The name's Hamlet and I've got a tale
About madness, lust and a female
Dad's a ghost and he roams the floors
Lurks at night in Elsinore
Got a pale face just like Kiss paint, normal you know this ain't
Something is rotten up in Denmark, a sick mistake
My Uncle Claudius, his alibi is fishy
Suspicions of murder because he's acting hella shifty
Frailty - thy name is woman because my mom's on his D
A-N-I-S-H throne my Dad's ghost tells me
"Swear (swear, swear), to revenge my regicide,
Claudius iced me one night, under my crown he tries to hide
So Hamlet here's your mission: use your antic disposition
Make them think you're crazy, bring justice fuse the fission"
Meanwhile my girl Ophelia is goth as hell
Keeps a razor by her wrist, rocks out to Soft Cell
This girl has got more issues than Amy Winehouse
I'm like get thee to a nunnery,
I'm not trying to find a spouse...and she says:

"Screw that forget about that
I don't want to think about anything like that
Screw that forget about that
I don't want to know about anything like that"

I've got nothing to do
but hang around and get screwed up on you (forget it though)
I've got nothing to do
but hang around and get screwed up on you (just let it go)

I'm an emo prince, non-committal as could be
You'd be non-committal too if you were flawed like me
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are on my back and I've had it
I've got these players down from Norway let them practice in the attic
I'll have them reenact the murder, watch my uncle's expression
The play's the thing to catch the king and teach him a lesson
My uncle freaks out at the play I know he did it just like OJ
Can't 187 while he prays because Hamlet won't play that way (nope!)
Confront my mom throw her down on the bed
Because this Oedipus complex has got me stressed in the head
Then I killed my girlfriend's dad, he was spying now he's dead
I screamed at my mom while the blood made the carpet turn red
See kings lose crowns but princes stay intelligent
R. Kelly has girl problems? this is drama, that's irrelevant
Opehlia bursts in throwing columbines and daises
Singing songs about lost virginity - she's honest but she's still crazy

And she says

"Screw that forget about that
I don't want to think about anything like that
Screw that forget about that
I don't want to know about anything like that"

I've got nothing to do
but hang around and get screwed up on you (you've got to see)
I've got nothing to do
but hang around and get screwed up on you (not you it's me)

We've got clowns in the graveyard and I'm talking to skulls
We've got murder and incest, who said Shakespeare was dull?
My girlfriend took her life, and I'm like "Goodness gracious"
Her brother wants to duel - Laertes is too pugnacious
My uncle dipped the tip of the saber in poison (deul time)
Then he poisoned the cup that mom started enjoyin' (tool time)
I got stabbed with the poison sword,
then I stabbed my girlfriend's brother
and then I stabbed my uncle and we've all killed each other
To be or not to be? Well I guess that solves that one
And I would have stayed in Wittgenberg if I'd know that this would happen
If you're ever up in Denmark on a moonlit night
You'll hear Ophelia's sad song when the full moon's bright
Baby I'm sorry I messed up, good night my sweet princess
May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest

and they sing:
I've got nothing to do
but hang around and get screwed up on you (forget it though)
I've got nothing to do
but hang around and get screwed up on you (just let it go)

I've got nothing to do
but hang around and get screwed up on you (you've got to see)
I've got nothing to do
but hang around and get screwed up on you (not you)


Lyrics submitted by deadboysneedlunch

Hey There Ophelia Lyrics as written by Fyfe Ewing Andrew Cairns

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Hey There Ophelia song meanings
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    General Comment

    This song is completely responsible for getting me through my Shakespeare unit in school. I think I owe MC Lars money for that or something.

    TheWazaron April 18, 2009   Link

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