(1) The Hippos were a th… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one band with this name.
(1) The Hippos were a third wave ska-punk band from Southern California. Unlike other typical bands of the genre, The Hippos employed heavy use of a Moog synthesizer.
The Hippos’s first full album release was Forget the World, released in 1996. Interestingly, many of the songs on Forget The World were written when Ariel Rechstaid, the band’s primary songwriter, was only 15 years old. This album employed traditional ska-punk songwriting, including upbeat tempos and heavy brass instrumentation. Additionally, various percussion instruments were used, such as bongos and wood blocks. The next album was Heads Are Gonna Roll, released in 1999. A transitional album, a balance of horns and synthesizers is found on this album. Commercially, this album was the band’s most successful; it is the only album to be fully produced by a large record label and thus is assumedly the most circulated and heard of the three albums.
The Hippos, a self titled final release, was released in 2003 after the band’s break-up. This album completed the gradual transition from traditional ska-punk to the unique, orginal synthpop sound exhibited here. Ties to the ska-punk scene from which they began had been all but completely severed. In fact, only one track from this album uses horns at all, an essential element of ska. Much of the Hippos’s fanbase was initially reluctant at such a different sound, but for the most part, this reluctance gave way to admiration. To many fans, the Hippos’s final album was their best written and most enjoyable, despite its limited commercial success.
(2) The Hippos are a blues band from Sydney, Australia. They enjoyed modest chart success with Dark Age in 1988, from the album Hippocracy.
Pollution
The Hippos Lyrics
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I'm just a good boy needs a good girl someone cool
now I can't live with out you
I want to live
I need a solution
too much pollution
is in my head
think about you night and day
you're always in my head
why don't you call me, you're too busy, I'm too plain
why can't you see the things you do they cause me pain
now I can't live with out you
I want to live without you
I need a solution
too much pollution
is in my head
I think about you night and day
I've got to get away
you're always in my head
I tried to end it but I know I can't be happy with you not around
you're not around
I tried to end it but I couldn't find an easy way to let you down
to let you down...
In "Pollution," The Hippos describe the overwhelming feeling of being in love with someone who treats them poorly. The first verse sets the scene with the singer expressing confusion as to why they are being treated so cruelly despite being a "good boy" who just wants a "good girl." The chorus introduces the idea that this toxic relationship is like pollution and that the singer needs a solution to clear their head of these harmful thoughts. The second verse goes on to explain that the person they are in love with is always on their mind, even though they are not receiving the attention they desire from them. The singer has tried to end the relationship, but ultimately can't bring themselves to do it as they fear they will be unhappy without their love interest in their life.
The song brings light to the struggle of being in a one-sided relationship or one with a toxic partner. The singer is grappling with a sense of inadequacy stemming from their partner's actions towards them despite their own good intentions. The metaphor of pollution highlights how destructive this relationship is to the singer's well-being, but they can't help but keep thinking about their love interest. The song's repetitiveness and the singer's vulnerability add to the emotional depth and rawness of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
why do you treat me oh so badly oh so cruel
I'm questioning why you treat me poorly, with cruelty.
I'm just a good boy needs a good girl someone cool
I'm a good person looking for a compatible, cool partner.
now I can't live with out you
I feel like I cannot live without you.
I want to live
I desire to live my life to the fullest.
I need a solution
I'm searching for a solution to my problems.
too much pollution
My mind is cluttered with negative and stressful thoughts.
is in my head
My mind is consumed with these thoughts and feelings.
think about you night and day
I constantly think about you and our relationship.
I've got to get away
I need to distance myself from this relationship to find clarity and happiness.
you're always in my head
Even when I try to forget about you, I can't stop thinking about you.
why don't you call me, you're too busy, I'm too plain
I'm wondering why you don't call me back and if it's because I'm not interesting enough.
why can't you see the things you do they cause me pain
I feel like you don't understand your actions are hurting me emotionally.
I tried to end it but I know I can't be happy with you not around
I attempted to break up with you, but deep down, I still want to be with you.
you're not around
You're no longer in my life and I miss you deeply.
I tried to end it but I couldn't find an easy way to let you down
Breaking up with you is difficult and I don't know how to do it in a kind way.
Contributed by Alyssa J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.