Mean Mr. Mustard
Frankie Howerd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴Mean Mister Mustard sleeps in the park
Shaves in the dark trying to save paper
Sleeps in a hole in the road
Saving up to buy some clothes
Keeps a ten-bob note up his nose
Such a mean old man
Such a mean old man
His sister Pam works in a shop
She never stops, she's a go-getter
Takes him out to look at the queen
Only place that he's ever been
Always shouts out something obscene
Such a dirty old man
Dirty old man
Overall Meaning
The song "Mean Mr. Mustard" by Frankie Howerd talks about the life of a character named Mr. Mustard who sleeps in the park, shaves in the dark to save paper and sleeps in a hole in the road. He is a mean old man who saves his money to buy clothes but keeps a ten-bob note up his nose. This bizarre behavior shows the desperation and poverty he lives in. His sister Pam, however, is a hardworking go-getter who takes him out to look at the queen every now and then. The fact that the queen is the only place Mr. Mustard has ever been to emphasizes how small his world is. Nevertheless, he always shouts out something obscene, portraying his lack of manners and his impoliteness.
The lyrics of this song paint a vivid picture of a character living a miserable life. The descriptive language used helps the listener to better understand the story being told. The use of metaphors like "sleeping in the park" and "shaving in the dark" show the pitiful living conditions that Mr. Mustard has to endure. His sister Pam's character is interesting as she represents the polar opposite of Mr. Mustard, displaying a positive attitude and a willingness to work hard. The song gives great insight into the lives of these two characters, with their contrasting lifestyles and personalities.
Line by Line Meaning
Mean Mister Mustard sleeps in the park
A man named 'Mean Mister Mustard' sleeps in the park
Shaves in the dark trying to save paper
He shaves in the dark to save paper
Sleeps in a hole in the road
He sleeps in a hole in the road
Saving up to buy some clothes
He is saving his money to buy clothes
Keeps a ten-bob note up his nose
He keeps a ten-shilling note up his nose
Such a mean old man
He is a very mean old man
His sister Pam works in a shop
His sister named Pam works in a store
She never stops, she's a go-getter
She is a very ambitious person who never stops
Takes him out to look at the queen
She takes him to look at the queen
Only place that he's ever been
It is the only place he has ever been
Always shouts out something obscene
He always shouts out something vulgar or indecent
Such a dirty old man
He is a very dirty old man
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight itncG1vNJzZmirn6O2pLTIrapnm5%2BifLe1w56maH6ilrustcSYf6ivlaexcJnEmqWYhaJjrI7B0q2Yq5w%3D