Green Corn

Slice hit the nail on the head. This has been one of my favorite NOFX songs for a while, fitting my cynical perfectly. I've been getting into the writing of Charles Bukowski lately (only 2 novels so far) but I saw Barfly the other night, which he wrote, and it hit me over the head like a purse with something in it. I didn't even realize it until Henry said the Green Corn line.

Like Slice said, the first verse is right there, only changed a bit. I didn't realize that, because it was before the green corn line and I hadn't made the connection.

"Tully, baby, you're trapped behind your golden bars" - This line is a reference to a girl who admires Henry's work as a writer. She's very well-off, and Henry makes a comment that despite this, and maybe because of it, she's trapped in a prison, behind golden bars.

"I'm the prince of poverty hangin' out in bars" - In the movie, Wanda, played by Faye Dunaway, notes that Henry has a unique way of walking, which makes him seem like self-appointed barfly royalty.

"Your life's a Mercedes, a mansion with a pool My life's on a bus stop just waiting for some fuel" - Another reference to Tully's lifestyle and money, compared to Henry's skid row standing. Also, early in the movie, when he wants nothing more than to fight Eddie, his nemesis and rival in a way, he says he needs 'fuel' and goes as far as to steal a sandwich from another guy's hand and eat it on the spot. Typical Fat Mike double-meaning!

"Your obviousness disgusts me I see thru your macho lies I'll fight everything you stand for" - Again a reference to Eddie, Henry's rival. Wanda asks him what he hates about Eddie, and he responds "His obviousness," which always strikes me as kind of obtuse, and his "macho energy."

"There's something in your purse baby, my head is getting sore" - Wanda hits him over the head with his purse, while he weakly asks her if something's in it must have been, because he ends up with a nasty head wound.

"Maybe what we had was just green corn" - It ends with THE line. In the film, while drunk, Wanda sees a small field of corn and decides that she wants some, so she runs off to steal it. Henry tries to dissuade her, telling her how young and green it is, but she doesn't listen. Later on, Wanda ends up sleeping with Eddie, Henry's nemesis, much to his chagrin. He tells her that he thought they really had something special, but maybe, in the end, it was just green corn. Meaning, most likely, like mtbaird said, shit.

Well actually I was curious as to the lyrics as well so i went on a search and found out that some of the lyrics are quotes (or taken from quotes) from a 1987 movie called "Barfly".

Like this part was probably from the movie, but they changed it a bit: "Sometimes I just get tired of thinking of all the things that I don't wanna do. All the things that I don't wanna be. Places I don't wanna go, like India, like getting my teeth cleaned. Save the whale, all that, I don't understand that."

and this definitely: "Baby, What we had was just green corn."

Check it out here: http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0092618/quotes

Man, I' hoping to get to see this movie soon though, just cause it has something to do with NOFX!

omg how has nobody commented on this song yet!? its so fucking awesome. i dont quite know what its about, but im astounded that im the first one to post here. the solo is gnarly. and its on "ribbed" which is like the best cd. you all should buy it

great song from a great album

this song sounds like its about a broken relationship. the one person can't believe they ever had a relationship with the other.

i love this song. i have the video from the '98 vans tour i think. they play together on the sand, and then go straight into this. its awesome

yeah this is a great song...and...i think its about a bad relationship...

im pretty sure hes saying their relationship was shit. Green Corn sounds a lot like a reference to shit.

"Baby what we had was just green corn"

=

What we had together was shit

im gonna put it out there that this is nofx's most thoughtful songs. eg. had the most thought put into it considering its about the movie and not just some joke about getting wasted or how shit the government is

Wow.... only 9 comments on this song. It's NOFX's best song in my opinion. Anyway a real easy song to understand. It's about someone who sees all these big shots with their nice cars and houses, and himself struggling to make a good living.