66 Meanings
Add Yours
Share
Nobody Home Lyrics
"Alright, I'll take care of them part of the time, but there's somebody else that needs taking care of in Washington"
"Who's that?"
"Rose Pilchitt!"
"Rose Pilchitt? Who's that?"
"36-24-36 does that answer your question?"
"Oi! I've got a little black book with me poems in!"
"Who's she?"
"She was 'Miss Armoured Division' in 1961 ... "
I've got a little black book with my poems in.
I've got a bag with a toothbrush and a comb in.
When I'm a good dog, they sometimes throw me a bone in.
I got elastic bands keeping my shoes on.
Got those swollen hand blues.
I got thirteen channels of shit on the T.V. to choose from.
I've got electric light.
And I've got second sight.
I've got amazing powers of observation.
And that is how I know
When I try to get through
On the telephone to you
There'll be nobody home.
I've got the obligatory Hendrix perm.
And the inevitable pinhole burns
All down the front of my favorite satin shirt.
I've got nicotine stains on my fingers.
I've got a silver spoon on a chain.
I've got a grand piano to prop up my mortal remains.
I've got wild staring eyes.
And I've got a strong urge to fly.
But I got nowhere to fly to.
Ooooh, babe when I pick up the phone
"Surprise, surprise, surprise..."
There's still nobody home.
I've got a pair of Gohills boots
But I got fading roots.
Cmon guys, listen to the whole album, thats the whole point to a concept album!! Very quickly, by this point in the story/album, Pink (the main character of the album) is a burnt out rockstar. Hes lost his wife (shes been cheating on him and is in the UK, Pink is in the US at this point, he was touring with his band) and that is most of the focus of this song, HENCE NOBODY HOME!! Throughout the album, a few songs hint about Pink's heroin addiction, Comfortably Numb is completely about Pink's heroin overdose, most of the song is the Doctor/Paramedic trying to talk to Pink, then the chorus comes and it is Pink singing/talking. Now about the "Swollen Hands" that is mentioned in Nobody's Home, and Comfortably Numb. Really bad heroin addicts get swollen hands and feet, that is what Roger is trying to get across. I couldnt find the scientific reasoning behind the human body doing that, but ive heard it many many times, and found it on many websites that i trust.
If swollen hands is associated with heroin abuse then It's most probably a side effect of some of the reagents for any of the reactions used to maintain, transport or increase the volume of street-grade drugs.
If swollen hands is associated with heroin abuse then It's most probably a side effect of some of the reagents for any of the reactions used to maintain, transport or increase the volume of street-grade drugs.
i really like the background sounds, voices to be specific, on this song. i mean the song itself is great obviously. but you may have not noticed that these background voices have been selected deliberately to convey some meanings, some ideas, besides setting the general mood of the song. in the beginning of the song "but there is somebody else that needs taking care of"... is trying to say that she is cheating on you with somebody else ( according to the movie, pink is being cheated on). somewhere in the middle of the song:
"Ooooh, babe when I pick up the phone (Surprise, surprise, surprise...) There's still nobody home."
it gives me goosebumps every time i hear this part. the background voice is incredibly sarcastic: there is no surprises. i know that there won't be anybody home.
@majid6565 That funny, hill billy sounding voice that says, "SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE" is from a 1960s sticom called Gomer Pile USMC. That was one of his catch phrases. He was a character from an earlier T.V. series, The Andy Griffith show, later called Mayberry RFD. The character of the same name was a simple minded mechanic in a small North Carolina town. The spin-off show Gomer Pile is about him joining the U.S. Marines and his new life there.
@majid6565 That funny, hill billy sounding voice that says, "SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE" is from a 1960s sticom called Gomer Pile USMC. That was one of his catch phrases. He was a character from an earlier T.V. series, The Andy Griffith show, later called Mayberry RFD. The character of the same name was a simple minded mechanic in a small North Carolina town. The spin-off show Gomer Pile is about him joining the U.S. Marines and his new life there.
Some of the lyrics make me think of Syd Barrett. Waters has said that the 'elastic bands' line is an allusion to the great man.
@FelixCloud I read somewhere that the elastic bands keeping his shoes on is a reference to his decline in caring for himself. He doesn't bother lacing and unlacing his shoes, he keeps them on with rubber bands. Also his shirt is a mess with pinhole burns, etc. He is in a state of drug addiction to the point that he doesn't care about his hygiene or appearance.
@FelixCloud I read somewhere that the elastic bands keeping his shoes on is a reference to his decline in caring for himself. He doesn't bother lacing and unlacing his shoes, he keeps them on with rubber bands. Also his shirt is a mess with pinhole burns, etc. He is in a state of drug addiction to the point that he doesn't care about his hygiene or appearance.
By far, my absolute favorite of the album. So eclectic, and yet humble. I can not describe how much this song, with its echoing lyrics and distracting television sounds, captures my attention. There is no other Pink Floyd song that exemplifies their style of coming close to breaking loose only to be held back. Like in the song Time: "Hanging on in quiet desparation is the English way". He just can't seem to let himself go off: "I've got wild staring eyes. I've got a strong urge to fly. But I've got nowhere to fly to (fly to, fly to, fly to)"
This song is one mostly about Syd Barret, and Pink(the charecter in THE WALL). The first two lines are mere discriptions of the man/his life. "WHEN IM A GOOD DOG THEY SOMETIMES THROW ME A BONE" is most likely a reference toward societys way of giving things to those who obey the opression, which would explain why he chose a dog. "ELASTIC BANDS KEEPIN MY SHOES ON" is confirmed a reference to Syd Barret, who would fall into a juge depression. Schizoprenia, possibly. His mental state got so bad he stopped tying his shoes and just put elastic bands over them. The "SWOLEN HAND"s are probably a reference to comfortably numb "MY HANDS FELT JUST LIKE TWO BALLOONS" later in the album. The 13 channels of s***, a TV can be heard in the background many times in the album, apparently Pink's only real passtime. The "electric lights" refering to Pink's, and Pink Floyd's rockstar life (becoming a burden). "SECOND SIGHT" & "AMAZING POWERS OF OBSERVATION" refer to the realization that life and society are entirly screwed up, and he realizes more than others. The "TELEPHONE" and "NOBODY HOME" either refer to Pink's adultaerous wife, or the beggeing stages of the first shcizophrenic fantasy that Pink falls into, including "NOBODY HOME", "VERA" & "BRING THE BOYS BACK HOME" The second verse seems to be about the luxury's of being a rockstar, and how they mean nothing. The "WILD STARING EYES" refer to Schizophrenia, one of the symptoms being rare or incosistant blinking when in deep thought. All in all a somg preluding to Pink's Schizoprnia
@TheEdgarAllenGospis Could it be you mistakenly named Syd Barret Pink a couple of times? You are talking about 'pink' schizophrenia' ..??
@TheEdgarAllenGospis Could it be you mistakenly named Syd Barret Pink a couple of times? You are talking about 'pink' schizophrenia' ..??
To me, this album represents many things to many and has been interpreted endlessly just as I'll now add my 2 bobs worth. When I was young (early 80s) and smoking pot we'd listen to this and honestly I heard that many differing "what it's all abouts". I didn't give it too much thought beyond the obvious. I just loved the music, the co-existing and intertwining concepts and later with an added appreciation: as a musician. About the year 1999 my Nan (that' right) had a listen and just immediately fell in love with it, every bit of it. I was astounded! She used to relate a lot of it back to me through her eyes - eyes that had almost been where Roger Water's eyes had been. She grew up in London through both world wars (in the bombed out areas between the Eastend and Essex) and she too had lost her father when she was very young (4 or 5). He was German. She was English. I can only imagine the crap at school she would've copped. He was deaf and ended up getting run over by a train, so in a nutshell....he never left (or taught) her much. She put a lot of "The Wall" into perspective for me. But anyway, I really only wanted to comment on a small fragment of "Nobody Home", that being my interpretation (blah blah blah) of the following lines:
"I've got Electric light, and I got second sight" (a real contrast of the most basic to the extraordinary) "I've got amazing powers of observation, and that is how I know" (supernatural powers?) "when I try to get through, on the telephone to you" "There'll be nobody home" (no, just the cynic in him telling him, in his abandonment by her, she obviously not going to answer)
[Ffwd>>>>]
"I got wild staring eyes, and I got a strong urge to fly" (ambitions,dreams, hopes) "but I got nowhere to fly to" (the sad realisation that he feels deserted, alone, trapped - and that's just at home!) "ooooooooooh babe, when I pick up the phone...surprise, surprise, surprise..." "there's still nobody home" (just further emphasizing what he already "knows" or believes/perceives).
Brilliant work. To have so many pulling it apart and disecting it with their own spin after so long is incredible.
the lyrics are about Syd Barrett, in fact so was most of The Wall. It's sad to think about really. This song lets you step inside his personal degredation.
This is one of my favorate songs off of The Wall. I love the vibe it gives off. Its like the vibe i get from dong everyday things when someone around me dies. Even though thats prolly not what hes aiming for. or something.
This album is like mother's milk to me. I was raised with this album and it has always had a very special place in my music lover's heart. This song was always reminiscent of those really hard times, when you have nothing and those people you were once close to no longer keep in touch. Very very sad and depressing song. BUt god, do I love it all the same!
I think this song describes how every guy feels at some point in their life.