The lyric "Did you ever see a whale with a polka dot tail?" is taken from the Raffi version of the traditional children's song "Down by the Bay". Dean Ween has called "Polka Dot Tail" "a straight-up children's tune".
Ween informally debuted "Polka Dot Tail" with the Jimmy Wilson Group in the summer of 1996, nearly a year before the release of The Mollusk. For years, the song remained only an occasional inclusion in live sets. However, Gene Ween began playing the song numerous times at solo-acoustic shows in the few years before the Ween hiatus. Following the 2016 reunion, Ween has played "Polka Dot Tail" more frequently.
Polka Dot Tail
Ween Lyrics
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Did you ever seen a man with eight fingers on his hand
Did you have to dry your eye when you saw that puppy fly
Oh no, tell me it ain't so
Have you ever tried to shrink like a ice cube in the sink
Have you ever tried to see what lies hidden in the tree
Have you ever made a flan and squished it in your hand
Billy
Have you ever tried to shrink like a ice cube in the sink
Have you ever tried to see what lies hidden in the tree
Have you ever made a flan and squished it in your hand
Oh no, tell me it ain't so
Have you ever seen a whale with a polka dot tail
Did you ever seen a man with eight fingers on his hand
Did you have to dry your eye when you saw that puppy fly
Oh no, tell me it ain't so
Help me
The lyrics to Ween's song Polka Dot Tail are nonsensical and surreal, yet they manage to evoke a sense of childlike wonder and curiosity. The opening question, "Did you ever see a whale with a polka dot tail?", sets the tone for the rest of the song, which is filled with similarly absurd scenarios. The song seems to be a celebration of the imagination, encouraging listeners to explore the world around them with a sense of openness and wonder.
The second verse, "Have you ever tried to shrink like a ice cube in the sink / Have you ever tried to see what lies hidden in the tree / Have you ever made a flan and squished it in your hand / Oh no, tell me it ain't so", continues the theme of exploration and curiosity. The images are bizarre and nonsensical, yet they invite the listener to imagine new possibilities and experiences.
The song ends with a repetition of the opening lines, "Have you ever seen a whale with a polka dot tail / Did you ever seen a man with eight fingers on his hand / Did you have to dry your eye when you saw that puppy fly / Oh no, tell me it ain't so". The repetition emphasizes the surrealism and absurdity of the lyrics, but also reinforces the idea that imagination and wonder are important parts of the human experience.
Overall, the lyrics to Polka Dot Tail seem to be a celebration of the imagination and a call to embrace a sense of open-mindedness and wonder in our daily lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Did you ever see a whale with a polka dot tail
Have you ever experienced something so unique and unexpected as seeing a whale with a polka dot tail? A strange and miraculous sight that leaves one in awe and disbelief.
Did you ever seen a man with eight fingers on his hand
Have you ever encountered a person with a physical anomaly that makes them stand out from the crowd, such as having eight fingers on one hand? A reminder that we are all unique and imperfect in our own ways.
Did you have to dry your eye when you saw that puppy fly
Have you ever witnessed something so incredible that it brought tears of joy to your eyes, like a puppy taking flight? A moment of pure happiness and wonder.
Oh no, tell me it ain't so
Expressing disbelief and distress at the possibility of something too absurd or upsetting to be true. A plea for reassurance and comfort.
Have you ever tried to shrink like a ice cube in the sink
Have you ever felt small and insignificant, or attempted to make yourself invisible like an ice cube melting away in a sink? A reflection on feelings of inadequacy and longing for escape.
Have you ever tried to see what lies hidden in the tree
Have you ever looked beyond the surface and into the deeper, hidden aspects of the world around us, such as the secrets hidden in a tree's roots or branches? An encouragement to explore and seek out hidden truths.
Have you ever made a flan and squished it in your hand
Have you ever created something that was meant to be enjoyed, only to destroy it yourself in a moment of frustration or anger? A reflection on self-sabotage and the difficulty of dealing with negative emotions.
Billy
A non-sequitur interjection, possibly a reference to a person or character, that adds to the surreal and nonsensical nature of the song.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MICHAEL MELCHIONDO, AARON FREEMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind