Fishies
The Cat Empire Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I left the house left the room with the foxy on my back
And my supplies in a magic pack
And I followed the sound of music
Not up a hill ... but down to an old wharf shack

Inside I heard the trumpet call
I salute to the champions on the wall
And in the Jazz of squalls and impassioned brawls she danced

And the night she looked so fine to me
Oh I am a man on an Odyssey
And so tie me to the mast I must believe!

Wow didi didi I just had to look
I said wow didi didi how those hips they shook
Eye patch tongue ring little black hook
Welcome fishies to my hook

And the tiny chefs they waved their giant knives
And the dark goumas they flicked dynamite
Still I kept the sight of my desire

And this one thing's sure I made no apologies
Lights dimmed but she shone my mythology
And I must admit she felt so alive

Wow didi didi I just had to look
I said wow didi didi how those hips they shook
Eye patch tongue ring little black hook
Welcome fishies to my hook

She waves for everybody down on the floor
As if to pray to the gods of the festival
And there we were in the depths of the wild below

Her face so close I could taste the distant shores
She whispered 'wait for the trumpets call'
It's not exactly love it's to adore

Wow didi didi I just had to look
I said wow didi didi how those hips they shook




Eye patch tongue ring little black hook
Welcome fishies to my hook

Overall Meaning

The Cat Empire's song Fishies paints a vivid picture of a man's adventure into the depths of a jazz club, where he is mesmerized by the music and the dancing of a woman. The lyrics suggest that he is on a journey - an Odyssey - and the music and dancing become his siren's song, drawing him deeper and deeper into the captivating world of the club. The woman dancing is the focal point of his attention, and he is transfixed by her movements. Despite the danger (represented by the chefs waving knives and the dark goumas flicking dynamite), he is determined to pursue his desire and make no apologies for his passions.


The chorus, which repeats the lines "Wow didi didi I just had to look/I said wow didi didi how those hips they shook/Eye patch tongue ring little black hook/Welcome fishies to my hook," reinforces the idea that the man is drawn in by the woman's charm and beauty. The slightly risqué imagery of the eye patch and tongue ring adds to the sense of danger and excitement, as if the man is willingly putting himself in harm's way to experience the thrill of the moment.


Overall, Fishies is a song about being swept up in the moment and giving in to the allure of a powerful experience. It is a tribute to the transformative power of music and dance, and the way that they can transport us to another world.


Line by Line Meaning

I left the house left the room with the foxy on my back
I exited the building with a foxy-looking accessory and my supplies packed in a magical bag.


And I followed the sound of music
Guided by the melody of music, I began walking towards its source.


Not up a hill ... but down to an old wharf shack
The shack where the music led me was not situated atop a hill, but rather down by the wharf.


Inside I heard the trumpet call
Upon entering the shack, I sensed the presence of the trumpet's tune.


I salute to the champions on the wall
I pay respect to the noble champions depicted on the wall of the shack.


And in the Jazz of squalls and impassioned brawls she danced
Amidst the commotion and fervor of jazz music, she danced with spirit.


And the night she looked so fine to me
The night's atmosphere appeared enchanting to me.


Oh I am a man on an Odyssey
I am a traveler on a long and adventurous journey.


And so tie me to the mast I must believe!
I feel so compelled by my quest that I am willing to bind myself to the mast of a ship.


Wow didi didi I just had to look
In awe, I exclaimed 'wow didi didi', upon gazing upon a mesmerizing sight.


I said wow didi didi how those hips they shook
The particular sight that gave me pause involved her impressively moving hips.


Eye patch tongue ring little black hook
She wore an eye patch and tongue ring, and her black clothing added to her allure.


Welcome fishies to my hook
I welcome all those who fall under my sway to come to me like fish to a hook.


And the tiny chefs they waved their giant knives
The small chefs present brandished much larger than average knives.


And the dark goumas they flicked dynamite
Even the dark goumas were using dynamite as an instrument in their dealings.


Still I kept the sight of my desire
My attention remained fixed on the sight of the individual who piqued my desires.


And this one thing's sure I made no apologies
I make no apologies for my actions and intentions.


Lights dimmed but she shone my mythology
Even as the lights dimmed, she remained the central figure of my personal mythology.


And I must admit she felt so alive
I could sense her vivid energy and spark.


She waves for everybody down on the floor
She greeted and acknowledged everyone dancing on the floor.


As if to pray to the gods of the festival
In a manner that was reminiscent of a prayer, she gestured to the deities of the festival.


And there we were in the depths of the wild below
We found ourselves in the midst of a wild and untamed environment.


Her face so close I could taste the distant shores
I was so close to her face that I could sense the essence of distant lands.


She whispered 'wait for the trumpets call'
In a soft whisper, she urged me to anticipate the trumpets' call.


It's not exactly love it's to adore
What I felt wasn't precisely love, but rather a deep admiration and adoration.




Contributed by Wyatt D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

Harry White

this was the first song I ever listened to in my life; I will always remember it

Andrew Klitzke

Its such a great but underknown band!

HitgirlKicksAss1997

Love this. Real music.

Tyler Adams

It makes me want to dance... But I could never dance this song justice.

UmbraeVenator

+Tyler Adams :D Do it anyway haha

Garrett Walker

Dancing to the music is the best compliment anyone can give dancing feels good enjoy it

starpuffs :3

Same unfortunately

lourdes saenz

Thank you so much pandora!! This is a really great song :D I love it

Kari Stone

Best Aussie band ever!

Budew 2222

I do really like this song. Quite underrated.

More Comments

More Versions