Shivaree was a three-person American band formed in 1999 consisting of Ambr… Read Full Bio ↴Shivaree was a three-person American band formed in 1999 consisting of Ambrosia Parsley (vocals), Danny McGough (keyboards), and Duke McVinnie (guitar). They produced four full-length albums (only two of which enjoyed a North American release due to contract disagreements) and have approximately 500,000 combined sales to their name. They credit numerous other musicians in their work and are usually joined by two or three other collaborators when performing live. Their song Goodnight Moon was used in the Quentin Tarantino movie 'Kill Bill Vol. 2.'

Their final album, a collection of covers, was released in 2007, after which they disbanded.

Thundercats
Shivaree Lyrics

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I can smell the change that's on your hands
Packing up your philips head and honey bear
Brandy danced for you and all your friends
Last night you think you might have left your money there

Good morning now your keys are gone
And the thundercats are on
The paper's here, it says it's over; kiss your mom

You can't hit a nail straight when you're laughing

Crystal was an unsuccessful blonde
Hasn't been to bed now for a week or two

Organizing closets until dawn
It's lovely how she's always finding things to do

Now Scotty's knife is in your hand
And your contact's in the sand
You're hallucinating in the heat

You can't hit a nail straight when you're laughing

Ninety-seven stitches and a cast
Sixty absent days but what you gonna do
Thought you said those breaks of yours would last
Now go before somebody drops a house on you

Jordan got so mad
He threw his hammer at your head
Sent you home and said he'd pick you up at five

You can't hit a nail straight when you're laughing

Keep on playing maybe it'll happen dear
I can' believe the doctor said he'd leave those bb's in your head

But I think he said he thought you shouldn't drive
So call us if you make it there alive

Overall Meaning

Shivaree's song "Thundercats" is a dark, eerie ballad that depicts a night of debauchery and chaos. The lyrics are cryptic, almost hallucinogenic in nature, and it's hard to discern exactly what's happening. Nonetheless, one can piece together a narrative of sorts. The song seems to be about a group of hard-partying friends who are spiraling out of control. The singer watches as his/her friends engage in reckless behavior, and ultimately suffers the consequences of that behavior.

The opening lines introduce the smell of change on someone's hands, suggesting that some illicit activity has taken place. The use of the terms "philips head" and "honey bear" seems to suggest drug paraphernalia. Brandy has danced for the singer and his/her friends, but in the morning, the keys are missing, and the "thundercats" are on, which could refer to law enforcement. The singer's money is also missing. The suggestion is that the singer's friends have stolen from him/her.

We then meet Crystal, who has been organizing closets until dawn. She appears to be a compulsive cleaner, who is always finding things to do. The line about Scotty's knife being in the singer's hand is particularly murky. It's unclear who Scotty is or why his knife is in the singer's hand. The line about the contact being in the sand suggests that something violent has happened. Jordan throws a hammer at the singer's head, indicating that the group's behavior has turned violent. The song ends on a note of bleak humor, as the singer is advised to call if he/she makes it there alive.

Overall, "Thundercats" is a disturbing yet compelling song that captures the sense of a night gone horribly wrong.

Line by Line Meaning

I can smell the change that's on your hands
I can perceive that something is different about you, perhaps that you have been up to something

Packing up your philips head and honey bear
You are collecting and packing up various items, including a Philips head screwdriver and a container of honey shaped like a bear

Brandy danced for you and all your friends
A woman named Brandy danced at a gathering that you attended with your friends

Last night you think you might have left your money there
You believe that you may have accidentally left your money behind at the gathering

Good morning now your keys are gone
You wake up to discover that your keys are missing

And the thundercats are on
You notice that a TV show called Thundercats is playing in the background

The paper's here, it says it's over; kiss your mom
You receive a document indicating that something has ended, and it advises you to say goodbye to your mother

You can't hit a nail straight when you're laughing
You are incapable of hitting a nail accurately when you are laughing

Crystal was an unsuccessful blonde
A woman named Crystal was a blonde who was not prosperous in life

Hasn't been to bed now for a week or two
Crystal has not slept in a week or two

Organizing closets until dawn
Crystal spends her nights arranging closets until dawn

It's lovely how she's always finding things to do
It is admirable that Crystal can always find productive activities to engage in

Now Scotty's knife is in your hand
You are holding a knife that belongs to a person named Scotty

And your contact's in the sand
Your contact lens has fallen out and landed in the sand

You're hallucinating in the heat
You are experiencing hallucinations due to the intense heat

Ninety-seven stitches and a cast
You have received 97 stitches and have a cast on

Sixty absent days but what you gonna do
You have missed 60 days of work or school, and you do not know how to address the situation

Thought you said those breaks of yours would last
You once believed that your breaks or rest periods would endure for a longer amount of time

Now go before somebody drops a house on you
You should leave immediately to avoid some dangerous or perilous situation

Jordan got so mad
A person named Jordan became very angry

He threw his hammer at your head
Jordan threw a hammer at your head

Sent you home and said he'd pick you up at five
Jordan ordered you to leave, but told you he would pick you up at five o'clock

Keep on playing maybe it'll happen dear
You should continue with a certain activity, perhaps because you believe it will lead to a positive outcome

I can' believe the doctor said he'd leave those bb's in your head
You are shocked that a doctor said he would not remove some BBs from your head

But I think he said he thought you shouldn't drive
You recall the doctor advising you not to operate a vehicle

So call us if you make it there alive
If you arrive somewhere safely, you should contact your loved ones to let them know

Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: AMBROSIA NICOLE PARSLEY, CHRISTOPHER ALAN MAXWELL, PHILIP HERNANDEZ

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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