Born the daughter of a comedian
Middle of the 80s
Someone turn that awful mouth-breathing down
Or else

Sally Hatchet lives in a hole in the ground
The longer it keeps raining the more she has to struggle to maintain a wonderful time
Oh yeah

Oh wanna to love it up without me
I've got smoke in my lungs
And a past life in the trunk

Could he rattle by the way that she empties a few clips out
Do I have a choice now?
Point that thing away from me
Lady


Lyrics submitted by casiopt10, edited by fiore9891

This Is Sally Hatchet Lyrics as written by Joshua Michael Tillman

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

This Is Sally Hatchet song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

3 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    Fairly sure that it's: "Go on and laugh it up without me" rather than "Oh wanna love it up without me".

    It's an awesome track- outro is just epic. I've been struggling with the story behind this but I've narrowed it down in my mind to it being about the narrator meeting a girl who has become desensitised to happiness and so has to do more drugs to keep her on an even keel.

    I'm not sure about the break. To me it sounds like a change in narrator, but from who's perspective I don't know.

    The last verse and outro feels to me like it's about the moment the drugs are presented. From the trepidation in the narrators description, it sounds like he's not overly keen on the idea but see's no other options. What kind of drugs would be contained in 'clips' I'm not sure but as it leads into that euphoric and primal sounding outro that kind of makes sense to me.

    Or I could have gotten it very wrong!

    rainsong88on October 05, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    My take is that Sally Hatchet is tobacco.

    Katdanceron April 10, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "Born the daughter of a comedian" - born of someone, where anything they say is laughable, their truth is so laughable, unrealistic or detached from today's reality. I think this song for Father John Misty (FJM), was his perception about the protagonist, a woman he calls, "Sally Hatchet, [whom metaphorically] lives in a hole in the ground" - a woman, who's parent(s)... a daughter of a comedian", where she, who'd been repressed - had no opportunity to be her genuine self. But she'd lived through it - for a time it WAS her reality - one suffrage she's sustained for long enough. "The longer it keeps raining the more she has to struggle to maintain a wonderful time'". I hear an internal suffocation but also an endeavour on her behalf, for wonder and joy - ultimately leading towards an outpour-age of emotions. At least through her adolescent upbringing...Albeit this suffocating feeling, "pretty rattled by the way the way she empties a few clips out" - she's finally letting all of that frustration and emotion out. Then on the receiving end, from FJM; "Do I have a choice now, point that thing away from, lady". Then the song progresses to one of the most beautiful outros I've ever heard... The outro is cathartic and matches the theme. But of course, [of my understanding of him] through FJM's, this man understands and accepts all the good and bad - all of it. This song is a bittersweet, masterpiece.

    marleemarl23on March 22, 2021   Link

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

Album art
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song: Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.” That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version. Great version of a great song,
Album art
Page
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.