2 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
Brain Problem Situation Lyrics
Wake up
Put on my makeup
And pick the rake up
And rake my hair
And I think, maybe
But I don't know
But I'm starting to feel like
I got a brain problem
Situation on my hands
I think, maybe
But I don't know
But I'm starting to feel like
I got a brain problem
Situation on my hands
I think, maybe
But I don't know
But I'm starting to feel like
I got a brain problem
Situation on my hands
On my hands
I'm looking down
And I can see what I got
On my hands
Is a brain problem situation
Twenty-nine inches
Of snow on the top
Of the situation on the brain
And the scraper I buried
Somewhere in the
Springtime will emerge
And I think, maybe
But I don't know
But I'm starting to feel like
I got a brain problem
Situation on my hands
I think, maybe
But I don't know
But I'm starting to feel like
I got a brain problem
Situation in the bag
In the bag, in the paper bag
Is the source of the call
It was traced
To the paper bag
Yes, the call has been traced
To the bag
Stand up
And put our hand up
And with our eyes closed
We touch our nose
And the cop tells us
But we don't know
But we're starting to feel like
We got a brain problem
Situation on our hands
We think, officer
But we don't know
But we're starting to feel like
We got a brain problem
Situation on our hands
On our hands
On our hands
In the drunk tank
We're in the drunk tank
We're in the drunk tank
All by ourselves
And I think, maybe
But I don't know
But I'm starting to feel like
I got a brain problem
Situation on my hands
I think, maybe
But I don't know
But I'm starting to feel like
I got a brain problem
Situation on my hands
On my hands
Put on my makeup
And pick the rake up
And rake my hair
But I don't know
But I'm starting to feel like
I got a brain problem
Situation on my hands
But I don't know
But I'm starting to feel like
I got a brain problem
Situation on my hands
But I don't know
But I'm starting to feel like
I got a brain problem
Situation on my hands
I'm looking down
And I can see what I got
On my hands
Is a brain problem situation
Of snow on the top
Of the situation on the brain
And the scraper I buried
Somewhere in the
Springtime will emerge
But I don't know
But I'm starting to feel like
I got a brain problem
Situation on my hands
But I don't know
But I'm starting to feel like
I got a brain problem
Situation in the bag
Is the source of the call
It was traced
To the paper bag
Yes, the call has been traced
To the bag
And put our hand up
And with our eyes closed
We touch our nose
But we don't know
But we're starting to feel like
We got a brain problem
Situation on our hands
But we don't know
But we're starting to feel like
We got a brain problem
Situation on our hands
On our hands
We're in the drunk tank
We're in the drunk tank
All by ourselves
But I don't know
But I'm starting to feel like
I got a brain problem
Situation on my hands
But I don't know
But I'm starting to feel like
I got a brain problem
Situation on my hands
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
Love this song. Love this song. It's not exactly straightforward, it's a bit sideways, but I don't think there is an excessive amount of hidden meaning. It's about a guy who is very confused -- he puts on make-up and then goes outside, maybe to do some yardwork, but starts combing his hair with the rake.
The narrator of the song is apparently with-it enough to realize that he might have a have a situation on his hands, but the best he can do in putting a name to it is "a brain problem situation." I imagine an old guy saying that fumbling, uncertain line from the chorus to his doctor, and it makes me laugh. I would love to know where Linnell came up with this. It sounds like something someone would really say.
Later we find out that it might actually be winter outside (or maybe the snow is a reference to his old age? Why 29 inches of snow? His age?), and that his brain problem has caused him buried his snowscraper. The man is obviously struggling. The way I hear it is that he even thinks the scraper going to grow in the spring? Like a tree of snow scrapers? Sheesh!
Later still we find out the guy is on the bottle (the paper bag) and at some point he gets busted for DUI and thrown in the drunk tank. Flansburgh joins in at this point and I take his part of the song (using "we" instead of "I") to be the brain itself joining in with the man -- maybe the man has passed out or something. Maybe this is the narrator from "Thunderbird"? I'm not sure if the booze is the cause of his brain problem, but it can't be helping. Again, a great song, might be my favorite from the whole The Else package.
They Might Be Giants (and probably especially Linnell) are great with Buffy Speak (Some other good examples being They'll Need A Crane and Someone Keeps Moving My Chair).
They Might Be Giants (and probably especially Linnell) are great with Buffy Speak (Some other good examples being They'll Need A Crane and Someone Keeps Moving My Chair).
I think the snow scraper was buried by the snow, hence the direct irony/unsolvableness, and it would emerge in spring when the snow melts. I don't think it's underground.
I think the snow scraper was buried by the snow, hence the direct irony/unsolvableness, and it would emerge in spring when the snow melts. I don't think it's underground.
Ah, well that's quite insightful actually--yes, it seems that this has to do with alchohol. But I think that's the main idea of this song; also I'm pretty sure the idea of burying the scraper is an ironic mistake. The scraper (which he could use to get to the source of the brain problem)was buried (so as he could not get to it,) leaving him helpless. However, the scraper will be revealed in the springtime, when he can finally get to the source of the problem. Huzzah!