Interpretations:Violin

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• Lyrics
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• Bass Tab
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Washington/Lincoln

I like the quarters bit, since George Washington is on the quarter and the dollar. I never gave it much thought, but how can one man be of two different values in the same system? There's tons of presidents to use. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Sheep (talk • contribs) 13:33, August 12, 2004

this is kind of like what was said above but kinda more detailed

4 "quarters" that have george equal all of a george washington (a dollar)

hopefully that made some sense --klimdeeni 14:05, December 2, 2004

I always assumed the "quarters of George Washington's head" had something to do with learning fingering on the violin. I don't play the violin, but I can imagine slipping a dollar bill under the strings and using it as a guide for where to put your fingers to play the notes that are heard being played in the song. I also get the impression the whole song is based on the kind of lyrics kids make up in their heads to help them remember the song when they're practicing music. --Jackie K 05:47, August 30, 2006

Lincoln is on the penny and the 5-dollar bill, and we have 2 bills with people on them who weren't even presidents. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Iemordnilapi (talk • contribs) 11:28, September 16, 2009

Randomness

Linnell's love of randomness and word play which he gets from his love of beatles music one would guess, gets its first outing for the under tens. Play this to a child and watch the shock that hits them as the songs goes from violins to hippos to mops to dust and then to presidents heads. The lack of logic hits them like an electric shock. A great song, that is a post modern descendent of Paul McCartney's "all together now" on the Yellow Submarine soundtrack. --(mr Tuck) 15:00, January 31, 2006

Interpretation 3

This song is clearly about post modern Evangelical Christianity and how the effects of over population and poaching touches everyone of us.

The cleaning products and the specks of dust represent the days of old and how they are gathering dust. And so things like George Washington and his head are forgotten to newer things.Or shinier things, like money.

When the song starts to lightly chant hippo, this is about a man going out on a safari to find the elusive lardy to maybe kill it and sell it for the money he needs.

The violin represents the expense that today's people look forward to. Let's face it, musical instruments are pretty expensive, and with things like that, sometimes you have to beg and steal to get them.

Now, sooner or later, Mr. pat robertson will listen to this and think, "How true!" Surely he'll understand the preceding and he'll make TMBG a bunch of saints or something.

Or, you just completely wasted time reading the most nonsensical interpretation of a song that is even more nonsensical.

Way to go, you bum. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 63.23.172.164 (talk) 01:06, March 9, 2006

Revolution 9

A "Revolution 9" for the under-nine set. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.127.182.217 (talk) 02:05, March 23, 2007

Interpretation 5

This song is actually very easy to describe interpretively: Violin, Hippo, Mop, Quarters of George Washington's head, Speck of dust. --Salioshy 21:30, June 18, 2008

Parody of classical music

I think what is being attempted here is a gentle parody of classical music and opera. To a child, this kind of music might seem hopelessly stuffy and formal, definitely the domain of adults and inaccessible to kids. Opera is particularly baffling, because so much of it is in foreign languages and just sounds like incomprehensible gibberish/nonsense. Notice how many kids cartoons over the years from "Tom & Jerry" to "Animaniacs" and well beyond have parodied the snooty formality of classical concerts and operas. "Violin," with its classical-sounding background music and faux-operatic vocals, is a gentle spoof of this kind of "grown-up" music. --JOE BLEVINS 15:19, August 23, 2008

Violin fingering/counting drills

This reminds me of violin fingering/counting drills. They're generally made up of repetitive progressions of the same pattern and are completely intolerable unless one makes up words to go along with each drill. Obviously the violin/speck of dust refrain is just two eighth notes and three staccato quarter notes while moving up a scale. Each of the other verses can also be identified as rudimentary fingering and counting drills. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.252.30.247 (talk) 21:58, May 5, 2009