Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
Please to bend down for the one called the Greenman
He wants to make you his bride
Please to bend down for the one called the Greenman
Forever to him you're tied
And you know for a million years he has been your lover
He'll be a million more
And you know for a million years he has been your lover
Down through the skin to the core
Heed the Greenman
Heed the Greenman
Please to dance round for the one called the Greenman
He wants to make you his child
Please to dance round for the one called the Greenman
Dressed in the fruits of the wild
And you know for a million years he has been your father
He'll be a million more
And you know for a million years he has been your father
Run to his arms at the door
Lay your head, lay your head, lay your head, lay your head on the Greenman
Lay your head, lay your head with mine
Lay your head, lay your head, lay your head, lay your head on the Greenman
Build a bed out of oak and pine
See the Greenman blow his kiss from high church wall
And unknowing church will amplify his call
He wants to make you his bride
Please to bend down for the one called the Greenman
Forever to him you're tied
And you know for a million years he has been your lover
He'll be a million more
And you know for a million years he has been your lover
Down through the skin to the core
Heed the Greenman
Heed the Greenman
Please to dance round for the one called the Greenman
He wants to make you his child
Please to dance round for the one called the Greenman
Dressed in the fruits of the wild
And you know for a million years he has been your father
He'll be a million more
And you know for a million years he has been your father
Run to his arms at the door
Lay your head, lay your head, lay your head, lay your head on the Greenman
Lay your head, lay your head with mine
Lay your head, lay your head, lay your head, lay your head on the Greenman
Build a bed out of oak and pine
See the Greenman blow his kiss from high church wall
And unknowing church will amplify his call
Lyrics submitted by BlueAndStarry
Greenman Lyrics as written by Andy Partridge
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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In the Apple Box booklet, Andy refers to this song as an homage to the male side of nature, whom he personifies as the "Greenman". His justification is that due to the trend in nature of there being opposite sexes/genders, Mother Nature must also have a partner/opposite coming from the other end of the spectrum that she comes from. Like many an XTC song, it's an appraisal for the rural/natural/wild/pastoral life.
Great bloody tune as well. ;)
the greenman is a carving on alot of scottish, english and welsh churches, pillars, and cathedrals. he also appears in a few other countries India, Italy and France. "see the greenman blow his kiss from high church wall/ an unkowing church will amplify his call"
the carvings are all similar, a face within leaves and bark.
Before I read about the carvings and stuff, I kind of always thought this song had to do with Islam. Green is the color of the religion. And it kind of had an arabian sound to it, I thought.
The Greenman is as others here have pointed out a pagan symbol of nature's fertile/masculine side. Its Andy's song of course, so it is written from the atheist pov and I don't know what Mayordperry is talking about - A cahnge of heart would imply Andy was questioning, when in fact this song, as does 'Dear God', demonstrates someone totally opposed to religion. Check the line; "see the greenman blow his kiss from the church wall". I love this part because he's saying, 'go one build your churches on top of what we should be worshiping: nature, but nature itself will in turn grow on your churches, and be there much much longer than any of those buildings.'
The Greenman in folklore was a character that turned up in stories as a symbol of hope for good crops and fertile land, which pagans obviously held in highest regard. This song is a reminder of that tradition of worship, long since replaced with the religion (spits) and the father and lover references are beautiful descriptions of our natural world as essential to our birth, survival, learning and happiness, whereas religion only seems to create hatred and confusion.
Totally magnificent song.
don't know what it means, but i know that the beat's pretty fantastic.
I believe this song is an ecstatic embrace of nature, alluding to images of humans merging with nature in the artistic depictions of The Green Man in European churches. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Man It's a great song, both whimsical and heavily drenched in spiritual meaning.
Well, in addition to the above pointing out that the green man is a male personification of nature, I think people are avoiding the obvious metaphor here. That is we are all tied to nature and, in essence, married to it. Like many a spouse, treat him right and he will reward you with a rich, bountiful harvest and good life. Be nasty and mean to him, and he will show his wrath, just like he's doing globally.
Tough call - But compare the lyrics to "Greenman" with those of "Dear God" - Did someone have a change of heart?