Harry Nilsson is the prime example of creative and raw musical talent. During his time, Nilsson garnered a reputation for himself. Despite avoiding public appearances, live shows, and extensive shows, he created a name for himself and a massive fan following.
With several hits, his talent for music was known amongst his peers just as well as it was amongst fans.
The one thing that made Nilsson stand out was that he was untouched by fame. He did not partake in the glamorous life.
Instead, he believed in improving his mind, his talents, and the music he created. And when you look at his work, one cannot deny he did attain what he wanted.
Nilsson is known to create witty and catchy songs. During his career, Nilsson loved experimenting with music and switching his style.
He caught the eye of many big-name bands and people, the most notable being the Beatles and John Lennon.
What does the title mean?
Before we dive into Put The Lime In The Coconut lyrics meaning and discuss it, there’s something to know about the song.
Well, to be honest, the song is actually supposed to be funny and nonsensical. From the get-go, the song has an upbeat tone to it and music.
Part of the Nilsson Schmilsson album, this song was destined to put a smile on anybody’s face. It is a mix of wit and music.
The song, in itself, has a funny story. In a nutshell, Put The Lime In The Coconut lyrics meaning talks about a girl who got a case of bad belly ache. When she asks the doctor to help her relieve it, the doctor asked her to have coconut and lime, which is a Jamaican home remedy for bellyache.
And here’s the funny bit, the girl had mixed lime and alcohol in a coconut! That is how she got a bellyache.
What does the pre-chorus mean?
Brudder bought a coconut, he bought it for a dime
His sister had anudder one, she paid it for de lime
She put de lime in de coconut, she drank ’em bot’ up
She put de lime in de coconut, she drank ’em bot’ up
She put de lime in de coconut, she drank ’em bot’ up
She put de lime in de coconut, she called de doctor, woke ‘im up”
The song starts with a pre-chorus, and it is quite comical. You hear the singer talk about a brother and a sister. Both of them make use of a dime to purchase a coconut.
Then the singer insinuates that the sister had a belly ache from drinking too much lime and coconut. Allegedly, it is known to mean that she had mixed rum with lime and coconut.
The verse ends with the girl calling the doctor, who had been sleeping, to get help for the bellyache.
But this is all done in the night and not the morning. Meaning, she woke up in the middle of the night, felt sick, and called the doctor to get help.
What does the chorus mean?
“And said “Doctor, ain’t there nothin’ I can take?”
I said “Doctor, to relieve this bellyache?”
I said “Doctor, ain’t there nothin’ I can take?”
I said “Doctor, to relieve this bellyache?”
The chorus is all about the girl calling the doctor asking for help and remedies for a belly ache. Ironically, as we progress through our discussion of put the lime in the coconut lyrics meaning, it will unfold a funny journey of bickering between the doctor and the girl.
Clearly, she is distressed, she continues to ask if she can have something for the bellyache. Then restructures the question to ask if there’s something the doctor can give her to improve her bellyache.
Verse 1 – What does it mean?
“Now, lemme get this straight
You put de lime in de coconut, you drank ’em bot’ up
Put de lime in de coconut, you drank ’em bot’ up
Put de lime in de coconut, you drank ’em bot’ up
Put de lime in de coconut, you called your doctor, woke ‘im up”
The second verse actually sees the doctor talk to the girl about the bellyache. The doctor is seen trying to understand how come she has a bellyache.
The doctor asks about what she had, and questions if it was lime and coconut she had, reconfirming.
Because to him, lime and coconut does not sound like a problem but a remedy, which we will get into in the following verses.
Verse 2 – What does it mean?
“You put de lime in de coconut, you drink ’em bot’ togedder
Put de lime in de coconut, then you feel better
Put de lime in de coconut, drink ’em bot’ up
Put de lime in de coconut and call me in the morning”
Well, this verse pretty much goes like the previous verse. The song does not particularly have a complex meaning to it. And it becomes the most evident in this verse.
The verse is easy-going and suggests that the doctor is trying to understand the source of the bellyache.
Considering the fact that lime and coconut is a Jamaican home remedy for bellyache, the doctor is telling her to drink lime and coconut to relieve the bellyache. The doctor tells her she will feel better.
If you hear and read the lyrics carefully, you will see that the doctor has a Jamaican accent.
What does the bridge mean?
“Whoo-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-oooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Whoo-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-oooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-oooh
Whoo-ooh-ooh, a-hoo, a-hoo, a-hoo, a-hoo, a-hoo, a-hoo, a-hoo”
To understand the put the lime in the coconut lyrics meaning, the bridge plays no significance. Simply put, it is just the singer enjoying and singing along. These words don’t add meaning to the song.
But they add the essence and a quality that makes you want to tap away to the song.
Verse 3 – What does it mean?
“You put de lime in the coconut, you drink ’em bot’ up
Put de lime in the coconut, you drink ’em bot’ up
Put a lime in the coconut, you drink ’em bot’ up
Put de lime in the coconut, you’re such a silly woman”
The meaning hasn’t changed in this verse either. Except as we progress through the song, it simply adds a few nuggets of information, thereby making put the lime in the coconut lyrics meaning easy to understand.
In this verse, you only hear the doctor call the girl a “silly woman.” This means that the doctor cannot comprehend why the girl can’t understand the remedy.
All the while, he does not understand that the girl is confused. She had had lime and coconut, that is what put her in this place in the first place.
Verse 4 – What does it mean?
” Put de lime in the coconut, you’re such a silly woman
Put a lime in the coconut and drink ’em bot’ togedder
Put de lime in the coconut, then you feel better
Put de lime in the coconut, drink ’em bot’ down
Put de lime in your coconut, and call me in the morning”
Towards the end of the song, you see that the song skips on the pre-chorus and chorus this time. The verse seems to repeat the same thing. But if you hear it carefully, you will hear the doctor advise the girl to put a lime in the coconut and drink them both up.
Listening to the music and tonality of the words is important to grasp put the lime in the coconut lyrics meaning.
Then, she asks the girl to take some rest and call the doctor the next morning.
Verse 5 – What does it mean?
“Whoo-hoo, ain’t there nothin’ you can take?
I say “Whoo-hoo-ooh to relieve your bellyache?”
You say “Well whoo-hoo-ooh, ain’t there nothin’ I can take?”
I say “Whoo-hoo-ooh, to relieve your bellyache?”
You say “Yaa-ahh, ain’t there nothin’ I can take?”
I say “Yaa-ahh, to relieve this bellyache?”
Funnily enough, the girl does not understand that the doctor is advising her to have lime in coconut sans the alcohol. This is what makes the song funny.
You see a friendly exchange of jibber-jabber, and you can see a clear confusion between the two.
Verse 6 – What does it mean?
“I said “Doctor, ain’t there nothing I can take?”
I said “Doctor, ain’t there nothing I can take?”
I said “Doctor, ain’t there nothing I can take?”
I said “Doctor, you’re such a silly woman”
The singer switches to the girl who is experiencing bellyache. She calls the doctor a “silly woman” for not understanding her ordeal.
This shows that the girl is mad at the doctor. She is resorting to becoming aggressive. Hearing the song helps you understand the put the lime in the coconut lyrics meaning better.
Verse 7 – What does it mean?
“Put de lime in the coconut and drink ’em bot’ togedder
Put de lime in the coconut, and you feel better
Put de lime in the coconut, drink ’em bot’ up
Put de lime in the coconut and call me in the morning”
The doctor repeats the remedy. This shows that the doctor is hoping that the girl will understand what she needs to do.
Verse 8 – What does it mean?
“Yes, you call me in the morning
You call me in the morning, I’ll tell you what to do
If you call me in the morning, I’ll tell you what to do
If you call me in the morning, I’ll tell you what to do
If you call me in the morning, I’ll tell you what to do
Well, if you call me in the morning, I’ll tell you what to do”
In the last verse, the doctor gives up and says, if the girl calls her in the morning, she will give a remedy and what to take.
There’s a possibility that he knows that the girl will be better by morning without a remedy.
Conclusion
The creation of the song happened under curious circumstances. Nilsson was on a vacation in Hawaii. He wrote down “coconut” on a matchbox, hoping it will inspire him to write something in the future.
After coming back to L.A, he was driving down the freeway, and he came up with the song we know as “Put the Lime in the Coconut.”
He finished writing the song before he finished his drive down the freeway. Next, when he began recording the song, he did it in one go! He did not mess up or take retakes.
