I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
A B C D E F G H I gotta' gal wears her toenails long.
Drives a red Barracuda, singin' meat packer songs
And she ain't from Kalamazoo.
A B C D E F G H I gotta' friend lived in a Mercedes-Benz.
Then a 55 Chrysler where the trunk never ends/
And the plates say Kalamazoo.
He had a steady job and watched what he spent.
He'd say I don't believe in payin' no goddamn rent.
I'll squirrel away every goddamn cent
And buy my own damn house in Kalamazoo.
I knew a guy that mangled his hand,
And he went from pipe fittin' to a hot dog stand.
They say last year he cleared fifty grand
Selling dogs round Kalamazoo.
She turned to the world with a bastard child.
Said, "I just can't handle him he's too damn wild".
But the years and the liquor have made him mild.
And he lays around in Kalamazoo.
Drives a red Barracuda, singin' meat packer songs
And she ain't from Kalamazoo.
A B C D E F G H I gotta' friend lived in a Mercedes-Benz.
Then a 55 Chrysler where the trunk never ends/
And the plates say Kalamazoo.
He had a steady job and watched what he spent.
He'd say I don't believe in payin' no goddamn rent.
I'll squirrel away every goddamn cent
And buy my own damn house in Kalamazoo.
I knew a guy that mangled his hand,
And he went from pipe fittin' to a hot dog stand.
They say last year he cleared fifty grand
Selling dogs round Kalamazoo.
She turned to the world with a bastard child.
Said, "I just can't handle him he's too damn wild".
But the years and the liquor have made him mild.
And he lays around in Kalamazoo.
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
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
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.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Kalamazoo is a state of mind. It's what divides me from you. Maybe Kalamazoo is the state of attitude and life. "i dont believe in payin' no goddamn rent" or "years and the liquor have made him mild and he lays around Kalamazoo" shows this is how these people think and where they want to be in the world or how they want the world to be.
Kalamazoo is a small town/city in Michigan.
JofaGuht, there was a song called Kalamazoo by the Glenn Miller Orchestra that started with the ABCDEFGH..., and this song sounds like it's loosely based on that. It's nowhere near an exact cover, a lot of the lyrics and some of the basic melody are changed, but it is somewhat based on the Glenn Miller song.
The lyrics to the Glen Miller song (googled):
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H I got a gal in Kalamazoo Dont want to boast but I know Shes the toast of Kalamazoo (Zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo)
Years have gone by My my how she grew I liked her looks when I Carried her books in Kalamazoo (Zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo)
I'm gonna send away, hoppin On a plane, leavin today Am I dreamin? I can hear her screamin (Zoo, zoo, zoo, Kalamazoo)
K (K) A (A) L-A-M-A-Z-O
(Oh, oh, oh, oh what a gal, a real pipperoo) (Were goin to Michigan to see the sweetest in Kalamazoo) (Zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo) (Kalamazoo!!)
Kalamazoo is a state of mind. It's what divides me from you. Maybe Kalamazoo is the state of attitude and life. "i dont believe in payin' no goddamn rent" or "years and the liquor have made him mild and he lays around Kalamazoo" shows this is how these people think and where they want to be in the world or how they want the world to be. oh, yeah -- killer bassline.
Clever lyrics though.
Kalamazoo is actually a city. If you read the lyrics, it actually makes more sense then some elaborate metaphor.
It's true Kalamazoo is a city in Michegan, but TheHeckler348 is right. Living in Kalamazoo (in the song) means having no ambition or direction in life, where every day is exactly the same.
Les Claypool tends to write lyrics based on an obscure metaphor underneath a direct everyday symbol. Much like Mr. Krinkle.
Is it possible that this song is a cover? It sounds very familiar. However I think it may be from the 50's or 60's.
Nope, it's an original Primus tune, though I think the "A B C D E F G H" thing has been done before.
Shaun050 is write its a cover cuz i was talking to my dad the other night about this song and he goes i sware that another song so it must be a cover and i sang the lyrics and he picked it up straight away ao there we have it