They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! Lyrics
And I got on my knees
And begged you not to leave because I'd go berserk?
Well, you left me anyhow
And then the days got worse and worse
And now you see I've gone completely out of my mind
They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-ha
To the funny farm
Where life is beautiful all the time
And I'll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats
And they're coming to take me away, ha-ha
And so you laughed, you laughed when I had said
That losing you would make me flip my lid
Right? You know you laughed, I heard you laugh
You laughed, you laughed and laughed and then you left
But now you know I'm utterly mad
They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-ha
To the happy home
With trees and flowers and chirping birds
And basket weavers who sit and smile and twiddle their thumbs and toes
And they're coming to take me away, ha-ha
And this is how you pay me back
For all my kind unselfish loving deeds?
Huh? Well, you just wait, they'll find you yet
And when they do, they'll put you in
The ASPCA, you mangy mutt
They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-ha
To the funny farm
Where life is beautiful all the time
And I'll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats
And they're coming to take me away, ha-ha
To the happy home
With trees and flowers and chirping birds
And basket weavers who sit and smile and twiddle their thumbs and toes
And they're coming to take me away, ha-ha
To the funny farm
Where life is beautiful all the time
And I'll be happy to see those nice young men in their clean white coats
The song is about a man going crazy, and being taken away to a mental hospital.
Due to complaints from many people, this song was actually banned from a lot of radio stations at the time it was released in 1966 because they felt it made fun of people with mental diseases.
WHAAAT? no comments? (blasphemy)
Clearly it's about well ajusted adults. I like it, good song, fun to sing at random intervals and reap in the weird looks. But it creeps me out at night.
Nod about the mutt line. What better would signify the craziness of the singer than the fact the guy thinks his dog is ACTUALLY laughing at him? But it is not necessarily the case that the one that leaves is a mutt. I get giggles flip-flopping the meaning between that of a friend or lover and that of a real mutt: a dog. It seems like a bit of a “conceptual illusion” (my words), much akin to those dual faced “optical illusions”, some examples of which I can think of is one where you either see a rabbit or a duck, and another where one sees either dolphins or lovers in the act. While obviously many songs contain entities with dual meanings (otherwise, why would songmeanings.net exist?) This one seems to be such a tease that its worth noting. It is in a song about the point of insanity, and one may feel as they’re going insane flip flopping through the two meanings. This search for meaning and the resulting ambiguity is a perfect complement to the song.
Wow I really think you are over-analizing this song.
Wow I really think you are over-analizing this song.
He IS talking to his (ex) girlfriend he calls her mangy mutt cuz he is upset,
He IS talking to his (ex) girlfriend he calls her mangy mutt cuz he is upset,
causing ALOT of contraversy at the time
causing ALOT of contraversy at the time
like some one to day would curse at the person leaving them, and driving them mad
like some one to day would curse at the person leaving them, and driving them mad
but yes he is talking to his lover, not dog.
but yes he is talking to his lover, not dog.
It's about a man who's crazy with The Sorrows because his PET ran away, not his partner
@CuteSparkina I totally agree, why else would it reference the ASPCA.
@CuteSparkina I totally agree, why else would it reference the ASPCA.
Odd fun.
at first, the listener thinks that he's talking to a lover (or ex-lover). but then, the mangy mutt line.
He is talking to his (ex) girlfriend, he calls her a mangy mutt, and there was so much contraversy about it at the time.
He is talking to his (ex) girlfriend, he calls her a mangy mutt, and there was so much contraversy about it at the time.
ha ha now they curse in songs and no one thinks anything about it
ha ha now they curse in songs and no one thinks anything about it
But he is just calling her a mangy mutt cuz he's upset she left
But he is just calling her a mangy mutt cuz he's upset she left
@classicsfan "mangy mutt" and "ASPCA"
@classicsfan "mangy mutt" and "ASPCA"
lol. My friend and I are gonna sing this song on Performance Day at our school....
It'll be awesome.
Wow I really think you are over-analizing this song.
He IS talking to his (ex) girlfriend he calls her mangy mutt cuz he is upset,
causing ALOT of contraversy at the time
like some one to day would curse at the person leaving them, and driving them mad
but yes he is talking to his lover, not dog.
@NadiaSvetzlana You are missing the part about "they'll throw you in the ASPCA you mangy mutt" That only happens to animals hence ASPCA, this is about an animal leaving him.
@NadiaSvetzlana You are missing the part about "they'll throw you in the ASPCA you mangy mutt" That only happens to animals hence ASPCA, this is about an animal leaving him.
@TheCoroner Not necessarily. The ASPCA could serve as a metaphor of the singer wishing some traumatic misfortune would befall the one who left him.
@TheCoroner Not necessarily. The ASPCA could serve as a metaphor of the singer wishing some traumatic misfortune would befall the one who left him.
Totally agree with blackestwhiterose. It's a great song, but don't listen too late at night.
Actually My grandmother was around when this came out and told me that he is talking about his dog laughing at him which is why he is so crazy.