The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
"This is labor" {*echoes*}
{*sample cut and scratched*}
[Aesop Rock]
Who put the monkey wrench in well oiled prefectionist emblem
Just to watch these moniters spit white noise
through your office space auto made
I infect knowledge gene pool dissented cloud clusters
Brushing dust mites off your starborn all revolution sound jugglers
Delinquent fan for brick habitat bob, weave, stick, move fence
and put somewhere in the middle for slick invention
This years brain crop spread spectacular
I ain't mad at cha don't stay mad at the caliber
I twist characters like twist characters
Talley up the alley cat aggresion
in this Doug E. Fresh infested mess up bassline lust
An automatic B-boy krylon can't combust circuits
Working these war picked cyphers
with head striker stability and kamakazi chivalry
I alone noble in a warm food feud
Walking ten generations ain't nobody asking for your patience
Who ranned off but only meet to face the fact
that I knew myself and didn't have to ask nobody else
(Talk about labor) Fantastic planet urchin puting work in
Searching for pertinent verse minus the murderous diversions
Apologies won't lore me to the communal sob story
nor would I sacrifice lifestyle to benefit jewerly temperament
This whole Green Goblin webcutter butts up against
crayola daydream landscapes spittin bedlam, Datum
Charge the villagers nickles and nicotine
to watch them fed to undiscreniled crack at the high noon
(We sell popcorn, beer and balloons!)
I got an echelon this gon be the one children bicker over
And start warriors vs. baseball fury element
to glitches mode of century development
I am a star really! The big bang bastard's back
with a one way ticket to Beat Street
This soil is like relevent to human concept
plot the man ratios man learning, I work past the service
I work on what I love, I work the service on my vertince
And I work till this here little flat line closes the curtains
{*beat plays with some scracthing*}
{*sample cut and scratched*}
[Aesop Rock]
Who put the monkey wrench in well oiled prefectionist emblem
Just to watch these moniters spit white noise
through your office space auto made
I infect knowledge gene pool dissented cloud clusters
Brushing dust mites off your starborn all revolution sound jugglers
Delinquent fan for brick habitat bob, weave, stick, move fence
and put somewhere in the middle for slick invention
This years brain crop spread spectacular
I ain't mad at cha don't stay mad at the caliber
I twist characters like twist characters
Talley up the alley cat aggresion
in this Doug E. Fresh infested mess up bassline lust
An automatic B-boy krylon can't combust circuits
Working these war picked cyphers
with head striker stability and kamakazi chivalry
I alone noble in a warm food feud
Walking ten generations ain't nobody asking for your patience
Who ranned off but only meet to face the fact
that I knew myself and didn't have to ask nobody else
(Talk about labor) Fantastic planet urchin puting work in
Searching for pertinent verse minus the murderous diversions
Apologies won't lore me to the communal sob story
nor would I sacrifice lifestyle to benefit jewerly temperament
This whole Green Goblin webcutter butts up against
crayola daydream landscapes spittin bedlam, Datum
Charge the villagers nickles and nicotine
to watch them fed to undiscreniled crack at the high noon
(We sell popcorn, beer and balloons!)
I got an echelon this gon be the one children bicker over
And start warriors vs. baseball fury element
to glitches mode of century development
I am a star really! The big bang bastard's back
with a one way ticket to Beat Street
This soil is like relevent to human concept
plot the man ratios man learning, I work past the service
I work on what I love, I work the service on my vertince
And I work till this here little flat line closes the curtains
{*beat plays with some scracthing*}
Lyrics submitted by CapnCannibal
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First heard it on THPS2. Aesop rock rules.
This is labor, true labor.
whats the bass line from, i know it from somewhere else but cant figure it out
I believe it was THPS4
"whats the bass line from, i know it from somewhere else but cant figure it out" The song does say: in this Doug E. Fresh infested mess up bassline lust
Tony Hawk 4
...spittin bedlam= i guess 'bedlam' was some name given to a hospital turned insane asylum.
Actual lyrics: Fantastic planet urchin putting work in Searching for pertinent verse minus the murderous diversions Apologies won't lure me to the communal sob story nor would I sacrifice live style to benefit jury temperament
I think that means 100% human, awake and walking around with the rest of sleeping society, looking for the ultimate soul-freeing understanding (pert. verse) while avoiding the bullshit murderous diversions...(think: co-dependency) such as the communal apologetic sob story(dwelling on your sadness for attention/affection or whatev) or stuffing your originality and style for fear of being judged...thus benefiting jury temperament).
F that critical jury in the brain. Put your work in fellow urchins, find your unique pertinent verse and watch out for the murderous diversions.
Brushing dust mites off your starborn all revolution sound jugglers... anyone know what this means? I notice Aesop Rock uses alot of the same metaphors in his songs. Centipede, earthworm, urchin, dust mite, dirty destiny.....what do they represent...hmmmmmmmmmmmm
centipedes, earthworms, urchins, dust mites, etc. are all metaphors for humans... especially the proletarians.<br /> the ones who just work and do as they're told just to get by because that's what they have been taught to do and they if they don't get out of line then they will live... not happily, but live none the less.
Does anybody know the significance of the lyric "I twist characters like twist characters"
Aes clearly thinks it important (the beat drops when he says it, it's sampled on None Shall Pass (Megablast Mix), etc.) but I am confused as to what he is inferring.
Thoughts?
i always thought of the line to meet that he's able to work around those who seem to have their ideals/actions skewed for their own benefit. in a sense he can "twist" those who are "twisted (demeanor wise)"
being a fan of graffiti as aesop rock, i think he was talking about "Twist" the graffiti artist who is known for his strange or "twisted" characters...soo aesop is saying he can speak as talented as Twist can draw
it also ties in with the line before "I ain't mad at cha don't stay mad at the caliber"<br /> he's not mad at your skill level so why are you at his
I always thought it referred to this.. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Twist
i'm watching airplane and just realized who ted stryker was... and his kamakazi chivalry another strange but great reference by aesop
I think in this song he's essentially nailing his theses on the door of the mighty "Hip Hop". Hip hop (art in general) will change and spawn (for better and worse) and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it: "Walking ten generations nobody askin for your patience" <br /> <br /> Lauding the principle that one can build an identity based on who one truly is vs. building an identity based on what we are told is "Right":"Grand opening holding me to face the fact I knew myself and didn't hafta ask nobody else" <br /> <br /> And, like, who's gives a frack what they think anyway: "Fantastic planet urchin putting work in searching for pertinent verse minus the murderous diversions apologies won't lore me to the communal sob story nor would I sacrifice lifestyle to benefit jury temperament"<br /> <br /> ...that's what I think :)
I think in this song he's essentially nailing his theses on the door of the mighty "Hip Hop". Hip hop (art in general) will change and spawn (for better and worse) and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it: "Walking ten generations nobody askin for your patience"
Lauding the principle that one can build an identity based on who one truly is vs. building an identity based on what we are told is "Right":"Grand opening holding me to face the fact I knew myself and didn't hafta ask nobody else"
And, like, who's gives a frack what they think anyway: "Fantastic planet urchin putting work in searching for pertinent verse minus the murderous diversions apologies won't lore me to the communal sob story nor would I sacrifice lifestyle to benefit jury temperament"
...that's what I think :)