Someday mother will die and I'll get the money
Mom leans down and says, "My sentiments exactly,
You son of a bitch"
I palindrome I (I palindrome I)
I palindrome I (I palindrome I)
And I am a snake head eating (snake head)
The head on the opposite side (snake head)
I palindrome I (manonam)
I palindrome I (manonam)

See that bulletproof dress hanging from the clothesline
See the medical chart with the random zig-zag
Now I'll help it decide
I palindrome I (I palindrome I)
I palindrome I (I palindrome I)
And I am a snake head eating (snake head)
The head on the opposite side (snake head)
I palindrome I (manonam)
I palindrome I (manonam)
I palindrome I (manonam)
I palindrome I (manonam)

"Son I am able," she said "though you scare me."
"Watch," said I
"Beloved," I said "watch me scare you though." said she,
"Able am I, Son."

See the spring of the grandfather clock unwinding
(Egad, a base tone denotes a bad age)
See the hands of my offspring making windmills
(Egad, a base tone denotes a bad age)
Dad palindrome Dad
I palindrome I (I palindrome I)
I palindrome I (I palindrome I)
And I am a snake head eating (snake head)
The head on the opposite side (snake head)
I palindrome I (manonam)
I palindrome I (manonam)
I palindrome I (manonam)
I palindrome I (manonam)


Lyrics submitted by sawg

I Palindrome I Lyrics as written by John Linnell John Flansburgh

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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I Palindrome I song meanings
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  • +2
    General Comment

    This song is filled with palindromes, and a somewhat twisted meaning. The first one, "I". I is only a single letter, so it is a palindrome. I is still I both forward and backward. The title, "I Palindrome I" is a palindrome if you consider each word, instead of each letter. Mom, dad, and I are palindromes. While not exactly a palindrome, the irony of your mother calling a son of a bitch, well...if you're HER son...anyway, the idea is that they are both waiting for the other to die so they can collect insurance, inheritance, etc. Next, is man-o-nam. Man of VIETnam? shrug It's still a palindrome. The bulletproof dress hanging from the clothesline is hanging there because it was not worn! As a result, someone is in the hospital, presumably the narrator's mother. The medical charts random zig-zag gets some personification, IT is deciding whether the mother will live. The son can "help it decide" by either killing her outright or by disconnecting her life support.

    The "Son I am able" verse is a palindrome word by word. It could mean that the mother says she doesn't need any support from her son (Son I am able) but she fears he will kill her (though you scare me). The son basically says "Watch! I'll scare you yet!"

    The next palindrome is "Egad a base tone denotes a bad age". It is a palindrome by letter. Lastly, we have "Dad palindrome Dad", another palindrome by word.

    cprompton November 25, 2001   Link

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