The Mermaid Parade

Phosphorescent

In New York this morning; it was 8 am LA time,
And I could be there by this evening
Said the girl on the airline line.
So I bought that ticket, and I got in that cab,
But I didn't make it babe
To the airport like that.

No I wound up walking
Out by the ocean today
And there were naked women
Dancing in the Mermaid Parade.
And oh Amanda did you see me today
Watching those women dancing
In the Mermaid Parade?
And oh Amanda were you with me today
Watching those women waltz by
In the Mermaid Parade?

Now our hearts were on fire
Only two weeks ago,
And our bodies were like live wires
Down on the beach in Mexico.
I came back to this city,
And you stayed home in LA,
And our two years of marriage
In two short weeks somehow just slipped away.

I know all about your new man
Your new, older, old man
And I heard that he's married,
Oh, you be careful Amanda.
Yeah, I found a new friend too,
And yeah she's pretty and she's small,
But God damn it, Amanda,
Oh, God damn it all.


Lyrics submitted by drawrof

The Mermaid Parade Lyrics as written by Matthew Houck

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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The Mermaid Parade song meanings
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5 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment
    "goddamn it amanda. goddamn it all." boom. what a concise statement of exasperation.
    resurion May 28, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I read an interview with Matthew and he was talking about this song, and I kinda got the impression that it was just a good story (link to interview: blogs.villagevoice.com/music/archives/2010/05/…) But then I read a few old interviews which made me think that it's most likely autobiographic (at least some of it) with him having lived in LA, where he was seeing a girl, and then moved to New York: gothamist.com/2007/11/07/… webcache.googleusercontent.com/… Just some useless info, it's a great song no matter what :)
    mypumpkinheadon June 14, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    great song, great story. my eyes watered a bit when i first heard it. i had originally assumed the mermaid parade was referencing the "plenty of other fish in the sea" sentiment, but then found out that there is an actual Mermaid Parade on Coney Island that often features partially-naked women. how do you think this parade relates to the story? why did he go to the mermaid parade rather than the airport?
    ajohnson1on June 28, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I got the impression that he was suggesting that Amanda should be jealous because he is looking at other women, who are naked - hence "did you see me today?" he wants her to see him and feel jealous
    MilkyJoeAnsonon October 02, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I believe the song is a metaphor for the distraught singer's suicide by drowning. I don't think it is related to the Coney Island event, in anyway other than it fit in the song meaning. I gotta tell ya, I love Matthew's writing, the covers he has chosen, his voice, instrumentation. This is a talented guy, and if he keeps writing like this, and not change his style, I will be around, and around, and around and......
    dbri732722on December 11, 2014   Link

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