Tattoos occasionally appear in the world of music, and not just as decoration on the band. Tattoos get mentioned from time to time in song lyrics. Most often the tattoo makes an appearance in the song, but sometimes the entire song is really about tattoos or tattooing.
The Who recorded a song called “Tattoo” on their 1967 album THE WHO SELL OUT. This tongue-in-cheek ballad tells the story of two brothers who decide that tattoos make “a man a man.” Words and music by Pete Townsend.
Me and my brother were talking to each other
‘Bout what makes a man a man
Was it brain or brawn or the month you were born?
We just couldn’t understand
Our old man didn’t like our appearance
He said that only women wear long hair
So me and my brother borrowed money from mother,
We knew what we had to do.
We went downstairs, past the barber and gymnasium,
And got our arms tattooed.
Welcome to my life, tattoo!
I’m a man now, thanks to you.
I expect I’ll regret you,
But the skin-graft man won’t get you,
You’ll be there when I die, tattoo!
My dad beat me, ‘cause mine said “Mother”,
But my mother naturally liked it and beat my brother,
‘Cause his tattoo was of a lady in the nude,
And my mother thought that was extremely rude.
Welcome to my life, tattoo!
I’m a man now, thanks to you.
I expect I’ll regret you,
But the skin-graft man won’t get you,
You’ll be there when I die, tattoo!
Now I’m older, I’m tattooed all over.
My wife is tattooed too.
A rooty too too, rooty tooty toot too,
Rooty toodle toodle tattoo too to you!
One of the best and funniest tattoo songs is “Tattoo Me Now” sung by the a cappella group The Bobs. They address both the classic and the postmodern tattoo scene all the while staying hysterically funny. Words and music (c) 1995 Scott/Greene/Finetti, Best of Breed Music
I'm not the prisoner of my skin
It's flexible and paper thin
I'm breaking out to let you in
Where I get pierced with a little pin
Little pricks I could hardly feel -- tiny little needles made of steel
I make a statement, hear my cry -- something I'll have past the day that I die
I was inspired by the illustrated man -- I got my first butterfly on my can
I'm running out of room I can't find a place -- I'll have to put the Last Supper on my face
Tattoo, tattoo me now tattoo ow
I can't be buried in a Jewish cemetery -- unless before I die I become very hairy
I can't get a job that means anything -- But I can always get a nipple ring
A pattern of scars filled with ink -- like vacation postcards don't you think?
Running from my ankle all the way to my breast -- is a map of my vacation in the wild wild west
Tattoo, tattoo me now tattoo ow
My body is a canvas -- a picture I control
A gallery of images -- I worship every hole
The back's an empty album -- begging for some art
Dragons, lizards, ancient gods -- only question -- where to start
If you'd really like to check out songs about tattoos, check out the Under My Skin iMix playlist I made, that is now available at the Apple music store.
