Mrs. Robinson

This song is about the state of the nation in the late 60's. Ms. Robinson is an archetype of the generation that could no longer uphold the "perfectness" of the '50s no matter how good their intentions. (hence why Jesus loves you, there were lots of wrongs committed with the best of intentions) The entire older generation of the 60's was in a sort of institution, desperately trying to maintain an unmaintainable false image. Hide it from the kids, they'll rip off the covers and expose everything. Government is not helping, anyway you lose. Also, an excellent note from the movie: Notice how after they "succeeded" in toppling the establishment's expectations they sat in the back of the bus looking like they had no clue about what to do next? That was 60's youth, and that conflict with one side wrong and the other side confused and directionless is what this song is about.

Mrs Robinson is actually Mrs Roosevelt the first lady, this song is about her struggles

We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files,We'd like to help you learn to help yourself -- a psychiatrist interviewing her at a stress-related rehab center

Look around you, all you see are sympathetic eyes, Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home --others worry for her, she should feel welcome emotionally

Hide it in a hiding place where no one ever goes,Put it in your pantry with your cupcakes --strong women were to repress their true emotions and hide them away completely out of reach

It's a little secret, just the Robinsons' affair, Most of all, you've got to hide it from the kids --FDR wasn't a faithful husband, and she was a lesbian it was to be kept to themselves because society wouldn't agree and the children were to be taught morals

Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon, Going to the candidates debate, Laugh about it, shout about it When you've got to choose, Ev'ry way you look at it, you lose --she would watch her husband win the presidential election although she did the work, no matter how hard she fought she still could never win because she was a woman

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio, A nation turns its lonely eyes to you, What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson, Joltin' Joe has left and gone away --she misses when she was young and innocent/ the old days where there were few worries but times have changed and they're not coming back

And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson, Jesus loves you more than you will know, God bless you please, Mrs. Robinson, Heaven holds a place for those who pray --She is worried and all alone but she never stops praying or gives up her faith, Jesus understands all of the hardships she has but she doesn't know that he knows that

This song isn't about the affair in the movie. Well, I guess it is, but it's more or less about Mrs. Robinson trying to live a life she can't. She still living as if she's young and carefree, and it's contrasted by mentioning what people her age may do, settle down, find religion, etc. Joe DiMaggio is both an example of former American value, but of that of her own generation. Joe DiMaggio and Mrs. Robinson are nearly the same age. He has retired by now, and faded from the spotlight, because he can't keep doing all the things he did as a youth(baseball), and because he no longer is there to be a role model for America's youth. But hey, that's just my opinion... and this is my brother's nickname. Oops...

sebastianguilt, just because you think you have discovered "the truth" about this song does not mean that the rest of us cannot post here. After all, the question is "What does this song mean TO YOU?" The song may not have been written for "The Graduate", but it was reformulated for it, so there is nothing wrong with trying to draw connections between the two. To me, though, this song is brilliant in its ability to get people happy and singing when the lyrics are quite dark. If the song is about being in an institution, then the first verse ("We'd like to help you learn to help yourself") is quite mocking of the methods use to help people overcome problems, whether pertaining to alcohol, drug, or mental instability. In the same vein, the references to Jesus and Heaven are also sarcastic, poking fun at the institutions in this country that are supposed to help people, but instead are often corrupt and unhelpful. Finally, the references to "hiding" something is metaphorical, refering to keeping secrets rather than drugs or alcohol in the house. Simon suggests putting "it in your pantry with your cupcakes" as a riff on the people who pretend to be good and holy but who are only hiding behind the facade. It's about being someone you aren't and not being honest. I love this song. It's beautiful and timeless.

I don't think coo-coo-cachu was meant to be a beatle's reference- simon is too origional for that - and the whole song is for the graduate - but unlike what spliphstar said - ben (dustin hoffman) first has the affair with mrs robinson and then falls in love with her daughter, elaine. mrs robinson is angry and jealous so she tells elaine that ben raped her. elaine tries to break it off but ben starts stalking her - its really showing how crazy mrs robinson is - about the rape and trying to make her life better by ruining someone else's.

Actually, I read a bio of Simon and Garfunkel, and they were asked by the producers of The Graduate to make some songs for it.. one of the songs was "Mrs. Robinson," but an incomplete version.. the complete version you see here was released after The Graduate was out and successful.. "Mrs. Robinson" wasn't written directly to the movie.. but, if it makes any difference, it was at least meant to refer to the older woman--whose name is Mrs. Robinson--with whom Ben has an affair. It's a loveless affair.. Ben, a recent college grad who believes he has no future, is trying to search for meaning in the world and he has an affair with Mrs. Robinson because it gives him something to do. Mr. Robinson is Ben's father's business partner, and Ben's father pushes Ben to date the Robinsons' daughter Elaine, against the wishes of Mrs. Robinson. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and when Ben falls in love with Elaine, Mrs. Robinson unleashes her wrath... In any case, I'm no expert... but the movie and the song are both brilliant. Scenes and ideas from The Graduate have been copied and remade in countless movies, television shows and other various productions; they say sometimes that all (or at least most) of the best ideas have already been taken

If you read the insert of the movie 'The Graduate' you will find that Mr. Simon had been writing a song entitled 'Mrs. Roosevelt' (pardon any misspellings) a as a social commentary regarding life and times in his era. He was apporached about the movie and adapted 'Mrs. Roosevelt' to the picture, renaming it 'Mrs. Robinson'. Therefore, I think i t is a mixture between the social commentary Mr. Simon was shooting for and 'The Graduate'.

It was originally going to be called Mrs. Roosevelt, but Mike Nichols asked Pul to change it for the movie so he did. Besides that, it's easy to draw paralells between the song and movie. In the movie, mrs. Robinson is growing older (Trivia: She's actually only 5 years older than Hoffman!) and unstable. She wants to be young, so she instigates an affair with a son of her friend's. Now the Mrs. Robinson in the movie is obviously questionable mentally and seems to have a problem with drink, and I think if you read the lyrics over with this in mind, you may come to the conclusion that she is in a Mental Institution or a Rehabilitation Centre. I did, and I think I'm pretty close to the truth. The DiMaggio reference in my mind means Mrs Robinson (possibly while under prescribed drugs) is calling out from a hospital bed, 'Where have you gone Joe Di Maggio, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you' as a symbol of what is good in America, and as a symbol of my generation. THe nurse is trying to comfort her and tells her that Joltin' Joe has left and gone away, and the hey-hey-hey's are tying to comfort Mrs. R when she gets upset at this news. Just a theory of course, anyone got any other thoughts (besides the obnoxious sebastianguilt)? By the way, regan89, I know you're only 16 so the Graduate was before your time, but hey, I'm 14 and I loved it! I recommend you give it a try.

I guess I have a simpler idea of what this song is saying. The top poster pointed out that under the surface, there are allusions to 60's culture, the older vs. younger mentality of the time. But there's some surface level stuff here that's getting missed a little.

Some folks think that the "Mrs. Robinson" in the song is in a mental institution. I never read it that way. I figured she was an older lady going into a retirement home. It seems to line up with that, to my eyes.

We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files We'd like to help you learn to help yourself Look around you all you see are sympathetic eyes Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home

This sounds exactly to me like what you might hear if you're moving into a retirement home, and you really don't want to move in, but you don't have a choice because you need the help caring for yourself. If you've ever known someone in that position, a parent or grandparent, it can be an incredibly humbling and deeply humiliating experience for them. Hence the "sympathetic eyes" and the suggestion to stroll around until she feels at home, because it's the last home she's ever going to have.

Hide it in the hiding place where no one ever goes Put it in your pantry with your cupcakes It's a little secret just the Robinson's affair Most of all you've got to hide it from the kids

I always thought this was a reference to some prescription drugs. "Mother's little helper," if you will. And they allow her to have some pharmaceuticals to help her adjust (sedatives and anti-depressants, etc), but because the place is probably staffed by younger people in the 60's, she's got to keep it all locked up and hidden or the young people running the place will steal them for themselves.

Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon Going to the candidates' debate Laugh about it, shout about it When you've got to choose Every way you look at this you lose

This always seemed like a sad verse to me. In her advanced age, this is the only way she can expect to spend her personal time, on organized trips like this one to hear a debate between some candidates. The sad part is that no matter who she chooses to vote for, it's not going to help her life in any way. She's still going to be stuck in the care home, still waiting to die, and she'll still have very little hope for anything better, no matter what the candidates might promise.

The last chorus referencing Joe DiMaggio is a bit of lament for past times that she misses. But "Joltin' Joe" has gone away, and times that she thinks of as better for her are gone, and nothing will be "better" for her ever again.

Yes, it's also a picture of 60's culture like Viking said, but seen through the eyes of a retiree that doesn't really relate to it anymore, so she's placed in a home because she doesn't fit in and isn't able to contribute or care for herself anymore.

this is of course about the grad. it was writen for it. but the part with DiMaggio is very clear. this song is all about the bad things people do and when they ask "where have you gone joe dimaggio?" they are not really asking for him, but rather for good values that he represented to america that seem to have been lost.