Bob
Umphrey’s McGee Lyrics

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Bob was old, decrepit, down rotten and weak
All that had transpired brought this man down to his knees

He was an old and washed up______
Self proclaimed hero (?)
All though his insane/senile rambling scene
Was far too unbelievable
But I canÂ¹t comprehend why your mind goes out of tune

I canÂ¹t follow your train of thought
Bob was an old and blinded man
He couldnÂ¹t see I know the storyÂ¹s true cause
He told it to me

I cam across his path at the age of 16
His was a house one would avoid on Halloween

Overall Meaning

The song Bob by Umphrey's McGee is about an old man named Bob who is "old, decrepit, down rotten and weak" due to various circumstances that have brought him to his knees. Bob is described as a washed-up self-proclaimed hero who rambles nonsensically, making it hard for others to understand his thoughts. Even though his story is too unbelievable, the singer knows it's true because Bob told him. The singer encountered Bob when he was just 16 years old and describes Bob's house as one that "one would avoid on Halloween."

This song seems to be about the fleeting nature of life and the struggle that comes with getting old. The lyrics describe Bob as an old man who has lost his mind and is no longer able to make sense to those around him. The singer seems to be grappling with how he can't comprehend why Bob's mind has gone out of tune or follow his train of thought. The line "He couldn't see, I know the story's true cause he told it to me" is particularly poignant as it echoes the idea that even though Bob is blind, he still has something to share and contribute to others.

Line by Line Meaning

Bob was old, decrepit, down rotten and weak
Bob was an old and washed up man, no longer having any strength left in him.

All that had transpired brought this man down to his knees
Bob had gone through a series of events that left him weak and vulnerable, ultimately leading him to his knees.

He was an old and washed up______
Bob was an old and tired man who was no longer important.

Self proclaimed hero (?)
Bob may have held grandiose ideas about himself, but they were likely unfounded.

All though his insane/senile rambling scene
Bob's rants and stories may have been seen as insane and incoherent due to his age and cognitive state.

Was far too unbelievable
Bob's stories were too outlandish to be taken seriously.

But I can't comprehend why your mind goes out of tune
The singer of the song cannot understand why Bob's mind was not functioning properly.

I can't follow your train of thought
Bob's thoughts and stories were difficult to follow due to his dementia or other cognitive difficulties.

Bob was an old and blinded man
Bob's age and other issues had left him physically and/or mentally impaired.

He couldn't see I know the story's true cause
Bob may have had difficulty distinguishing reality from his own thoughts or memories.

He told it to me
Bob shared his stories with the singer of the song.

I came across his path at the age of 16
The artist met Bob when they were 16 years old.

His was a house one would avoid on Halloween
Bob's house was likely seen as creepy or haunted, and would be avoided by trick-or-treaters on Halloween.

Contributed by Jeremiah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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