Veruca Salt - Forsythia Meaning

Tagged: No tags, suggest one.

Forsythia Lyrics

Writer:Nina Gordon, Album:American Thighs

Yellow baby, a yellow baby is a bad sign.
But I don't mind, I don't mind.
Ohhh, Forsythia.

Spider monkey, a spider monkey is a good lie.
But I don't know why.
Ohhh, Forsythia, oh-ohhh.

I...

Write your interpretation

Notify me of new interps

PositronDecay
1

2

3

4

5

click a star to vote
Dec 15th 2018 !⃝
"a yellow baby is a bad sign"(ln.1)
Jaundice is a liver condition common in infants which turns the skin and eye-whites yellow. (bibliography entry 1) Parents who's children suffer from jaundice are encouraged to breastfeed and care for them frequently.

The child is named after the bright-yellow flower forsythia, which highlight's her identity as sickly. Line 12 contrasts Forsythia with the other yellow flowers, the other, healthy children the narrator sees. Notably, the only meaning of forsythia in Victorian flower language is anticipation, on account of the fact that it blooms in early spring before the plant regrows its leaves (bibliography entry 2). This may point to the mother's hopes for her daughter to grow into a joyful, beautiful young woman.

"Against her yellow, I'm no longer me." (ln. 15-16)
Although she "doesn't mind" (ln. 2) caring for her daughter, the narrator feels the amount of effort involved limits her ability to express herself.

I couldn't find any connection between this song and "a spider monkey is a good lie" (ln. 4) signifies, but I'm really curious. My best guess would be that the mother explains her overwhelmed life to the people in her life by saying Forsythia is a rambunctious kid. Please let me know if you have any ideas or find anything on what this might mean!

Bibliography:

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/jaundice.html

https://www.auntyflo.com/flower-dictionary/forsythia

More Veruca Salt songs »

Submit Your Interpretation

Veruca Salt Songs

Just Posted

I'll Be	anonymous
Carry Me, Carrie	anonymous
Bohemian Rhapsody	anonymous
Prophecy	anonymous
When The Music's Over	anonymous
Jumpin' Jack Flash	anonymous
Otherside	anonymous
My Name is Allen	anonymous
Snowblind	anonymous
Bungle in the Jungle	anonymous
Morning Has Broken	anonymous
Cactus Practice	anonymous
Tangled Up In Blue	anonymous
You Got Lucky	anonymous
Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You	anonymous