This song shows the protagonist truly embracing his new life philosophy and indulging himself in pleasure rather than continue to function as part of society. As he does this, he has two characters acting like a shoulder angel and devil. On one side is his pregnant romantic partner asking him to be...
Don't lie, where have you been?
Your teeth are red, your eyes are peppermints
Sailing out to sea with your new best friend
You don't like the way you live so you play pretend
But isn't it time you act your age?
You got a mortgage on your shoulders, got a babe on the way
You shrug it off with your jackass grin
Thinking as soon as you clean up you're going to do it again
He says
Whoa, oh, oh no
I'm going to Pleasure Island, I don't want to come home
Whoa, oh, oh no
The reverend says beware, he swears we're going to hell
We may be donkeys but at least we have a tale to tell
Don't start with the slap on the wrist
I don't need no cease and desist
I ain't fooling around and it ain't no sin
So you best be stepping back those ugly ultimatums
And never you mind what your old maid says
There ain't nothing to complain so long as you're earning bread
She's got a way of getting under your skin
She plants a little seed of doubt, the guilt blossoms
She says
Whoa, oh, oh no
You're going to Pleasure Island, you can never come home
Whoa, oh, oh no
The problem with you, kid, is you can't say no
You can't take a little nibble, you got to lick the bowl
I pushed off, I'm sailing away
And I ain't looking back
Can't have you seeing me this way
This just might be my greatest mistake
Throwing the future tense away for the present's presence
My life was but a pleasure, but it sure was pleasant
He says
Whoa, oh, oh no
I'm going to Pleasure Island, I ain't never going home
Whoa, oh, oh no
I'll make an ass out of myself sooner than say I'm wrong
Yeah, I'd sooner be bucking around in the mud
Whoa, oh, oh no
I'm going to Pleasure Island, I ain't coming back home
Whoa, oh, oh no
And Mama's thumping her bible, she swears we're going to hell
And Papa's just jealous, he wants to come here as well
We may be donkeys but at least we have a tale to tell