This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Rael:
I wandered lonely as a cloud,
Till I came upon this dirty street.
I've never seen a stranger crowd;
Slubberdegullions on a squeaky feet,
Continually pacing,
With nonchalant embracing,
Each orifice disgracing
And one facing me moves to say "hellay".
His skin's all covered in slimy lumps.
With lips that slide across each chin.
His twisted limbs like rubber stamps
Are waved in welcome say 'Please join in.'
My grip must be flipping,
Cos his handshake keeps slipping,
My hopes keep on dipping
And his lips keep on smiling all the time.
Slipperman:
"We like you, have tasted love.
Don't be alarmed at what you see,
You yourself are just the same
As what you see in me."
Rael:
Me, like you? like that!
Slipperman:
"You better watch it son, your sentence has only just begun
You better run and join your brother John."
A VISIT TO THE DOKTOR
Slipperman:
"You're in the colony of slippermen.
There's no who? why? what? or when?
You get out if you've got the gripe
To see, Doktor Dyper, reformed sniper
he'll whip off your windscreenwiper
Rael:
John and I are able
To face the Doktor and his marble table.
The Doktor:
Understand Rael, it's the end of your tail.
Rael:
"Don't delay, dock the dick!"
I watch his countdown timer tick
THE RAVEN
He places the number into a tube,
A yellow plastic "shoobedoobe".
It says: "Though your fingers may tickle
You'll be safe in our pickle."
Suddenly, black cloud comes down from the sky.
I wandered lonely as a cloud,
Till I came upon this dirty street.
I've never seen a stranger crowd;
Slubberdegullions on a squeaky feet,
Continually pacing,
With nonchalant embracing,
Each orifice disgracing
And one facing me moves to say "hellay".
His skin's all covered in slimy lumps.
With lips that slide across each chin.
His twisted limbs like rubber stamps
Are waved in welcome say 'Please join in.'
My grip must be flipping,
Cos his handshake keeps slipping,
My hopes keep on dipping
And his lips keep on smiling all the time.
Slipperman:
"We like you, have tasted love.
Don't be alarmed at what you see,
You yourself are just the same
As what you see in me."
Rael:
Me, like you? like that!
Slipperman:
"You better watch it son, your sentence has only just begun
You better run and join your brother John."
A VISIT TO THE DOKTOR
Slipperman:
"You're in the colony of slippermen.
There's no who? why? what? or when?
You get out if you've got the gripe
To see, Doktor Dyper, reformed sniper
he'll whip off your windscreenwiper
Rael:
John and I are able
To face the Doktor and his marble table.
The Doktor:
Understand Rael, it's the end of your tail.
Rael:
"Don't delay, dock the dick!"
I watch his countdown timer tick
THE RAVEN
He places the number into a tube,
A yellow plastic "shoobedoobe".
It says: "Though your fingers may tickle
You'll be safe in our pickle."
Suddenly, black cloud comes down from the sky.
The Colony of Slippermen: The Arrival/A Visit to the Doktor/The Raven song meanings
Add Your Thoughts
4 Comments
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
How could no one have commented thus far? Well this song is very important in furthering the storyline of "Lamb". After eating the flesh of the Lamia, Rael turns into a Slipperman, but doesn't realise until others tell him they are as hideous as him. He meets his brother John (himself) again and they discuss the predicament. He is informed that the only way to free himself from serving as a 'sense satisfier' is to be castrated by Doctor Dyper, reformed Sniper... when all seems to be uncomfortable, yet looking up for the pair, a raven swoops through, picks up the remains of Rael's package, ironically packaged up and he tells John they should follow it to get it back. Poor Rael. He expects John to happily follow him along (after being deserted by him before he wouldn't think it would happen again) but just his luck, his brother doesn't want to endanger himself, so Rael is on his own. He follows the raven through the caverns and finally sees the outside for the first time since 'Fly on a Windshield'/'Broadway Melody of 1974'. The raven drops the package into a ravine and he prepares to go down to retrieve it.
But what does all this mean? well... This song prepares Rael for his biggest challenge, forgiving John in the rapids further after deserting him in this song. It shows Rael's desperation through his instant decision to escape Slippermanitis through castration and also for a taste of social interaction: along the journey, which didn't even take a day (but seems forever, in a amazingly good way), he only saw the Carpet Crawlers, Seer, Lamia and Slippermen, putting aside John. His isolation is prevailent in all the other pieces (especially the instrumentals which capture this alienation well) and his immediate urge to talk to the Slippermen reveals how out of place he is. It is also the start of Rael understanding his split personality and appreciating life. Some of the imagery is a little disturbing. It is my most disliked track on the album because of the forced rhyming, but musically the tune captures the mood Gabriel tries to communicate well... exceptionally.
It really is captivating stuff. Anyway, (excuse the pun) this song really is for furthering the plot and was a centrepiece of live performances with G dressing up as a Slipperman himself, giving a barely audible performance, but nonetheless... the creativity was immense and although the band didn't have much room to vent their musical spleens throughout the rest of the album, the have the opportunity numerously in this piece.
70% rating for the song. 95% rating for the album :-) Thanks. Arial XK.
Rael meets a colony of slippermen, which are like naked disfigured men, and Rael falls into there trap and turns into one. The only way to become human is to be castrated by Doctor Dyper. After being castrated, Rael's "number" is stolen by a large raven. Rael wants to go after it but John say not to
Not really much to expand on from Arial's comment. This is one of my favourite Genesis songs though, I love the imagery throughout the song, and it's the point at which I completely think what a ffffff... that John is!
Tronnit pretty much summed up the entire thing.
''I watch his countdown timer tick....'' the snapping sound after this particular line makes me wince every time.