Skeletons
Stevie Wonder Lyrics
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Itchin' to come outside
Messin' with your conscience
In a way your face can't hide
Oh things are gettin' real funky
Down at the old corral
And it's not the skunks that are stinkin'
What did your mama tell you about lies
She said it wasn't polite to tell a white one
What did your daddy tell you about lies
He said one white one turns into a black one
So, it's gettin' ready to blow
It's gettin' ready to show
Somebody shot off at the mouth and
We're gettin' ready to know
It's gettin' ready to drop
It's gettin' ready to shock
Somebody done turned up the heater
An'a it's gettin' ready to pop
Crevices in your pantry
Now what do we have in here
Havin' a daytime nightmare
Has always been your biggest fear
Oh things are gettin' real crucial
Up the old wazoo
Yet you cry, why am I the victim?
When the culprit's why-o-you, oo oh
What did your mama tell you about lies
She said it wasn't polite to tell a white one
What did your daddy tell you about lies
He said one white one turns into a black one
So, it's gettin' ready to blow
It's gettin' ready to show
Somebody shot off at the mouth and
We're gettin' ready to know
It's gettin' ready to drop
It's gettin' ready to shock
Somebody done turned up the heater
An'a it's gettin' ready to pop
It's gettin' ready to seep
You're gettin' ready to freak
Somebody done picked up the talk box
We're gettin' ready to speak
It's gettin' ready to jive
It's gettin' ready to gel
Somebody done gone let the lid off
It's gettin' ready to smell
They're gettin' ready to deal
You're gettin' ready to ill
Somebody done just dropped the big dime
They're gettin' ready to squeal
It's gettin' ready to turn
We're gettin' ready to learn
Somebody done fired up the brimstone
You're gettin' ready to burn
It's gettin' ready to shake
You're gettin' ready to ache
Somebody done snitched to the news crew
It's gettin' ready to break
You're gettin' ready to lie
They're gettin' ready to spy
Somebody's been put on the hot seat
They're gettin' ready to fry
The lyrics of the song "Skeletons" by Stevie Wonder are about secrets and lies that people hide, but eventually would come out. The "skeletons in your closet" represent the hidden truths that people try to hide from the rest of the world. The lines "Itchin' to come outside, Messin' with your conscience, In a way your face can't hide" implies that these secrets are eating the person up on the inside, and they can't keep hiding their true selves for too long. The song talks about how these secrets are affecting the person who is hiding them and the people around them. The lyrics suggest that it's time for the truth to come out, and people are going to face the consequences of their actions.
Apart from the lyrical composition, the song has an upbeat tempo and funky melody that gives it a distinct vibe. Stevie Wonder's soulful voice adds an emotional touch to the song, making it a masterpiece of its time. The lines "Oh things are gettin' real funky, Down at the old corral" is an allusion to the Wild West when cowboys would dance to funk music, making it an interesting aspect of the song.
The lyrics of "Skeletons" talk about how the truth eventually comes out, and people have to face the music of their actions. The song deals with themes like honesty, trust, and accountability. It's a cautionary tale of sorts that teaches us that it's always better to be truthful than hide our true selves behind a mask of lies.
Line by Line Meaning
Skeletons in your closet
You have secrets that you keep hidden from the world
Itchin' to come outside
Your secrets are beginning to come to light
Messin' with your conscience
Your secrets are causing you guilt and shame
In a way your face can't hide
Your emotions are showing even if you're trying to hide them
Oh things are gettin' real funky
Things are beginning to escalate in a dramatic way
Down at the old corral
Metaphor for a place where everything is happening
And it's not the skunks that are stinkin'
There's a bad odor in the air, but it's not from actual skunks
It's the stinkin' lies you tell, yeh
The lies you tell are causing the bad odor
What did your mama tell you about lies
Your mother taught you that it's not right to lie
She said it wasn't polite to tell a white one
Lying, even if it's a small lie, is not acceptable
What did your daddy tell you about lies
Your father taught you that telling one lie can lead to telling more lies
He said one white one turns into a black one
Telling a small lie can lead to bigger lies
So, it's gettin' ready to blow
The situation is about to erupt
It's gettin' ready to show
The truth is about to be revealed
Somebody shot off at the mouth and
Someone spoke without thinking and revealed something important
We're gettin' ready to know
We're about to find out the truth
It's gettin' ready to drop
The situation is about to get worse
It's gettin' ready to shock
What's coming will be surprising and unexpected
Somebody done turned up the heater
Someone has made things more intense
An'a it's gettin' ready to pop
The situation is about to explode
Crevices in your pantry
You have hidden secrets that are about to come out
Now what do we have in here
What is about to be revealed?
Havin' a daytime nightmare
Your worst fears are coming true
Has always been your biggest fear
You have always been afraid of your secrets being revealed
Oh things are gettin' real crucial
Things are becoming very serious
Up the old wazoo
Things are happening all over the place
Yet you cry, why am I the victim?
You feel like you are being unfairly targeted
When the culprit's why-o-you, oo oh
You are the one who is responsible for the situation
It's gettin' ready to seep
The truth is slowly starting to come out
You're gettin' ready to freak
You're starting to panic
Somebody done picked up the talk box
Someone is about to start talking and revealing the truth
We're gettin' ready to speak
We're about to hear what someone has to say
It's gettin' ready to jive
Things are about to get interesting
It's gettin' ready to gel
Things are starting to come together and make sense
Somebody done gone let the lid off
Someone has revealed something big
It's gettin' ready to smell
Things are about to get messy
They're gettin' ready to deal
They are about to start taking action
You're gettin' ready to ill
You're about to face the consequences of your actions
Somebody done just dropped the big dime
Someone has revealed something very important
They're gettin' ready to squeal
Someone is about to tell the truth and reveal secrets
It's gettin' ready to turn
The situation is about to change for the worse
We're gettin' ready to learn
We're about to find out something important
Somebody done fired up the brimstone
Things are about to get very intense and heated
You're gettin' ready to burn
You're going to face the consequences of your actions
It's gettin' ready to shake
The situation is about to become chaotic
You're gettin' ready to ache
You're going to experience pain and suffering
Somebody done snitched to the news crew
Someone has told the media something important
It's gettin' ready to break
The situation is about to fall apart
You're gettin' ready to lie
You're going to try to cover up the truth
They're gettin' ready to spy
Someone is watching you to find out more information
Somebody's been put on the hot seat
Someone is under intense scrutiny and pressure
They're gettin' ready to fry
They're going to face the consequences of their actions
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Stevie Wonder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cheryl Rowland Hall
on Isn't She Lovely
Dedicated to my lovely daughter, Amy Kathleen Rawson, the lovely child who helped mom to grow up!