This song is perhaps referring to the German story Die Geschichte vom Daumenlutscher, or “The Story of the Thumb-Sucker”, in which a child who refuses to stop sucking his thumb gets his thumbs chopped off by a man with giant scissors.
Snipping, snipping, snipping goes the scissor man
Putting end to evildoers' games
Snipping, snipping, snipping goes the scissor man
Maybe you are in his book of names
Maybe you are in his book of names
So be kind and helpful to your mother
Just think twice before you try to steal
When he cuts with sticky silver snippers
You may find that wounds will never heal
All self-made bad boys
If you refuse to believe he exist
You won't be frightened
When you find out you're on his list
You're on his list, you're on his list
Snipping, snipping, snipping goes the scissor man
Putting end to evildoers' games
Snipping, snipping, snipping goes the scissor man
Maybe you are in his book of names
Maybe you are in his book of names
So be good and never poison people
Just think twice before the deed is done
When you wake up guilty in the morning
You may find important pieces gone
All self-made bad boys
If you refuse to believe he exist
You won't be frightened
When you find out you're on his list
You're on his list, you're on his list
Snipping, snipping, snipping goes the scissor man
Putting end to evildoers' games
Snipping, snipping, snipping goes the scissor man
Maybe you are in his book of names
Maybe you are in his book of names
All self-made bad boys
If you refuse to believe he exist
You won't be frightened
When you find out you're on his list
You're on his list, you're on his list
Snipping, snipping, snipping goes the scissor man
Putting end to evildoers' games
Snipping, snipping, snipping goes the scissor man
Maybe you are in his book of names
Maybe you are in his book of names
Scissor Man was written by Andy Partridge.
Scissor Man was produced by Steve Lillywhite.
XTC released Scissor Man on Fri Aug 17 1979.