Hush by Deep Purple Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Psychedelic Plea of Desperate Love
Lyrics
Na na na na na na
I got a certain little girl she’s on my mind
No doubt about it she looks so fine
She’s the best girl that I ever had
Sometimes she’s gonna make me feel so bad
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Hush, hush
I thought I heard her calling my name now
Hush, hush
She broke my heart but I love her just the same now
Hush, hush
Thought I heard her calling my name now
Hush, hush
I need her loving and I’m not to blame now
(Love, love) they got it early in the morning
(Love, love) they got it late in the evening
(Love, love) well, I want that, need it
(Love, love) oh, I gotta gotta have it
She’s got loving like quicksand
Only took one touch of her hand
To blow my mind and I’m in so deep
That I can’t eat and I can’t sleep
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Listen hush, hush
Thought I heard her calling my name now
Hush, hush
She broke my heart but I love her just the same now
Hush, hush
Thought I heard her calling my name now
Hush, hush
I need her loving and I’m not to blame now
(Love, love) they got it early in the morning
(Love, love) they got it late in the evening
(Love, love) well, I want that, need it
(Love, love) oh, I gotta gotta have it
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
In the summer of 1968, a British wave, infused with a southern twang, swept across the airwaves, manifesting itself in Deep Purple’s hit song ‘Hush.’ With its persistent ‘na na nas’ and a funky organ backbone, the song effortlessly captured the zeitgeist of the late ’60s rock scene, but behind its groovy demeanor lies a tapestry of emotion and a tale as ancient as time – the agony and ecstasy of love.
Dissecting the deceptively simple lyrics of ‘Hush’ reveals a complex story of unrequited love, obsession, and the deep human yearning for emotional connection. Below, we explore the intricacies hidden beneath the catchy hooks and why this song, over half a century later, continues to resonate with listeners.
The Inescapable Lure of Forbidden Love
The song opens with a clear fixation: ‘I got a certain little girl she’s on my mind.’ This isn’t just a casual fling; it’s an all-consuming obsession. The protagonist’s description pivots around the visual ‘she looks so fine,’ and yet, his lament is not just skin-deep. It’s not mere attractiveness that torments him; it’s the magnetic pull she has over his entire being.
By acknowledging ‘she’s the best girl that I ever had,’ the singer puts her on a pedestal, creating an idealized image of his lover. The subsequent line ‘Sometimes she’s gonna make me feel so bad’ reflects the rollercoaster nature of passionate love – sublime at its peaks and tormenting in its valleys.
A Heartbreaking Whisper in ‘Hush, Hush’
The repeated interjection ‘Hush, hush’ isn’t merely a silence to quieten the noise; it becomes a mantra for the aching soul. The singer is attempting to still his internal turmoil, convinced he’s hearing her voice amidst the chaos of his emotions. This refrain is the sound of a man trying to convince himself that the love he yearns for might still be within reach.
The juxtaposition of ‘She broke my heart but I love her just the same now’ reinforces the duality within heartbreak – the rational knowledge of hurt paired with an irrational refusal to let go. Each ‘hush’ is a plea both to stop the pain and to keep the flame of hope flickering.
The Quick Sands of Enchantment
Desire is likened to the ‘quicksand’ when he describes her loving as such. The idea of being drawn in so fast, captured so completely, is both terrifying and exhilarating. It’s a metaphor for the way love can trap us, pull us under, and leave us feeling helpless in the grip of passion.
Going deeper, there’s an implication that the seduction isn’t just physical. It’s a spiritual and emotional ensnarement that has left the protagonist unable to perform basic human functions like eating or sleeping. It’s an all-or-nothing gamble that he’s clearly losing, and yet, one gets the sense he’d do it all again.
The Unmistakable Cry for Love’s Retribution
The repeating lines ‘Love, love’ before the dawn and ‘late in the evening’ evoke a sense of timelessness. The desire for love is relentless; it doesn’t adhere to schedules or convenience. The urgency in the words ‘I want that, need it’ speaks volumes to the universal chase for affection, a droplet of attention, a sign of mutual longing.
But there’s also a contradiction here. By claiming ‘I need her loving and I’m not to blame now,’ the character in the song absolves himself of responsibility. It’s a claim that love, in all its power, has made him its victim rather than its accomplice – a sentiment many a love-torn soul might find familiar.
Eternal Echoes in Memorable Lines
As the ‘Na na nas’ cascade through the song, they become much more than a catchy hook; they transform into the wordless expression of the inexpressible. These moments where lyrics fail to capture the full weight of feeling, where the heart’s lament transcends language, are what have cemented ‘Hush’ within the legacy of classic rock.
The persistence of these ‘Na na nas,’ much like the omnipresence of love in the human experience, keeps the song spinning in our minds long after the last chords have faded. It is a reminder that often in music, as in love, the most profound statements are those unspoken, left hanging in the silence that follows.
