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My Friend Fats Lyrics
My friend Fats, he's a hell fo a guy.
Let me tell you why.
He's the epitome of neighborly.
My friend Fats, he's a hell fo a guy.
Let me tell y'all why.
He drips personality.
My friend Fats, he's a heck of a Joe.
You should watch him go,
Bopping in the band shine
With a bota pag of fried wine.
My friend Fats, he's a hell fo a guy.
Let me tell you why.
He's lowbrow nobility.
My friend Fats, he's a jovial sort.
When he's holding court,
The anecdotes go round
And the lager goes down.
My friend Fats, he's a hell fo a guy.
And just as long as he's high
He has no anxiety
About his chemical dependencies.
Fats has no concerns
about the candle that burns
Both ends simultaneous,
Both ends simultaneous.
My friend Fats, he's a hell fo a guy.
Let me tell y'all why.
Not much for ponctuality,
But heck on debauchery.
Fats, he's a hell of a man,
Can't y'all understand.
Him taunting his mortality,
He's unnerved by sobriety.
Let me tell you why.
He's the epitome of neighborly.
Let me tell y'all why.
He drips personality.
You should watch him go,
Bopping in the band shine
With a bota pag of fried wine.
Let me tell you why.
He's lowbrow nobility.
When he's holding court,
The anecdotes go round
And the lager goes down.
And just as long as he's high
He has no anxiety
About his chemical dependencies.
about the candle that burns
Both ends simultaneous,
Both ends simultaneous.
Let me tell y'all why.
Not much for ponctuality,
But heck on debauchery.
Can't y'all understand.
Him taunting his mortality,
He's unnerved by sobriety.
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It seems that in this song, Les is trying to defend his Fats and convince people that he is a good man, despite his alcoholism, rudeness, and generally reckless lifestyle. This is most evident in the final stanza, "Fats, he's a hell of a man. Can't y'all understand? Him taunting his mortality, He's unnerved by sobriety." At this point, les is desperately trying to defend Fats, but even Les cannot keep from revealing his behavioral flaws.
@Kyle Chizeck I personally don't think he's trying to defend "Fats" it's more like a critic, he gets sort of cynical in a lot of his lyrics. It's more like a man that's destroying himself butt he doesn't appear to give a shit, "He drips personality"
@Kyle Chizeck I personally don't think he's trying to defend "Fats" it's more like a critic, he gets sort of cynical in a lot of his lyrics. It's more like a man that's destroying himself butt he doesn't appear to give a shit, "He drips personality"
I think the song is about a jazz pianist named Fats Waller. He played stride piano and became famous. He weighed over 300 lbs (hence the name), and he loved to eat and drink. Since people expect that fat be generally happy and jovial, he played the part. He would wake up and have three fingers of scotch for breakfast (His 'liquid ham and eggs' as he put it). He had a booming personality, which made him fun to be around. He died at 39 from drinking. I'm not sure whether or not he did drugs though. Anyways thats my take on the song.
could be about a guy who might appear to be the life and soul of the party and complealty easy going but who is getting fucked up by drugs and drink. I suspect this song is steeped in irony!!
This song live is unbelievably amazing
Its about a guy who seems on the outside an easy going guy, the life of the party but is un-nerved by sobriety and is only comfortable when he is high.
I agree with you swamper - he is a man that immerses himself in the suppossed "good things in life" and is always surrounded by people because he wants to be the life of the party, but he is really just doing this as a form of escapism, as he can't bare to face up to reality and/or be alone/left to his own thoughts.
This is one of my most favorite primus songs. The effects les puts on his base and the way hes playing is just makes an incredibly orgasmic sound. I fucking love this song, and this band.
This song has THE COOLEST bass line ever concieved. The live DVD version is intence
I think everyone who's posted so far is correct, but I think Fats is someone Les used to know (from Barrington probably). My comment in 'The Air Is Getting Slippery' reflects how on how certain songs may refer to Fats or his friends (On 'The Tweek Again' has a different name, but 'The Air Is...' mentions his friend Fats who sells meth).
As far as I can tell Les writes about people and places he knew and metaphors about social theory, life, politics and all sorts. Some including this song (if not all) are personal and metaphors simultaneously.
I agree with the above post, though a lot of it is surely about the hell his addiction has caused (Les even sings 'hee-ee-ee-ell' though the lyrics don't mention it), and 'The Air is Getting Slippery' mentions Fats and his METH addiction.