Interpretations:Stand On Your Own Head

This song is sung through the point of view of an animal, whoe skin is used to make rugs. He asks us humans, "Why dont you stand on your own head for a change? Why dont you make a rug of your own skin? My skin is mine, not yours to use to make crap like rugs."- Gerwin

I think this song is about self actualization. Your mind is very powerful; rigidity doesn't suit it. You can think creatively. Stand up firmly, confident in the working power of your mind. It's a moving part, not a static part. People aren't standing up, they're obsessed with making furniture (rigid mental constructs) to hold them up. Find yourself, rather than clinging to my ideas, relying on their strength, being in my skin. Clinging to a rigid carbon copy of an idea for meaning isn't as good as relying on the power of your own mind to think through life; it will bring stagnancy, pain, sickness, pathology, both personally and socially. Stand confident in your power to think, to adapt. Stand on your OWN head, not mine. - rmlrml

Like many of their songs, they take stock cliches and turn them on their (own) heads.

I believe this song is about language; how many people use cliches, idioms, etc. without really thinking about what they mean. I believe they mix up the sayings (You made my day / now you have to sleep in it) to point out how silly they really are. - unassuming

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A list of protest songs from wikipedia listed They Might Be Giants "Stand on your own head" as a protest song referring to governments and imperialism.. . If a TMBW editor did that, would they like to explain themselves? There are also plenty of other TMBG songs on interesting places. [1]

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