Poke Chop — Tommy McClain Lyrics

Annotations and Meaning:
Tommy McClain's "Poke Chop" is redundant and repetitive. It repeatedly states how very bored he is, with similarities that refer to the action of eating poke chops. The lyrics, although deceptively simple at face value, could represent a window into the everyday existence of an individual seeking some kind of excitement or variation in what appears otherwise to be a fairly routine existence.

Boredom and Repetition: The repetition of lines such as "you're bored, bored, bored, bored" and "the same, same, same" (about the pork chops) seems to make some kind of comment on the everyday routine. The character in the song aims to defy this dull drudgery by small gestures, almost inconsequential.

Family Dynamics: At the same time, references like "my kid" tend to suggest a relation of kinship—more so to the responsibilities and daily grinds attached to the status of a parent. "For my child," the things done can have reflected sacrifices or choices such as giving up comfort or pleasure made for other family members even at the cost of not being pleased or bored.

Trying to find thrills in the everyday, whether it's the pork chops that make you "sick" or the situation is "spooky"—examples of injecting drama or trying to get thrills within events of everyday life speak to the needs that man has to feel "alive" and have an experience always—even from anything he would consider normal in their life.

Cultural Reference: The reference "bring back the 45 vinyl with the double A sticks" might refer to bringing back something from the past that probably has the smell of yesteryear in this context. This could be seen as a critique of modern life's complexity and the loss of simple pleasures.

Without the broader context, "Poke Chop" may be reduced to a slice-of-life story, wherein all the countless small details indeed express existential boredom, a search for excitement in routine, and subtleties of family life. Listeners stuck in the rut of their 9-5s may particularly appreciate this song as it holds little meaning to them otherwise, searching even for small means to be able to dig out from the routine and put a sense of purpose back into it.