Clap Snap
Icona Pop Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴3, 6, 9, the goose drank wine
The monkey chewed tobacco on the streetcar line
The line broke, the monkey got choked
And they all went to heaven in a little rowboat

Clap, clap
Clap, snap
Clap, pat

Clap, snap
Clap, clap
Everybody dance to the music

3, 6, 9, the goose drank wine
The monkey chewed tobacco on the streetcar line
The line broke, the monkey got choked
And they all went to heaven in a little rowboat

Clap, clap
Clap, snap
Clap, pat
Clap, snap
Clap, clap
Everybody dance to the music

Mama told me
She can't control me

3, 6, 9, the goose drank wine
The monkey chewed tobacco on the streetcar line
The line broke, the monkey got choked
And they all went to heaven in a little rowboat

Clap, clap
Clap, snap
Clap, clap
Clap, snap

Clap, clap
Clap your hands and dance to the music


Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Icona Pop's song "Clap Snap" seem to be an adaptation of an old children's counting song. The first four lines of each verse are the familiar "3, 6, 9, the goose drank wine, the monkey chewed tobacco on the streetcar line" chant, with the last line concluding the story of unfortunate events that follow the monkey's misadventure. The repetition of these lyrics throughout the song serves as a hypnotic and infectious chorus, urging the listener to clap, snap, and dance along to the upbeat rhythm.


The verses in this song are quite brief and simple, with the only lyrics deviating from the familiar children's song being "Mama told me, she can't control me." This line perhaps serves as an acknowledgement of the freedom and lack of inhibition that comes with dancing to lively music with abandon.


Line by Line Meaning

3, 6, 9, the goose drank wine
The counting game where each number is assigned an action or word has begun, and the goose is assigned the action of drinking wine.


The monkey chewed tobacco on the streetcar line
The monkey, another participant in the counting game, is given the action of chewing tobacco on a streetcar line.


The line broke, the monkey got choked
Due to the line breaking, the monkey choked on his tobacco, leading to a mishap in the counting game.


And they all went to heaven in a little rowboat
All of the participants in the counting game, including the goose and monkey who suffered mishaps earlier, have metaphorically gone to heaven while traveling in a rowboat.


Clap, clap
The vocalist instructs the listener to clap twice in time to the music.


Clap, snap
The vocalist instructs the listener to first clap twice and then snap their fingers in time to the music.


Clap, pat
The vocalist instructs the listener to first clap twice and then pat their thighs in time to the music.


Everybody dance to the music
The vocalist exhorts everyone to dance to the music.


Mama told me
The vocalist has been told by their mother...


She can't control me
...that she can't control the vocalist.


Contributed by Carson P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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