Saturday 15 November 2008

Tim Minchin Taboo lyrics and video



Here's the lyrics:

In this modern free spoken society,
There is a word that we still hold taboo.
A word with a terrible history,
Of being used to abuse, oppress and subdue.

Just six seemingly harmless letters,
Arranged in this way will form a word.
With more power than the pieces of metal,
That are forged to make swords.

A couple of Gs an R and an E, an I and an N,
Just six little letters all jumbled together,
Have caused damage that we may never mend.

And it's important that we all respect,
That if these people should happen to choose,
To reclaim the word as their own,
It doesn't mean the rest of you have a right to its use.

So never underestimate,
The power that language imparts.
Sticks and stones may break your bones,
But words can break hearts.

A couple of Gs-Gs, unless you've had to live it.
An R and an E, even I am careful with it.
An I and an N in the end it will only offend,
Don't want to have to spell it out again.

Only a ginger, can call another ginger Ginger.
Only a ginger, can call another ginger Ginger.

So listen to me if you care for your health,
You don't call me ginger 'less you're ginger yourself, yeah.

Only a ginger, can call another ginger Ginger, yep.

When you are a ginger live is pretty hard,
The years of ritual bullying in the school yard.
And kids calling you Ranger and Fanta Pants,
No invitation to the High School dance.

But you get up, and learn to hold your head up,
You try to keep your cool and not get het up.
But until the feeling of ill has truly let up,
Then the word is ours and ours alone.

Don't you know that,
Only a ginger, can call another ginger Ginger.

So if you call me Ginge I just might come unhinged,
If you don't have a fringe with at least a tinge of the ginge in it.

Only a ginger, can call another ginger Ginger, yeah yeah.

Now listen to me we're not looking for sympathy,
Just because we're sensitive to U.V.
Just cuz we're pathetically pale,
We do alright with the females.

Yeah, I like to ask the ladies round for ginger beer,
And soon they're running their fingers through my ginger beard.
And dunking my ginger nuts into their ginger tea yeah,
And asking can they call me ginge?

And I say I don't think that's appropriate.

Cuz only a ginger, can call another ginger Ginger, yeah.

And all the ladies they agree it's a fact,
That once you gone ginge you can't go back.

So only a ginger, can call another ginger Ginger.
Yeah go ginge, go mother fucker go.

You can call us Bozo or Firetruck,
You can even call us, Carrot Top or Blood Nut.
You can call me Matchstick or Tampon,
But fucking with the G word is just not on.

If you're a gingerphobe and you don't like us,
We'll stand up to the fight if you wanna fight us.
But if you cut yourself you might catch gingervitis,
So maybe you should shut your fucking mouth.

Yeah, only a ginger, can call another ginger Ginger, yeah yeah.

So if you call us Ginge you can't winge if you're injured,
If you don't have a tinge of the ginge in your minge.

Only a ginger, can call another ginger Ginger, yeah.

And I know my kids will always be clothed and fed,
Cuz Pappa's gonna be bringing home the ginger bread.
And they'll be pretty smart because they'll be well read,
And by read I mean read and the other kind of red, woo!

Only a ginger, can call another ginger Ginger.
Just like only a ninja, can sneak up on another ninga, yeah.

Only a ginger, only a ginger, only a ginger,
Are you listeninger? I'm not pointing the finger,
I'm just having a singer. I am just reminding ya,
That only a ginger can call another ginger Ginger.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

AWESOME song!! seriously, great comedian and a fabulous song...

xxx

Anonymous said...

Sorry to point it out, but it's "the power that language imparts" [hence rhyming with hearts] - it's just that such comic genius needs to be correctly appreciated :)

Keiron said...

No, thanks for mentioning it! That was the one part of the song I couldn't quite hear.

Jed said...

Tim Minchin is far too under appreciated. He's doing a massive '09 tour of the UK for his Ready For This...? album.. and i strongly urge everyone to youtube as many of his songs as possible... and then go to the official website and buy his Darkside and So F**king Rock albums. A must for any musical comedy lover. :)

Dominic said...

The 90s art/indie band Dave Devant & his spirit wife used to have a song called Ginger - the upshot of which was a chorus that went "I want to be Ginger and free"

Apparently his point was that as redheads get crap off people, they build up an armour that better equips them to deal with the rest of life's crap...a nice way of looking at it - mind you they did grate carrot's over a bloke's head during the song...haha

Anonymous said...

Tim Minchin is an amazing comedian!
This song is just BRILLIANT! :D
Love it to pieces :L
Im brunette but i know what this dude is talking about :) Xxx

Anonymous said...

It seems so many people miss the main point of this song that language is just simply language. Ie it is forbidden in society for a white person to use the n word but it seems acceptable for a black person to use without causing offence. Genius.