Frank Black and the Catholics

Hermaphroditos

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Hermaphroditos Lyrics

hermaphroditos is my name
whatcha playing?
hermaphroditos is my name
worship me
hermaphroditos is my name
why are you saying
hermaphroditos is my name?
how do you love me
deeply with your scalpel?
i got a mouthful
of suicidal drugs
i am a dog
i am a sculpture
you hate my features
you name for a god
forget your yin
and go fuck your yang
it seems that you rang
and it seems i'm only answering
remember when
i was almost ready?
but it was then
that i was gone already
and i'm still around
but who wants to listen
to my voice in your prison?

Submitted by

dragonflower44 On Dec 20, 2001

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dragonflower44

Submitter

2001-12-20 17:42:39

1 Meaning

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by dross

20y ago

"Hermaphroditus was the son of Aphrodite and Hermes. When he was 15 years old, he went to a pool to swim.

"In the pool lived the naiad Salmacis. On seeing Hermaphroditus, Salmacis fell immediately in love and declared openly her love to him, but since he refused both love and kisses, she turned away and left, pretending to accept his rejection.

"Hermaphroditus, feeling he was by himself, dived into the pool and started swimming. But then Salmacis appeared again in the waters, holding him fast, stealing kisses, and embracing him.

"While she was clinging to him, she prayed that they never be separated. The gods heard her prayers and merged the two bodies in one.

"From that day they were one person, neither man nor woman, yet seemingly both."

What a complex song! While there are obvious references to castration and mutilation ("how do you love me; deeply with your scalpel?", "i am a dog; i am a sculpture") to me, this song is about something else.

To me, this is Hermaphroditos talking to Salmacis after they've been living in the same body for a while.

Once she worshiped him for his physical features. Now she hates them. At one time she professed love for him, now she can't stand his voice.

My favorite lines are the scalpel line and "Remember when I was almost ready? But it was then that I was gone already."

Maybe this song refers to marital difficulties. The whole two becoming one theory suggests a marriage to me.

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