Hippy Gumbo
T. Rex Lyrics


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Met a man he was nice
Said his name was paradise
Didn't realise at the time
That his face and mind were mine
Hippy Gumbo he's no good
Chop him up for firewood
It seemed good and it seemed right
That I should dig him on the night
But in the morning with the sun he pulled an automatic gun
He blew my soul, he blew my brain
He said I could not do the same
Hippy Gumbo he's no good
Chop him up for firewood




Hippy Gumbo he's no good
Chop him up and burn the wood.

Overall Meaning

T. Rex's "Hippy Gumbo" is a song about the dangers of trusting someone too quickly, especially if they are a stranger. The singer meets a man who goes by the name of Paradise, who seems nice enough. However, the singer soon realizes that there's more to the man than meets the eye. As the chorus suggests, the man is no good – dangerous, even. The singer uses the metaphor of chopping him up for firewood, implying that he needs to be eliminated.


The verse, "It seemed good and it seemed right / That I should dig him on the night," reinforces the idea that the singer was initially attracted to the man. It's also worth noting that the singer says that the man's "face and mind were mine," suggesting that the man was able to manipulate the singer's thoughts and emotions. When the man reveals his true nature in the morning, the singer is caught off guard and ultimately victimized. The final verse, "He blew my soul, he blew my brain / He said I could not do the same," adds a surreal quality to the song, as if the man's actions were more than just physical.


Overall, "Hippy Gumbo" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of trusting someone too quickly. It suggests that people should be careful when meeting strangers, especially if they seem too good to be true.


Line by Line Meaning

Met a man he was nice
I met a man who appeared pleasant.


Said his name was paradise
He introduced himself as 'paradise.'


Didn't realise at the time
I was unaware at the moment.


That his face and mind were mine
His appearance and way of thinking mirrored my own.


Hippy Gumbo he's no good
This person named 'Hippy Gumbo' is a negative influence.


Chop him up for firewood
Eliminate him and use his remains for fuel.


It seemed good and it seemed right
Initially, it appeared acceptable and fitting.


That I should dig him on the night
I was drawn to him that evening.


But in the morning with the sun he pulled an automatic gun
Yet, the following day, he unexpectedly revealed a weapon.


He blew my soul, he blew my brain
He figuratively destroyed me emotionally and mentally.


He said I could not do the same
He claimed that I was incapable of doing what he just did to me.


Hippy Gumbo he's no good
Once again, Hippy Gumbo is a harmful presence.


Chop him up for firewood
The solution remains the same: Get rid of him and use his remains for fuel.


Hippy Gumbo he's no good
Reiterating that Hippy Gumbo is a negative influence.


Chop him up and burn the wood.
The only way to rid ourselves of Hippy Gumbo is to eliminate him and burn his remains.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, NORTH HUDSON MUSIC
Written by: MARC BOLAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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