Three Sheets to Kishkiyya · Track 31 · middle
Visit the Head
VOLUME II — the sudden, urgent pilgrimage to the BATHROOM. The idiom and the song's title hook: "Visit the Head". Its true history: Maritime English, 18th c. on — ship toilets sat at the 'head' (the bow), often overhanging the water. Render this beat of the night as the band's affectionate, funny, celebratory tribute — the idiom itself is the chorus hook.
Lyrics
[Intro] [Verse 1] The neon sign is pitching like a mast in a squall And the floorboards tilt from the booth to the hall She puts a hand on the table, steadying her step Takes a slow second, bites her lower lip It’s a long dark ocean across that crowded room Through the smoky haze and the bass-drum tune [Chorus] Time to visit the head, the old sailors said Back in the 1700s, stepping to the edge You’d hang right over the rushing green sea Right by the figurehead, bracing your knee Now it’s just a wooden door with a broken little latch But the journey's just as wild, and the waves still crash [Verse 2] She navigates the shoals of the billiards crowd Pardon me, brother, the music’s too loud Holding to the brass rail of the mahogany bar Every weary shuffle feels a little too hard Just a pilgrim walking to the bow of the boat Praying to the ceiling she can keep up her hope [Bridge] Yeah, the old fleet let the ocean wash it all away Riding on the beakhead in the salt and the spray She ain't got the wind, just a flickering bulb instead But the mission is the same, so she watches her steps [Chorus] Gotta visit the head, the old sailors said Back in the 1700s, stepping to the edge You’d hang right over the rushing green sea Right by the figurehead, bracing your knee Now it’s just a wooden door with a broken little latch But the journey's just as wild, and the waves still crash [Outro] She made it to the porcelain, safe from the storm Drop the anchor down, let the harbor keep you warm Just don't look down at the... linoleum floor Close the heavy door Visit the head Yeah, rest your spinning head.