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Interpretations:Nothing's Gonna Change My Clothes

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If people were a snowman with protective rubber skin, they would be able to retain their form even after They melted. However, water takes up less space than snow. therefore, an upright snowman's head would cave in as gravity draws the water down. Dominos bring up the connectivity of all things. The second verse is clearly a descrpition of the human form. Our skin, and other outward physical characteristics are our 'clothes,' just as the snowman wears the garb of the protective rubber skin.

Chorus: We can't change our skin, so nothing's gonna change our clothes. When you never change your clothes, they don't smell very good, (like a rose); thus: 'no one's coming up for air.'

This is my favourite TMBG song. The snowman from the first album represents the snowman in this song, as far as I can tell, since there is no other snowman referenced in the lyrics. I take the snowman to be the emblem of the album, and so this song becomes the centerpiece for what the album is about, ending the first half right in the middle.

Essentially, it is a rumination on skin and what lies beneath. The human body is 70% water: This is an interesting thought - perhaps one which led to amazement that this water could take form, be contained within itself, and move around and do other things. This is analagous to a snowman contained within a rubber skin. The song ends with a defiant determination that the singer refuses to change, can't change, and accepts his 'clothing' (skin) as it is. He's happy for the other people, but he will not sacrifice himself if other people choke to death on his body odor (or personality). Ever Anymore. --Pandastan 17:46, 16 Jan 2006 (EST)

If I had to guess this is about how we cant choose our skin color. We are born the way we are and cant change that. All the people are so happy now, their heads are caving in.(This I'll agree with a previous poster about, is ignorance.) I'm glad they are a snowman with protective rubber skin. (it's saying we're all the same on the inside, and this also covers that we are cold and cruel) But every little thing's a domino that falls on different dots, and crashes into everything, that tries to make it stop. (Our Skin color is random it's like the roll of the dice in a sense. And nothing we do can stop how we're born. I mean look at Michael Jackson;) There's a long obvious part describing the make up of all humans. A skeleton, covered in a coat(skin), a furry hat(our hair), an elastic mask(face), and pair of shiney marble dice. (eyes.) Some people call them snake eyes, but to me they look like mice. (This is talking about how people commit crimes and acts of hate with snake eyes, eyes that carry hatred, but really they're mice eyes, they're just afraid in the end.) Nothing's smelling like a rose, (I dont really know) But I dont care if noone's coming up for air(It's saying noone stops and to breath and think about how stupid their being.) cause I know nothing's gonna change my clothes, ever anymore.(it's not like we can pick or change our skin.) -chapmanbobby

I think this is a mockery of trendy New Age "spirituality", and more specifically, the Beatles song "Across the Universe". The people are so happy because they discovered New Age philosophy. As a consequence their brains are melting away. As the water trickles out, their heads cave in and words come dribbling out their mouths. The singer isn't going to go in for the aromatherapy ("smellin' like a rose") and he doesn't care that he doesn't fit in with the trend. He doesn't care if no one else will step back from the fad and look at it critically ("coming up for air"). Instead of having some kind of warm, fuzzy feeling about himself, with some sort of metaphysical notion about his body being some great thing, he sees it as it is, just flesh.

The people are all one snowman in proper New Age fashion. The part about dominoes refers to the idea that we are all interconnected, and points out that rather than making life one big family, it just causes everyone's failures to compound into one big mess. HearingAid

The part about heads caving in was confusing to me, since when They are talking about heads it is almost always synechdoche for the entire human being. However, the people described are snow-men, so their heads are fair game for some different interpretations. The first thing that came to my mind was shrunken heads or flattening of babies' heads in some Western American Indian tribes. The purposes of the two are different, the latter intended to beautify and the former intended (in most cases) to neaturalize vengeful spirits, but seem to fit into the song equally. "All the people are so happy now, their heads are cavin' in." The similarity between the two is that they are old and no longer in practice - a good way to start the song considering its message. The following lyrics distinguish heads caving in as specifically the beautification ritual of Indian tribes: "But every little thing's a domino that falls on different dots (yo) / And crashes into everything that tries to make it stop (oooo)," and also why they're just snow-men.

In comes Westward expanding young (little) America. An important thing to notice is the time reference. America is crashing into everything that tries to make it stop, and dominos are landing on different dots (they don't match up). Since dominos have two sides, they can represent the two dominant parties at the time, Whig and Democratic, which were alternating during this time frame. You could describe America as the unstoppable force (crashing) and Mexico as the immovable object, as historians do. James K. Polk was president and creating a new trend and newer, bigger, snowless America.

Then a pioneer is looking at himself in the mirror and sees his skeleton ("I'm human"). It's covered with these new clothes and new rougher, better skin. So far nothing is really human about him, it's all articifial, as in his rubber masks, fur hats, and all of that. Eyes typically symbolize the soul, or something that is always truly honest even when the person is lying. He's rugged, dangerous, powerful, and independent, he's a snake. Inside, he's a mouse. In the larger picture the snake-mouse thing also applies. Snake eyes would represent unity on the two sides which was really the case - nearly every American should have been in favor of Westward expansion. They are too different however, and the tie of superficiality on the marble dice and dominos doesn't hold on into the real eyes.

Roses in literature hold identity always (they always smell the same at least). To me, it seems they are devices used in symbolism but I havn't seem them used as symbols themselves, except by Gertrude Stein when she said "A rose is a rose is a rose." Since "nothing's smellin' like a rose," you can say the West is untamed and without identity, waiting for someone to make one for it. The frontiersman lost his and created a new one above the surface, West of the Appalachians. All the others are staying below and holding their breath until they drown, though they're hoping they'll grow gills.

In short, the song is probably about drastic changes. Head-crushing Indians turns into Cowboys, Whigs alternate with Democrats in the presidency, snake changes to mouse, and rose changes into its complete opposite: not-rose. sheep

To me, this song is about individuality and being proud to be different. The first line "The people are so happy now, their heads are caving in", can be seen as a paraphrase of "ignorance is bliss". things cave in cos they're empty, therefore the people are happy in their stupidity and ignorance.

"I'm glad they are a snowman with protective rubber skin" - The people are cold and hostile and their coldness won't go away (cos it's protected) (I'm not sure why he'd be glad about this though, maybe he likes freaking people out with his individuality).

"But every little thing's a domino..." - Little comments people make build up.

"The mirror it reflects..." - This is describing a person, basicly saying I may be different, but all people are the same when it comes down to it.

"Nothing's smelling like a rose" - nothing's perfect, or even good, in life

"But I don't care if noone's coming up for air" - from abusing/berrating me

"But I know nothing's gonna change my clothes..." - Stating his individuality, he knows who he is and what he likes to wear/be like, and he's not going to change himself just to please other people.

kristofski

Edit: I just thoguht of something else in this, the line "some people call them snake eyes but some people call them mice". Snakes are seen as suspicious and evil, while mice are sweet and innocent and nice. He's obviously saying that some people think he's someone to be wary of, and even condemned, but in his opinion he'snot at all.

As is the nature of song interpretation, particularly in the case of They Might Be Giants, my understanding of this song is completely different than the ones above. You may have seen my analyses elsewhere on this site, and you know that I'm a big believer in "literal" Linnell - meaning, I find that he isn't one for cryptic lyrics, but rather is very direct. While this is certainly one of his more roundabout lyrical efforts, the plain meaning of the song is still there. I find it to be about mortality and being a corpse. "All the people are so happy now, their heads are caving in" - the people of the world die a little more every day, and it doesn't phase people as you might think when considering that thought. A "snowman with protective rubber skin" seems to reflect how, while we may show few outward signs, our essential inner functions gradually melt away with time. The "domino" reference to me is saying that we can't halt our march to the grave (crashes into everything that tries to make it stop). The second verse's description of the human form tries to illustrate the silliness of its design (dancing skeleton, fleshy overcoat, furry hat, elastic mask, shiny marble dice). And the chorus, to me, couldn't be a more plain, obvious reference to being in a coffin six feet under. Consider: "Nothing's smelling like a rose" - anybody hung around a morgue lately? "No one's coming up for air" - this is the very quintessence of being buried. "Nothing's gonna change my clothes ever anymore" - you better hope your loved ones have good taste, because whatever duds they truss you in for your funeral are with you to the end of time. And all of this keeps with Linnell's mode of lyric writing - deliciously dour. - Charlie

I myself think the song is more literal than people seem to take it by. I think it's about a man who kills off his fellow divers by giving them drugs. "All the people are so happy now, their heads are cavin' in" suggests the people are happy, and heads are caving in. They're happy and not minding the water pressure crushing their skulls for they're on drugs. They are "snowmen with protective rubber skins", which is flesh surrounded by a wet suit. The rest of the lyrics suppose that the man has killed them by the drugs, and thinks of how he is gambling with fate, he might be caught. But, as long as no one is coming up for air, he's okay with it. When they're dead, they won't make him either do a menial task he always does for work, or maybe he never wants to dive and have to change clothes.- sangokyu

The rejecting of the new and sticking with tradition. The heads caving in, represent the the singer's pooint of view about society, about the lunacy of conforming to new ideals, ie fashion.- jaybob1222]



Its about nuclear war, heads caving in, etc., a very old but possibly true interp . . .

how about this: 

  All the people are so happy now: their heads are cavin' in

people are unhappy 

  I'm glad they are a snowman with protective rubber skin

fortunatley while they are fragile they've developed a protective coating 

  But every little thing's a domino that falls on different dots

however all the evidence accumulates 

  And crashes into everything that tries to make it stop

and destroy anything that gets in the way 

  And the mirror, it reflects a tiny dancin' skeleton

and the evidence shows at the core people are fragile 

  Surrounded by a fleshy overcoat and swaddled in

but around the core they have substance to protect the frailties 

  A furry hat, elastic mask, a pair of shiny marble dice

and the substance is hidden by being wierd ideas 

  Some people call them snake eyes but to me they look like mice

some of the ideas look threatening, but they are really made from fear 

  And nothing's smellin' like a rose

nothing good is going to come from this 

  But I don't care if no one's coming up for air

and i don't care that we are all suffering/dieing 

  'Cause I know nothing's gonna change my clothes ever anymore

Because i'm not changeing my mind, and looking at the truth

Breif summary: Before I start, Snowman w/ protective rubber skin (or however they put it) means that most people are cold. Cold as in mean. I dunno. The narrator doesn't want to change according to the fads and stuff. Basic. It's stating fads are weird, bizarre, and sometimes stupid, and to be who you are. =) --Lemita 15:15, 15 May 2006 (CDT)

I think this song is about drowning, perhaps in the Bearing Sea. The rubber skin would be waterproof parkas that crab fishermen wear, they are snowmen because the water in the bearing sea is so cold that it freezes your body. Heads caving in would be a better death than hypothermia, because it would be instant. Nobody is coming up for air, because they drowned. Nothing is going to change the narrator's clothes again because nobody will ever find his body again. The dominoes reference is probably about the waves, crashing into each other.--tehbagel ( o ) 13:37, 3 Jun 2006 (CDT)

Much of the song is a description of human anatomy or appearance, as seen by someone for whom it's quite strange: "a furry hat, elastic mask, a pair of shiny marble dice" is a description of human hair, face, and eyes. "A dancing skeleton surrounded by a fleshy overcoat" is simply the human body.

What we have here is a description of human beings as soft, mutable, and amorphous beigs dressed up in an absurdly fixed appearance. Why do people look the way they do? The human appearance is seen as quite arbitrary.

Actually, it's just a song about Hell; hence the screaming at the end.

You guys want an interpretation? When I was a teenager, my dad made me turn this song off the stereo because he didn't want to listen to "some song about rubbers." Yep. That's one interpretation, I guess! --Kris Wright 06:05, 7 June 2007 (UTC)

To me, this song sounds like it's being sung about the results of a nuclear war.

All the people are so happy now, their heads are cavin' in / I'm glad they are a snowman with protective rubber skin

Here, I picture people's heads caving in (obviously), along with skin melting off to expose their skulls--they're not really "happy", they just look like they're smiling because that's what skulls look like. As for the snowman/rubber skin thing--Here I picture people wearing white hazmat suits. The irony is that despite their protective rubber skin, they are still going to melt (like a snowman). It's also suggesting that the "problem" has been solved--At last the people are happy, now that we have bombed them!

But every little thing's a domino that falls on different dots / And crashes into everything that tries to make it stop

What jumps out here for me is the mention of a domino; the "domino effect" or "domino theory" is (was) a term used to describe the spread of Communism, a major issue during the Cold War--the domino theory was used as a justification for American "intervention" around the world. Anyway, the song is saying that "every little thing" is a domino, and it "crashes into everything that tries to make it stop"--perhaps meaning that any little thing can lead to war and opposition, which ultimately leads to destruction. The "different dots" perhaps refers to cities on a map, or a view of people from above.

And the mirror, it reflects a tiny dancin' skeleton / Surrounded by a fleshy overcoat and swaddled in / A furry hat, elastic mask, a pair of shiny marble dice / Some people call them snake eyes but to me they look like mice

Now, this part I haven't completely managed to apply to my image of the song. I'm not sure why a mirror is mentioned. In my head, it makes me think of a reflective mirage on the ground, from the light of an explosion. The tiny dancin' ("Tiny Dancer"!) skeleton is just that; somebody "dancing" around in pain as they are reduced to a skeleton--the rest seems like a description of a person wearing an old-fashioned gas mask. The furry hat could be their hair, or just an actual furry hat (Russian stereotype). I also like the interpretion the guy/gal above me made, saying "a' furry hat, elastic mask, a pair of shiny marble dice' is a description of human hair, face, and eyes."

Some people call them snake eyes--Snake eyes (as you probably know) is when you get two 1's on a pair of dice. So, this makes me think of a person with their eyes wide, in shock, with tiny pupils.

but to me they look like mice--Here is, along with the word mask, what makes me think of a gas mask; some gas masks have a somewhat rodent-like appearance, with big round eyes almost on the sides, and a snout. The bear even more resemblance to a rodent's actual skull.

And nothing's smellin' like a rose / But I don't care if no one's coming up for air

Here we go back a little ways in history, from nuclear weapons to chemical warfare, just because the mention of smell makes me think of Hydrogen cyanide (used as a chemical warfare agent, particularly by the Nazis), which is noted for it's scent--vaguely almond-like. That interpretation is probably quite a stretch, but it's what came to mind for me the first time around. It could also just refer to the smells of burnt things and death. In any case, I don't care, because in the next line "no one's coming up for air"--this might refer to people in bomb shelters who aren't planning on coming out, or just refer to people who have died and will no longer be breathing.

Cause I know nothing's gonna change my clothes ever anymore

One of the first things that came to mind for me on this line, after I had considered my interpretations of the preceding lines, was the famous photograph of the Hiroshima victim with the pattern of her clothing seared into her skin by the heat of the atomic bombing [1].

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Someone screaming as they die...

That's my interpretation of it!

If your skin is your clothes, when you are a skeleton (dead) you will be naked. A Christian expects to receive a fresh change of such clothes at the Resurrection. If you disbelieve in Christ, then you will agree with the assertion of the song's title. The line about the domino is a poetic description of the inexorableness of the laws of nature -- a rejection of miracles, resurrections ('no one's coming up for air'), and the hope of divine intervention. --Nehushtan 23:18, 18 June 2008 (UTC)

I believe that this is one of their songs that doesn't have much of a deep meaning but just plays with the surreal and often eerie images the Johns are so willing to dish out. It's a fairly literal horror movie playing out in front of the narrator. But maybe it's just me.

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