their careers, but they might be unaware of the consequences.


Line by Line Meaning

Mister Fische pays what he owes
Oskar Fische is in debt and owes people money


Peddles hope on southern roads
He is trying to sell people hope, likely through some sort of scam or false promise


When he comes to town, you'll surely know
Fische's arrival is unmistakable and usually comes with consequences


Our street is painted in grey
When Fische comes to town, the mood becomes bleak and unhappy


A trail in fear in his wake
People become afraid after interacting with Fische


Get what you paid for That's what you paid for
People who put money into Fische's scams will only receive what they paid for, which is usually nothing


Your dreams of fortune and fame
Fische preys on people's desire for success and riches


Another dime in his plate
Fische profits off of people's trust and willingness to give him money


Watch what you wish for That's what you wished for
People should be careful what they hope for because it may come at a price


Mister Fische is rolling through
Fische moves quickly from place to place, likely to avoid getting caught


The sweetest man to bury you
Fische is charming and comes across as kind, but in reality only wants to harm people


He's got what you need if you want him to
Fische knows what people want and will use that to manipulate them


Unaware of what he's sold His velvet glove His heart of gold Another night, another soul
Fische is oblivious to the harm he has caused others, and continues to do so without remorse


Come and see Oskar Fische
Fische is advertising himself and encouraging people to visit him


Now everyone knows his name He didn't want it this way That's what he paid for Got what he paid for
Fische's name has become well-known due to his actions, which he did not intend, but it is the price he pays for his scams


Your dreams of fortune and fame Another dime in his plate Watch what you wish for That's what you wished for
Once again, Fische is warning people to be careful what they hope for because it may come at a cost




Contributed by Jayce E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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