This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Go to bed
The priests are dead
Now no one
Can call you bad
Go to bed
The priests are dead
Finally you're in peppermint land
He's a merman
He doesn't need your voice
He's a merman
Go to bed
Dream instead
And you will find him
He's a merman
To the knee
Doesn't need something you're not willing to give
He's a merman
Doesn't need your voice to cross his lands of ice
Go to bed
The priests are dead
Now no one
Can call you bad
Go to bed
The priests are dead
Finally you found him
Let it out
Who could ever say you're not simply wonderful
Who could ever harm you
Sleep now
You're my little goat
Go to bed
The priests are dead
And come sing it all again
Go to bed
Past the apple orchard
And you'll feel nice
Two can play
I said, two can play
The priests are dead
Now no one
Can call you bad
Go to bed
The priests are dead
Finally you're in peppermint land
He's a merman
He doesn't need your voice
He's a merman
Go to bed
Dream instead
And you will find him
He's a merman
To the knee
Doesn't need something you're not willing to give
He's a merman
Doesn't need your voice to cross his lands of ice
Go to bed
The priests are dead
Now no one
Can call you bad
Go to bed
The priests are dead
Finally you found him
Let it out
Who could ever say you're not simply wonderful
Who could ever harm you
Sleep now
You're my little goat
Go to bed
The priests are dead
And come sing it all again
Go to bed
Past the apple orchard
And you'll feel nice
Two can play
I said, two can play
Lyrics submitted by merchantpierce
Merman Lyrics as written by Tori Ellen Amos
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
i'm a filipino and in context with my culture, for me, Merman is a song about gays..
well, it's like this. Here, a common slang for an effeminate gay guy is 'sirena' or in English, mermaid. Well, merman could be related to this.
"go to bed the priests are dead now no one can call you bad"
For me, it means that the merman must not worry any longer about being stigmatized or ridiculed about his sexuality (which still happens a lot here). Priests could refer to the alleged biblical doctrine that homosexuality is a sin so by the priests drying, it means that there are no longer oppressors.
"he's a merman he doesn't need your voice to cross his lands of ice"
gays could stand out alone even without the need of the people around them, fighting for equal rights. Lands of ice could refer to the 'coldness' and apathy of homophobics.
"who could ever say you're not simply wonderful who could ever harm you sleep now"
For me it means that gays must now be more comforted and at ease because we're living in a more tolerant society. It also says that even being gay is a wonderful thing as all humans are..
^^ This is one of my most favorite Tori Amos song. The intentional interpretation of tori may be different from mine but this is just my personal opinion, how this song spoke to me since I'm gay too ^^ go Tori!!!