<… Read Full Bio ↴Spooky Tooth was an English progressive rock band from the late 1960s.
They formed in October 1967, out of a combination of The Ramrods (1960 - late 1963), The V.I.P.'s (late 1963 - April 1967) and Art (April - October 1967). The line-up changed several times, but typically included the following members:
Mike Harrison (keyboards/vocals)Greg Ridley (bass guitar/vocals)Luther (Luke) Grosvenor (guitar/vocals)Mike Kellie (drums)Gary Wright (organ/vocals)
It was the addition of Gary Wright that signalled the name change from Art to Spooky Tooth.
The song "Better By You, Better Than Me" recorded by Judas Priest is a Spooky Tooth cover. It was taken from 1969's Spooky Two LP which is generally considered to be the best effort by the group. It was the last album release from the original line-up. Ridley joined Humble Pie in 1969 and was replaced by Andy Leigh who went on to Matthews Southern Comfort with ex-Fairport Convention vocalist Ian Matthews. The experimental nature of Ceremony received mixed reviews and following its release Wright also bowed out. The core of Harrison, Grosvenor and Kellie struggled on for one more album, aptly titled The Last Puff, (featuring a cover of "I am the Walrus") completed with friends from Joe Cocker's Grease Band.
They broke up in the autumn of 1970. After solo efforts, Harrison and Wright reformed Spooky Tooth in September 1972 with a different (and frequently changing) line-up. The best known member of these line-ups (March 1973 - September 1974) was Mick Jones (guitar/vocals), later of Foreigner. From February to May 1974, Mike Patto (vocals) replaced Harrison for the 1974 release The Mirror. The group then split again in September 1974.
DISCOGRAPHY
Art
Mike Harrison (vocals), Greg Ridley (bass guitar), Luther Grosvenor (guitar), Mike Kellie (drums)
* 1967 - Supernatural Fairy Tales
Spooky Tooth
* 1968 - It's All About
* 1969 - Spooky Two
* 1970 - Ceremony (with Pierre Henry)
* 1970 - The Last Puff
* 1971 - Tobacco Road (=It's All About)
* 1973 - You Broke My Heart So I Busted Your Jaw
* 1973 - Witness
* 1974 - The Mirror
* 1999 - Cross Purpose
* 1999 - The Best of Spooky Tooth: That Was Only Yesterday
* 2000 - Comic Violence
* 2001 - BBC Sessions
* 2007 - Nomad Poets (DVD)
Hangman Hang My Shell On A Tree
Spooky Tooth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He who knows he knows nothing really knows
But I have searched but I never could find
A way to make my true self unwind
And while I sit here waiting to die
I can see what I am, can tell you why
The time's right ahead, can't you see
I forgotten how it was, let me be
So hangman hang my shell, on a tree
It's all so easy like the time, that I first learned yea
It's all the same since the day, the world first turned yea
But I never tried to listen or wait
But now it's so clear but for me it's too late.
So I sit here trying not to cry
I only wanted peace, and now I must die
The time's right ahead, can't you see
Cause my life's running out, out on me
I forgotten how it was, let me be
So hangman hang my shell, on a tree
The lyrics in Spooky Tooth's song "Hangman Hang My Shell on a Tree" show the singer's contemplations on life and death, and the regret and acceptance that comes with it. The opening lines suggest that someone who claims to know nothing actually may have more wisdom than what they realize. The following lines express the singer's own fruitless search for self-discovery and acceptance. Despite this, the singer sees their own mortality approaching and understands their own nature, but it is too late to make any meaningful change. In the end, they ask the hangman to hang their shell on a tree, accepting their fate.
The repeated line "The time's right ahead, can't you see / Cause my life's running out, out on me" emphasizes the inevitability and urgency of death. The singer acknowledges that they have "forgotten how it was" and is resigned to their fate. They express longing for peace and perhaps even a second chance, but ultimately accepts their end by asking for their body to be hung on a tree.
The song can be interpreted as a reflection on the brevity of life and the importance of self-discovery and acceptance. It speaks to the human desire for purpose and meaning, as well as the reality of mortality that we all must face.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone said he knows he know, knows nothing yea
Wisdom begins with knowing that you know nothing and accepting that.
He who knows he knows nothing really knows
Acknowledging your ignorance is the only way to expand your knowledge.
But I have searched but I never could find
A way to make my true self unwind
Despite striving to discover one's innermost self, they remain unable to unwind.
And while I sit here waiting to die
I can see what I am, can tell you why
Facing their mortality allows one to see themselves and understand their purpose.
The time's right ahead, can't you see
Cause my life's running out, out on me
Death is approaching and time is running out, necessitating immediate action.
I forgotten how it was, let me be
So hangman hang my shell, on a tree
One wishes to be at peace and let go of their forgotten past, accepting their fate and surrendering to death.
It's all so easy like the time, that I first learned yea
It's all the same since the day, the world first turned yea
Life is simple and unchanging, resembling the moment one first learned about the world.
But I never tried to listen or wait
But now it's so clear but for me it's too late.
Although they failed to listen and understand earlier in life, they have gained clarity too late.
So I sit here trying not to cry
I only wanted peace, and now I must die
Facing death, one tries to remain calm and finds solace in their quest for peace.
The time's right ahead, can't you see
Cause my life's running out, out on me
I forgotten how it was, let me be
So hangman hang my shell, on a tree
The urgency of death looms, and one wishes to forget their past and find peace in death.
Contributed by Matthew W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.