Bag of Hammers
Thao Nguyen Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I am all in a ball
In your front yard
I have this bag of hammers
And I won't ask to come in
'Cause I have sold everything
Still I have, have got some manners

And there's a hole in your head
Spilled your thoughts on the floor
We wanted you bad
You wanted it more
The trick is
You do not get on that interstate bus
The catch is
You stay and see what becomes of us

Shake, shake, shake, shake the frame of this house
Distress the wood, make it shout
And as sharp as I sting, as sharp as I sing
It still soothes you, doesn't it?
Like a lick of ice cream

I am all in a ball
In your front yard
I have this bag of hammers
And I won't ask to come in
'Cause I have sold everything
Still I have, have got some manners

Shake, shake, shake, shake the frame of this house
Distress the wood, make it shout
And as sharp as I sting, as sharp as I sing




It still soothes you, doesn't it?
Like a lick of ice cream

Overall Meaning

The song "Bag of Hammers" by Thao Nguyen is a metaphorical representation of the relationship between two individuals who are trying to navigate their way through their differences to keep their relationship alive. The singer of the song is in the front yard of their lover's house, "in a ball" and "holding a bag of hammers." This depiction symbolizes the singer's feelings of vulnerability, fear and insecurities.


The opening lines, "I am all in a ball, in your front yard, I have this bag of hammers and I won't ask to come in" suggest that the person is reluctant to enter the house, constantly second-guessing themselves and whether or not they are worthy of love. The singer also states, "Still I have, have got some manners," emphasizing that despite their perceived inadequacy, they have a sense of respect for their partner.


The second verse describes the lovers' strained relationship, alluding to the idea that the two individuals are on different paths in life. The line, "We wanted you bad, you wanted it more" suggests that while the singer wants to make a connection, their lover is perhaps more emotionally invested in the relationship. The chorus provides resolution, offering the singers' way forward to reconnect: shake up their relationship through communication, causing the "frame of this house" to scream in distress, but ultimately leading to any unresolved issues to be smoothed over like "a lick of ice cream."


Line by Line Meaning

I am all in a ball
I am curled up and possibly distressed


In your front yard
I am physically present outside your house


I have this bag of hammers
I have a metaphorical toolset for causing disruption and destruction


And I won't ask to come in
I am not requesting entry into your life or home


'Cause I have sold everything
I have given up everything for some reason


Still I have, have got some manners
I still possess etiquette and civility


And there's a hole in your head
You are lacking something or are incomplete


Spilled your thoughts on the floor
You have let your innermost ideas and feelings be known


We wanted you bad
We desired you greatly


You wanted it more
However, you had even more desire than we did


The trick is
The key here is


You do not get on that interstate bus
Do not take the easy route, the one everyone else is taking


The catch is
The difficult part is


You stay and see what becomes of us
Stay and endure the hard work to witness our future together


Shake, shake, shake, shake the frame of this house
Rattle and disturb the foundations of our relationship


Distress the wood, make it shout
Cause unrest and chaos in our situation


And as sharp as I sting, as sharp as I sing
Even though my words are cutting and impactful


It still soothes you, doesn't it?
They ultimately bring comfort and relief, right?


Like a lick of ice cream
Similar to enjoying a small and pleasant delight




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Comments from YouTube:

Vincent Ammirato

So 12 years later Thao is BOOMING yet this is still somehow my favorite song of hers.

Gaia So

Since A Man Alive came out, this song makes so much more sense to me.

Frank Casale

still a special jewel of a song, 12 years later...

Yakko Benefiel

14 years n still stands fer true

TheAyeAye1

Love this song. Love this video. Thao is what's right with Indie pop.

Aaron Crawford

This is just so charming and sweet! I love how well this video goes with the music.

Charles Ju

This is an awesome song, you should be on MTV.

Dariohectorio

This is just lovely.

andreminor

Great video for an awesome song!! Thao is so great :)

A6

Remembering this old classic.

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