The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Farmer Emmerich went into his barn
And found a cow suckling a serpent
And a brown ape clanking a heavy chain
Said Farmer Emmerich to the ape
Never ask me to come into this barn again
So Long
Farewell
So Long
Farmer Emmerich caught the serpent
And the brown ape in a cage
And took them into his house
He fed the snake a vat of milk
And when the ape rattled its chain
He tossed the ape a mouse
So Long
Goodbye
Farewell
The villagers found out that Farmer Emmerich
Was nurturing a serpent
And descended upon his farm
All rabid in their blindness
They dragged the snake outside
Chopped it open with an axe
And the ground soaked
In the milk of human kindness
So Long
Farewell
So Long
But the brown ape escaped
And was heard to roam the ranges
Clanking its heavy chain
Down in the valley it sang to its friend
Whom he may never see again
And found a cow suckling a serpent
And a brown ape clanking a heavy chain
Said Farmer Emmerich to the ape
Never ask me to come into this barn again
So Long
Farewell
So Long
Farmer Emmerich caught the serpent
And the brown ape in a cage
And took them into his house
He fed the snake a vat of milk
And when the ape rattled its chain
He tossed the ape a mouse
So Long
Goodbye
Farewell
The villagers found out that Farmer Emmerich
Was nurturing a serpent
And descended upon his farm
All rabid in their blindness
They dragged the snake outside
Chopped it open with an axe
And the ground soaked
In the milk of human kindness
So Long
Farewell
So Long
But the brown ape escaped
And was heard to roam the ranges
Clanking its heavy chain
Down in the valley it sang to its friend
Whom he may never see again
Lyrics submitted by pumkinhed, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
There's been a lot of discussion about the meaning of this song. Nick has often said it's about Blixa, but the analogies aren't obvious at all. Some say Nick is the Ape and Blixa is Father Emmerich (which would make a lot of sense, since Blixa's real name is Emmerich). But others claim the contrary. And who's the cow and the serpent? Are they symbols for the Bad Seeds and EN? And the villagers? Fans? Why did the villagers chop the serpent open, and why did it contain "milk of human kindness"?
Just trying to get the ball running. Nick's music is usually rich in analogies, but this one is really undecipherable. I'd like to read your opinions.
The milk of human kindness was the milk that farmer Emmerich gave to the serpant. Dunno what it's meant to be like, symbolise kinda thing..
Never heard about the connections, but also haven't looked. I'll take some guessing stabs, since un-informed interpretation is more fresh, and Nick Cave's poetry is open enough to have a life of it's own in the mind of each listener.
Check snopes.com/glurge/milk.asp for the origin of the term "milk of human kindness". I knew it was an allusion, but had to look it up myself.
The farmer does provide the serpent with milk... presumably cow milk. It seems that he is giving it something in captivity that it previously had 'outside' (or 'in' the barn, whatever the barn may represent).
dream-like imagery, hafta research it more, but I wanted to get some more thoughts to bat around.
uh... there were an ape and a serpent in the garden of Eden. when i was stoned I though Farmer Emmerich was supposed to represent God, but now I aint sure
I think it's clear that it's about Blixa (Emmerich being his real name as someone already said). As I see it, it somehow echoes Aesop's myth "The Farmer and the Viper" (books.google.com/books). The song uses many symbols from the myth: the farmer, the snake, kindness as a notion. Not exactly sure what he is trying to say or what the other symbols mean, Nick's lyrics are always full of allegories and meanings. It does sound though like a mixture of bitterness (because he left the band), thankfulness (for what he had offered while being a part of it) and maybe a bit of sarcasm (not in a really bad way though). Looks like a riddle to me, and one that contains other riddles too.