Rock and roll Ken doll,
He's a national end-all,
He's an on and off friend of mine ...
Got any what?
Who have I seen?
I spy a May queen.
You were miles above me,
Girls in your arms.
The changing of her majesty's guard is truly amazing.
Disease, hashish, a mind,
Do I have any what?
Got any what?
Who have I seen?
I spy a May queen.
You were miles above me,
Girls in your arms.
You could have planted a farm
With all of them hay-seeds....
I think this is fairly clearly about her infatuation with a guy, probably Nash Kato, who is out of her league, and nominally/ostensibly her friend (maybe almost a "frienemy"), but effectively aloof. "May Queen" refers to someone who is semi-exalted, kind of like homecoming queen. She is not saying he's gay, maybe instead that he's a shallow/vapid dandy/pretty-boy, "a rock and roll Ken doll". They see each other, and he is always surrounded by an always-different set ("the changing of Her Majesty's guard") of very good-looking but also-vapid women--"all of them hayseeds", which I take as a somewhat less demeaning alternative to 'bimbos'. So he is above her, in the sense of out of her league. But he sees her and asks her (maybe a formulaic set of the always-same) basic questions, either to genuinely hit her up for drugs ("Got any what?"), or else to make a joke of their standard banter, or maybe to tease her about her dope smoking. To me, a great little song, fairly simple, but with nice imagery and good music, maybe about the third- or fourth-best song on Exile in Guyville (which says a lot!).
This makes a lot of sense. I love these lyrics and you really solidify a lot of my observations, particularly in the chorus of questions. *"May Queen" is actually on Whip-Smart, definitely a stand-out song I agree!
This makes a lot of sense. I love these lyrics and you really solidify a lot of my observations, particularly in the chorus of questions. *"May Queen" is actually on Whip-Smart, definitely a stand-out song I agree!
I really want to know what this song means. I can think of a lot of different things. I know in the old days the may pole was kind of a fertility orgy thing but that's just a guess.
i think this is about facing reality
someone finally told me what this was about. liz liked a guy for a really long time. she didn't see him for a while, then saw him at a party. he is surrounded by girls, she begins to wonder what she ever saw in him. he is the may queen, a show-off.
"Where have I been? Got any what? Who have I seen?"
these lines are like their conversation
"You were miles above me, Girls in your arms. The changing of her majesty's guard is truly amazing."
this talks about how he's surrounded by so many girls, the changing of her majesty's guard symbolizes his ever changing girlfriends/partners.
The other interpretations are probably better than mine, but this song is pretty funny to me. I always viewed it as about a guy that would never go for her for some reason. yet, whenever she sees him, he is surrounded by beautiful girls. It seems like he goes through an endless circle of lovers. Then Liz says he's a "May Queen"! I always viewed this as the guy being gay. I know that's not really it, but it makes the song more interesting. Haha!
Wonderfully interesting and unconventional song structure for a pop track, and wildy expressive and creative lyrics. This album is really under-rated, if you ask me.