Quoth Craig Schafer <craig@isns1.shasta.com>:

This song is (quite obviously) a first person narrative from the point of view of a hermit crab. A hermit crab (as I'm sure you know) will adopt the empty shell of a passed-on snail to use as a sort of mobile home--utilizing it's hardness to dicourage predators.

Apparently, this hermit crab somehow lost it's shell. This could have meant disaster if not for the person who "acted when" he/she "saw the need", and philanthropically returned Mr. Crab to the safety of his snail shell.

"Snail Shell" is a song about gratitude. The kind of gratitude that I think any hermit crab would feel under those circumstances.

Quoth Ryan Scott <rscott@macalstr.edu>:

The hermit crab theory is very Giantsish and is totally consistent with the lyrics, but there's another fun way to consider the song. The first time I heard it, I was utterly convinced that it was a bitter and sarcastic reaction to being romantically rejected.

Think about it. After building up the nerve to ask somebody out, risking interpersonal life and limb, and getting flatly put off, the narrator is snidely "thanking" his sweetheart for intimidating and isolating him again -- putting him "back in my snail shell."

Most of the other lyrics can be read this way too. "I fell out of my right place again," read sarcastically, expresses anger at feeling like he belonged alone. His follow-up questions ("Was it something you would do for anybody? Was it what you'd only do for me?") and obnoxious efforts to offer thanks ("I need to know because you see I want to thank you...") make the song a vicious attack. The best part is his repeated efforts to "repay" the person for their actions, even from his "position at your feet where I stand."

Of course, why this person would be named "Sir or is it ma'am hand" isn't exactly addressed in this theory, nor does it have the literal cohesiveness of the hermit crab reading. But hey, it's neat to think about...

Quoth William Pacer <2fd3pacerw@vms.csd.mu.edu>:

This may sound kind of bizzare, but the most interesting interpretation I have heard the term "Snail Shell" refer to a a certain prophelactic device.

We join a sexually active couple in process of putting it on ("I fell out of my right place again") and a little foreplay is involved because the from the genetailia's point of view, we are not sure who is putting it on ("Sir hand or was it ma'am?") The question the on the female's mind is "does my mate always practice safe sex?" ("Was it something you would do for anybody, or was it what you'd only do for me?") The next verse takes a darker meaning where someone, I'm assuming the female, has contracted a sexually transmitted disease ("Friend, look what you gave..") and the other partners wonders what he can do about it ("and how can you ever be repaid?") The infected partner obviously needs some kind of medical attention ("Help me I'd give you a hand from the position at your feet where I stand..") It concludes with the male being grateful for not contracting any disease thanks to the snail shell ("So let me thank you for putting me back in my snail shell...") I know it sounds a little far-fetched but I though it was an interesting way to look at it.

Quoth Jack Mingo <mingo@pacbell.net>:

Snail Shell is, in part, an answer/parody/mirror image of Sly & the Family Stone's hit song, circa 1970, that goes "I want to thank you for letting me be myself again."

Quoth Matt <mjbrown@postoffice.ptd.net>:

I thought the hermit crab theory is very nice, but I have compiled one myself. The song IS sung in the firs-person perspective. However, the "crab" is a man, who finds himself in the public spotlight, which of whom he dosn't want to be. He meets a person who offers to put him back in his right place or "snail shell"

The lyrics say

"Whas it something you would do for anybody, was it what you'd only do for me..."

He's asking the person if they work on this for a living. He now wants to know if he has to pay them "I need to know, because you see I want to thank you...." this further elaborated by the fact that the person feels obligated to the "hand"

"How may I give you an hand, from the position at your feet where I stand"

the person feels small and helpless with out the "Hand."

Quoth William Scrivener" <Pace.Scrivener@worldnet.att.net>:

There is a guy, or a girl (or perhaps a hermaphrodite) who was trying to get somewhere important, Like a better job, etc. and this person took them and made them start all over again. The song is very sarcastic.

sir hand, or is it Ma'am                                                        
I fell out of my right place again                                               
and you considered me                                                     
And now I'm where a snail has to be.                                        

The "Right Place" was being at the bottom where the "Hand" wants the person to be The hand considered this and pulled the person back to the bottom or "Where a snail has to be."

The "Right Place" was being at the bottom where the "Hand" wants the person to be The hand considered this and pulled the person back to the bottom or "Where a snail has to be."

I want to thank you for putting me back in my snail shell          

Just being sarcastic to the person. sort of like saying "Thanks for laying me off, i really appreciate it!"

Was it something you would do for anybody, 
was it what you'd only do for me, 
i need to know because, you see,                                        
I want to thank you for putting me back in my Snail Shell                 

Sort of like "Oh, so do you screw up everybodies lives you know, or just mine?"

Friend, look what you gave, and how can you ever be repaid        
How my i give you a hand form the position at your feet where i stand.

Like saying "Hey thanks for firing me, how could i pay you back, oh wait i can't because i have NO JOB! The end line talks about did you because you thought you'd be repaid, well i may (yeah right) but for today thanks for screwing up my life!