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Balloon Man Lyrics
I was walking up Sixth Avenue when Balloon Man came right up to me
He was round and fat and spherical
With the biggest grin I'd ever seen
He bounced on up toward me
But before we could be introduced
He blew up very suddenly
I guess his name was probably Bruce
And I laughed like I always do
And I cried like I cried for you
And Balloon Man blew up in my hand
He spattered me with tomatoes, Hummus, chick peas
And some strips of skin
So I made a right on 44th
And I washed my hands when I got in
And it rained like a slow divorce
And I wish I could ride a horse
And Balloon Man blew up in my hand
I was walking up Sixth Avenue when Balloon Man blew up in my face
There were loads of them on Bryant Park So I didn't feel out of place
There must have been a plague of them On the TV when I came home late
They were guzzling marshmallows and They're jumping off the Empire State
And I laughed like I always do
And I cried like I cried for you
And Balloon Man blew up in my hand
Balloon Man blew up in my hand
He was round and fat and spherical
With the biggest grin I'd ever seen
He bounced on up toward me
But before we could be introduced
He blew up very suddenly
I guess his name was probably Bruce
And I cried like I cried for you
And Balloon Man blew up in my hand
And some strips of skin
So I made a right on 44th
And I washed my hands when I got in
And I wish I could ride a horse
And Balloon Man blew up in my hand
There were loads of them on Bryant Park So I didn't feel out of place
There must have been a plague of them On the TV when I came home late
They were guzzling marshmallows and They're jumping off the Empire State
And I cried like I cried for you
And Balloon Man blew up in my hand
Balloon Man blew up in my hand
Song Info
Submitted by
milkman82 On Apr 18, 2006
More Robyn Hitchcock
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Madonna of the Wasps
My Wife and My Dead Wife
Queen Elvis
Wax Doll
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Robyn stated in a Stereogum interview that the song was inspired by eating falafels in NYC.
STEREOGUM: Absolutely. Back to your new album, your songs can be so surreal. What is your songwriting process like?
ROBYN HITCHCOCK: I know when something is coming through – when I’ve got a bite – when the birds are settling on the branch – and I have to be receptive; ideally with a notebook or a guitar or piano. Then I’ve got it – I pounce. But swarms of songs get away – I lose more than I can trap. Once you’ve trapped it (slightly cruel word for it) then you have to nurture it, feed it scraps, be firm with it as you would with any creature you are rearing. Then, finally let it go into the zoo where your other compositions dwell and beyond out into the world where it wears your brand
STEREOGUM: Is that what you did with songs like “Balloon Man”?
ROBYN HITCHCOCK: That was based on real life: eating a falafel walking up 6th Ave from 34th to 44th in a rain storm. You can still do that legally today. But in terms of composition, it’s exactly the same…
Why do I have a feeling A&M were pestering Robyn to "write a hit single" (as if it were possible, to do that intentionally) -- so this was either:
a tongue-in-cheek attempt at something so obviously lightweight, it couldn't possibly offend anyone? OR...
an over-the-top self-parody, intended to convince his label such a thing was impossible?
Might even have made a small dent in the charts, had it gotten some airplay. Saw Robyn and the Egyptians when they were touring circa Globe of Frogs. My brother--not at all a fan--bought a "Balloon Man" T-shirt.
Does this song reference Bill Morrison - the 60's, 70's nightclub performer who was the subject of a Mal Sharpe (of Coyle and Sharpe) short film? Help!!!
foreverdrone, I think that theory could be on the mark.
I think he was heavily influenced by The Prisoner. Rover was a big balloon that would chase down people who posed a threat to The Village, including those who tried to escape.
I always assumed this song was about condoms and AIDS.