Song Meaning

This song spins a darkly humorous, almost nursery-rhyme-like tale of the infamous Lizzie Borden murders. It immediately establishes the gruesome deed with a stark, rhythmic count: "Elizabeth Borden took an axe / And gave her mother forty whacks / And when the job was nicely done / She gave her father forty-one." The lyrics present the events with a detached, almost casual tone, framing the murders as a bizarre, albeit extreme, act of rebellion against parental authority. The narrator acknowledges the local gossip and uncertainty surrounding Lizzie's guilt, noting that "Some folks say she didn't do it, and others say of course she did," but ultimately paints her as a "problem kind of kid." The central tension lies in the juxtaposition of the horrific violence with the mundane, almost bureaucratic, restrictions of societal norms, particularly in "Massachusetts." The repeated chorus, "you can't chop your poppa up in Massachusetts," isn't just a statement of law; it's a commentary on the social consequences and the sheer impropriety of such an act within a specific, judgmental community. The lyrics highlight the absurdity of trying to maintain appearances or offer flimsy excuses, like blaming "the mice," when the deed is so blatant and shocking. It suggests that the real crime, in the eyes of the community, is not the act itself but the disruption it causes to their sense of order and propriety. The most striking aspect of the craft is the song's relentless, almost sing-song rhythm, which clashes deliberately with the violent subject matter. This creates a disorienting effect, turning a horrific event into something almost palatable, like a dark folk ballad or a cautionary tale for children. The lyrics also employ a playful, almost absurd, literalism, particularly in Verse 4: "They said, 'Lizzie, cut it out!' so that's exactly what she did." This line brilliantly twists a common parental admonishment into a direct, violent command, suggesting a chilling obedience to a literal interpretation of authority. Ultimately, the song's effectiveness stems from its ability to make the listener confront the unthinkable through a lens of dark comedy and folk tradition. By stripping away the expected gravitas and replacing it with a jaunty, almost taunting rhythm, the lyrics force a re-evaluation of how we process violence and notoriety. The focus on the "Massachusetts" setting and the neighbors' "criticize" underscores a theme of societal judgment and the performative nature of respectability, making Lizzie's extreme act a perverse commentary on the pressures of conformity.

The Chad Mitchell Trio - Pop, USA

Lizzie Borden

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[Intro] (One very exciting area of folk idiom and folk music to us has always been the hatchet murders in Massachusetts. And I think that this quaint bit of suburban living, uh, can, can best be explained through the use of our poet laureate, Joe Frazier) Elizabeth Borden took an axe And gave her mother forty whacks And when the job was nicely done She gave her father forty-one [Verse 1] Yesterday in old Fall River, Mr. Andrew Borden died And he got his daughter Lizzie on a charge of homicide Some folks say she didn't do it, and others say of course she did But they all agree Miss Lizzie B. was a problem kind of kid [Chorus] 'Cause you can't chop your poppa up in Massachusetts Not even if it's planned as a surprise (A surprise) No, you can't chop your poppa up in Massachusetts You know how neighbors love to criticize [Verse 2] She got him on the sofa where he'd gone to take a snooze And I hope he went to Heaven 'cause he wasn't wearin' shoes Lizzie kind of rearranged him with a hatchet so they say Then she got her mother in that same old-fashioned way [Chorus] But you can't can't chop your momma up in Massachusetts Not even if you're tired of her cuisine (Her cuisine) No, you can't chop your momma up in Massachusetts You know it's almost sure to cause a scene [Verse 3] Well, they really kept her hoppin' on that busy afternoon With both down and upstairs choppin' while she hummed a ragtime tune They really made her hustle, and when all was said and done She'd removed her mother's bustle when she wasn't wearin' one [Chorus] Oh, you can't chop your momma up in Massachusetts And then blame all the damage on the mice (On the mice) No, you can't chop your momma up in Massachusetts That kind of thing just isn't very nice [Verse 4] Now, it wasn't done for pleasure, and it wasn't done for spite And it wasn't done because the lady wasn't very bright She'd always done the slightest thing that mom and pop had bid They said, "Lizzie, cut it out!" so that's exactly what she did [Chorus] But you can't chop your poppa up in Massachusetts And then get dressed and go out for a walk (For a walk) No, you can't chop your poppa up in Massachusetts Massachusetts is a far cry from New York [Outro] No, you can't chop your poppa up in Massachusetts (Shut the door and lock and latch it Here comes Lizzie with a brand new hatchet) You can't chop your poppa up in Massachusetts (Such a snob I heard it said She met her pa and cut him dead) You can't chop your poppa up in Massachusetts (Jump like a fish, jump like a porpoise All join hands in habeas corpus) No, you can't chop your poppa up in Massachusetts Massachusetts is a far cry from New York

Credits

Writers: Michael Martin Brown

Lizzie Borden

Lizzie Borden

Lyrics

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Credits