Aspirin
The Holloways Lyrics


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A man and his wife and kids stand on the stream
He's got two little girls just knee high from his feet
But as he turns to say goodbye
He's got a kiss for the girls but not his wife
He looks to the sky and he wonders oh where
Oh where went all of life
And hope dissolves like an aspirin on his tongue
An able bodied boy with an able mind
He falls for the wrong sort proving love is blind
They fell in love after falling in bed
They tried to smile when the doctor said
You created a life but you failed to say
You shot your own life stage
And hope dissolves like an aspirin on his tongue
An old man sits with a beer and a barrel and a gun
He says of all he's lost and all he's won
He's got one last thing last to declare
As he sits there dying in his rocking chair
Stop this (??)




Or I'll tear out all my hair
And hope dissolves like an aspirin on his tongue (3x)

Overall Meaning

The Holloways's song "Aspirin" is a poignant reflection on the hardships faced by different individuals at various stages of life. The first verse tells the tale of a man who appears to be bidding farewell to his family, to go on his own way. He shares a kiss with his two young daughters, but pointedly ignores his wife. The verse ends with the man lamenting the course his life has taken, and the loss of hope he feels is akin to the dissolution of an aspirin on his tongue.


The second verse continues with the story of an able-bodied young man who falls in love with someone from the wrong side of tracks, only to find his own life spiraling out of control. The third and final verse is about an old man sitting with a beer and a gun. While pondering over what he has lost and what he has achieved, he makes a final declaration to stop something or the other, failing which he would tear out all his hair. The song ends with the recurring line about how hope dissolves like an aspirin on his tongue.


The song is a powerful commentary on the cyclical nature of hope and despair that characterizes human existence. It brings to the fore some quintessential questions of life such as what the meaning of life is, why we exist, why we go through different experiences, and so on. It underscores the fact that, no matter who we are or what we have accomplished, we all feel joy and sorrow, hope and despair, and that the only thing we can do is keep trying, keep hoping, and keep moving forward.


Line by Line Meaning

A man and his wife and kids stand on the stream
A family stands by a stream, consisting of a husband, wife, and children.


He's got two little girls just knee high from his feet
The man has two daughters who are shorter than knee height.


But as he turns to say goodbye
As he prepares to leave.


He's got a kiss for the girls but not his wife
He only kisses his daughters goodbye, not his wife.


He looks to the sky and he wonders oh where
He gazes upwards and wonders where things went wrong.


Oh where went all of life
He laments the loss of his life.


And hope dissolves like an aspirin on his tongue
His hope in life fades quickly and effortlessly, like an aspirin dissolving in his mouth.


An able bodied boy with an able mind
A physically and mentally capable young man.


He falls for the wrong sort proving love is blind
He falls in love with the wrong person, demonstrating that love can be blind to faults.


They fell in love after falling in bed
Their love stemmed from a physical encounter.


They tried to smile when the doctor said
They forced a smile when the doctor informed them of something.


You created a life but you failed to say
You brought a child into the world without saying anything about it.


You shot your own life stage
You ruined your own future.


And hope dissolves like an aspirin on his tongue
His hope in life fades quickly and effortlessly, like an aspirin dissolving in his mouth.


An old man sits with a beer and a barrel and a gun
An elderly man sits with a beer, barrel, and gun.


He says of all he's lost and all he's won
He speaks of everything he has lost and gained throughout his life.


He's got one last thing last to declare
He has one final statement to make.


As he sits there dying in his rocking chair
He is dying while resting in a rocking chair.


Stop this (?) or I'll tear out all my hair
He threatens to pull out his hair if something doesn't change.


And hope dissolves like an aspirin on his tongue (3x)
His hope in life fades quickly and effortlessly, like an aspirin dissolving in his mouth.




Contributed by Jason R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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