Aesop Rock's Heartbreaking Apology to His MOM (Gopher Guts)

This reaction comes as a request from one of the comments in the previous breakdown. Today I'm going over GOPHER GUTS by AESOP ROCK and we're going to go line by line and try to break down the lyrics and underlying messages. If you have a request, feel free to leave it in the comments!
Thanks again for watching my vids
Other music in the video
Snake Eyes - Brock Berrigan

[@theyumblat5420]

Dude, you make some of the best lyric breakdown/song reaction videos I've seen. You're underrated asf. This is one of my favorite Aesop Rock songs, so happy you did this one. My interpretation on this song is verse 1 is just setting the scene for his life. He doesn't take care of himself or his home, him "sawing a woman in half" is a reference to his divorce, he can't go to his mom for help about it cause of the growing disconnection, and the "blood and water chapter" I believe refers to the part in a book where they tell you the protagonists family (blood) and friends (water). He also says that in real life the blood and water chapter isn't real, and he feels there's no way to reconnect to those he's lost. Also, I think "30 cats" is just a joke about him becoming a crazy cat person in the future. Verse 2 starts with him being hungover, and not recognizing his reflection. He's also letting down whoever it is waiting for him at the gate. "The wind blown way" I think means he goes with the flow and just lets whatever happens happen, with no regard to himself. Verse 3 he drops the metaphors, and tells us straight up how awful he views himself. One of the most hard hitting verses I've ever heard in my life. The choruses refer to him and his 2 brothers (3 baby snakes, 3 frogs, 3 crabs). I think the encouraging words followed by letting the animals go and saying "oh" after refers to how adults tell kids they can do whatever they want, but then don't help the kids and just let the wild (real world) chew them up. They probably won't become the stuff he says they will, but at least he told them is my interpretation. Since it's Aesop Rock there's a TON more I can say, but I ain't tryna write a novel here lmao. Once again, love the videos man, keep it up :}

[@karabomasibi2331]

I've loved this song for so long and the third verse is my favorite verse from him. Not only is it direct and speaks to me as a person but the rhyme scheme is actually much more complicated than it looks. However, the chorus was always the one part that stunned me and watching the video it finally clicked that he;s talking about himself and his brothers. Thanks to both of you guys for making me realize this

[@sk82rok]

I also believe the monotone “oh.” Expresses a sense of disappointment or sense of being exorbitantly underwhelmed. Presumably from his mother? These animals are being encouraged to be successful. It’s the equivalent of telling a child you can be president one day or anything you set your mind to, only to find that because of whatever reasons due to life, they end up falling monumentally lower than what was expected them. Maybe at some point she was disappointed with home choosing to pursue a career in hip-hop, despite the fact that he was attending college to which she expected more. Maybe this might be the stem of their growing disconnection? Just my thoughts. Aes is dope. I can’t wait for Nov 10! >,

[@JacobTyo]

I think there is significance in the specific animals and the adjectives he uses to describe them. I believe it is a reference to different stages of life. BABY snake, GREEN frogs, GHOST crabs, to refer to youth, adulthood, and old age/death respectively. "Healthy, special, and present" could describe someone who is very young or just born. "Mighty, gracious, and lauded" could describe a fully grown adult at the height of their strength and ability. Finally, "patient, gallant, and festive" could describe someone in old age or death. These adjectives paint a picture of someone who has lived their life and are being celebrated and respected for it. At least that is my interpretation.

[@tedbutts]

this whole album gets really overlooked, probably my personal favorite

[@BeaCanImation]

I'm pretty sure this song is about his failed marriage. 'Mom I accidentally sawed a woman in half' sounds like a confession that he hurt someone. Not her in particular. He seems annoyed to me that his mother doesn't have anything of substance to say. Blood is thicker than water is a myth made up by desperate old lonely dudes... and he knows all to well. In the second verse he spells out how instead of being a friend, lover, and provider, he slipped into his loner, grumpy, Unconn Cornelius persona. I love how the bass line drops out when she leaves him. It literally isolates him, while also taking away all the soul and substance in the track. I could go on.... cuz I mean...it's Aes.

[@lethewaterkai7503]

Yes, you nailed it. This was one of my breakup recovery songs

[@TheLegendofGumby]

Noooo, goddamn the part where he gets as real as he’s ever been has actually brought me to tears before. It’s hard to relate so much to this. This song kills me

[@iamthatlemon]

Love you man. Can't stop listening to it but hurts so good

[@MW-qx4qi]

A few things I ended up picking up on: The "Blood and Water" chapter was 1 John 5:6. John used blood to represent familial ties and water to represent other relationships. This also spawned the popular saying "blood is thicker than water", meaning that family bonds will always be stronger than other relationships. "Who's there, simian or lizard? As it were there is a dissipating difference" could be interpreted as a further reinforcement of the growing distance between Aes and his parent(s). His relationship (the blood if you want to connect it to the 'blood and water chapter' reference from the previous bars) is growing colder with each passing month or week that he never talks to them. The silent pause after the affirmation in the hook following the "Oh." could be representative of this lack of contact or perhaps even disappointment from his parents. It could also be him playing out this scenario in his head and mid-song making connections about his parents (who through certain lines he may have harbored some small resentment towards) and realizing things that most likely lead to the song itself and the guilt that he felt after introspection upon his upbringing. There's so much subtle writing not only in the hooks but in some of these bars that brings out meaning not in just the lyrics themselves, but in how he delivers them. It's crazy.

[@kyleo5275]

Damn. Thank you for this comment.

[@ytmusicacc101]

Interestingly enough, the original translation of the line is, "the blood of the community Is thicker than the water of the womb." Which is the exact opposite of what it means today. Aes was spot on!!! "Except it doesn't always work like that"

[@liftcontrol8453]

This song is one of the most emotionally impactful songs of all time imo of any genre. Feels like he's talking directly to my past. *edit* love the Bunkey shirt lol

[@shanemcdaniels]

Thanks! Munkey is the man

[@prod.droopyjohn]

Bro fr. My dad didn’t clean up the trailer at all, everything was covered in trash

[@adankpancake]

YES. I love this song so much. The third verse is especially rough to get through because all of a sudden, compared to his other songs, he stops talking in difficult metaphor and starts speaking to the listener normally.

[@lowlowseesee]

yeesssssssss

[@cybersludge]

I might be mistaken but I think Skelethon was Aes’ first album where he made all the beats himself so he was able to really make his vocals and the beats work together as a cohesive whole rather than working lyrics over someone else’s music. Spirit World Field Guide is my favorite album of his but Skelethon is where my fandom went from casual enjoyment to near obsession.

[@johnathanireland]

it was Bazooka Tooth

[@KidComet]

Greasy grimey gopher guts and not forgetting your spoon is a reference to the song 'Great Green Gobs of Greasy, Grimy Gopher Guts', which is a children's playground song: 'Great green globs of greasy, grimy gopher guts, Mutilated monkey meat. Dirty little birdie feet. Great green globs of greasy, grimy gopher guts, And me without my spoon'

[@shanemcdaniels]

How have I not heard this this is crazy

[@KidComet]

P.S. I only recently found your channel but I really appreciate these Aes exploration videos. I think it'd be great if you started a Discord for your channel where fellow Aes fans and curious minds could collaborate to de-preztel the riddling nature of his body of work - from which you could make more of these videos. Face it, his encyclopedic and colloquial knowledge is too much for one man to construe

[@shanemcdaniels]

Lol don't tempt me, I just might

[@larryknicks]

@@shanemcdanielswhat if we ask nicely? (Btw this is a reference to one of his side projects Malibu Ken. Highly recommend you check it out! Acid King is a great starting point if you do!)

[@ThirteenAmp]

Got a little plot of land where Authority isn't recognized... Contraband keeping the core of his hide Jekyllized... That's such a fire bar

[@robinkaai7178]

I like the idea that he uses such hardcore sybolism and word play before the stark, blatant, almost confessional lines when he steps out of those convoluted layers to just admit his issues in the plainest terms. It feels like it hits hard because it's not beating around any bush. Then it slowly ramps back into convoluted layers. To go on and on. It's also the one part of the song he isnt blaming anything (family, situation, etc) it's just about his own shortcomings.

[@shanemcdaniels]

I have a lot of respect for someone who can admit shortcomings and take responsibility for their actions, even more so when they use a median like this and masterfully deliver it

[@spacemanspiff207]

Technically the three animals is a reference to him and his two brothers. And the greasy grimy gopher guts is from ""Great Green Gobs of Greasy, Grimy Gopher Guts", the "mom I sawed a woman in half" thing is him telling his mom about the divorce. And after having a mental breakdown he moved to a barn in the middle of bumfuck nowhere and basically made a lot of music and came back to civilization, but his current address is unknown.

[@spacemanspiff207]

PS. You should do a review on "Ruby 81" trust me on this one.

[@tmengle141]

Thank you for being one of the few who appreciate and react to Aesop Rock.

[@supergatorhator]

Suicide lane wide load ride looting - this sounds like drafting to me, where you drive very close to a large truck to reduce air resistance and drive faster/more fuel efficiently. It's considered a dangerous practice because you aren't putting enough distance between you and the truck to be able to stop, aren't able to see what's coming up ahead of you, and aren't visible to the truck.

[@MustnotsleepMustwarnothers]

Gopher guts seems to be the childhood memory from “blood sandwich”.

[@Approvaled]

Can you explain?

[@user-ye4hm8lr6z]

@@Approvaledhim and his brothers watched their little league coach play live wack a mole on a gopher. Changed their perspective on life and death. Gopher guts poolside is his loss of innocence in the middle of “fun”.

[@billbill6094]

Man, this song is just so damn good. People who don't listen to Aes might not get it, but like you said, Aes _never_ raps like he does on the third verse. Not any era of Aes. Not whether talking about his depression or the concept of death or going for a ride on his motorcycle or playing with his cat. You can gleam it a bit from the song itself, but in the grand scheme of the Skelethon album, hell in the grand scheme of his entire career and discography, that third verse hits so hard. It's essentially him _giving up._ He has nothing left for cryptography or subtext. His poetic nature stays because that's just how he expresses himself. But in both lyric and style, he's admitting defeat.

[@TheWatsonGreen]

There is ONE other song where he’s direct like this look up ‘1 of 4’ from Daylight EP (hidden track).

[@true_plays_games]

Sometimes a man just needs to confess truths to move forward. He didn’t give up. He did the hard thing.

[@true_plays_games]

@@TheWatsonGreenthis 😅

[@luizoli7268]

@@TheWatsonGreen There's also Nightlight

[@sageofthesenju7323]

This song saved my life, I was in the darkest corners of my mind circa 2016 this pulled me out of that mind set by allowing myself to reflect on how I got there and what I can to correct them, simply by hearing his own reflection it was eye opening, especially the last verse. It makes me cry until this day

[@JackSimsen]

Gopher guts is a reference to something that happened to Aes as a kid which is explained in the song Blood Sandwich

[@Shrieking_In_the_Void]

Excellent video, dude. The first time I heard this song I had to pull over and howl-cry. And that line "wanna win? don't play" still kills me to this day.

[@THERetro_Savage]

Aesop is 47 now and still as good as ever

[@koryjacques5811]

I've always really loved his writing, but this song hit so hard for me. Thank you for this breakdown because what I missed tied it even better together for me. Soo good

[@RavenousCatalyst594]

so stoked ur keeping aes in rotation!!!!! look 4ward to em all @10:25 'where authority isn't recognized' i think of his own personal space as his plot of land & he doesn't acknowledge anyones power over him in his (head)space

[@dzy7573]

The greatest thing about Aes and abstract art in general is how it is largely open to interpretation. Just reading through this comment section I'm like "I never thought about it like that but yeah 🤯." Then the next comment is a different angle and I'm like "I never thought about it like that either but also yeah 🤯"

[@TheOfficialDjGorge]

The chorus relates to the verse that follows If you tell your kid they are special they will not be ready for the world and then they blame the world If you tell your kid to be mighty they will crack under the weight of the world trying to hold it up by themselves The third chorus is his best guess at the "right" answer But it goes on and on and on So who knows

[@slipknot95maggot]

"If you tell your kid to be mighty they will crack under the weight of the world trying to hold it up by themselves " Cool, I didn't have things to do today. No, I wanted to have a cry real quick, we good

[@slipknot95maggot]

"If you tell your kid to be mighty they will crack under the weight of the world trying to hold it up by themselves " Cool, I didn't have things to do today. No, I wanted to have a cry real quick, we good

[@ridleyroid9060]

I recognized that Brock Berrigan bop underneath the analysis sections, you are a man of culture!

[@shanemcdaniels]

Brock is legit the man. I remember hearing midnight swim (my ringtone now) for the first time, I reached out to him on Instagram and we ended up talking. He's even nicer than I imagined. Brock is the goat

[@luiscordoba60]

Amicable marrooning, suicide lane wide looting, sawed a woman half, I need to hide a body, moving in packs to sharing food with a cat. Sounds like he's referencing his divorce. Second verse he's referencing a hangover. Sweating pitchers of sweat, pirouette inards bc he's nauseous. Who's there simian or lizard. He looks in the mirror and doesn't recognize himself and is digested with himself and what he's become. Aes described this song as him having a timpertantrum

[@shanemcdaniels]

I definitely agree with your take on the second verse. That's gotta be it. The first verse, moving in packs doesn't sound like a marriage but I'm kinda out numbered here in the comments. Packs imo means more than 2/3, I thought he just felt left out of his family

[@luiscordoba60]

@@shanemcdaniels I think it's all his relationships. But he did specifically reference his dicorce. He's mad at the fact of how he reverted to being a loner again instead maintaining his packs as a friend, husband, brother and son.

[@thebohr11]

2nd verse I believe he's referencing tripping on mushrooms

[@sunrise600]

nice one man, loved it. Keep following that voice inside of you that came up with the idea to do this channel

[@shanemcdaniels]

Thank you! You made my day lol

[@scrumbo_2096]

recently found this channel due to my deep love of aes' music sick vids dude

[@scrumbo_2096]

by the way, i heard a theory that the three animals refers to him and his two brothers. Maybe the chorus is from his mom's perspective, but i like to think it's not from any set perspective at all. Moreso just trying to convey that you can say whatever you want to your kids before you let them go, (which i think is why the words change with each chorus) but you can never prepare yourself for what happens or who they become. That's just my personal little thought bubble, you never know unless he tweets about it like he did with Impossible Kid

[@homunculusgrey2921]

There's an old belief that sitting on top of a gate allows you to see spirits.

[@basicjenkins]

So a super interesting thing about the 'blood and water' passage/saying is that its always used incorrectly. The phrase is "the blood of the covenent is thicker than the water of the womb". Basically suggesting that the bonds you make are whats important, that family is found and earned. Which is also particularly intereating given that he speaks about running in packs in the same verse.

[@B-Nice]

This is great!! I love how songs can mean anything different to any individual 👍 Not connecting much meaning provided here with the actual lyrics, but well done. Aesop is the only one who truly knows the meaning to his songs 🎶

[@joshtate7361]

I really like the Aesop videos you've been uploading. Wanted to say though, it feels like you want literal meanings behind each bar. Alot of expressive writing uses these concepts we all can relate with to convey an emotion. More so then to explain a factual event. The power of poetry is we can express feeling through common ideas in a way we cant draw or paint. So sometimes when he writes a bar, I like to think he's trying to communicate the emotion, frustration or specific form of confusion hes feeling, more so than the mechanical reality. If that makes sense. Idk food for thought. Keep uploading its great to see people appreciate good artists.

[@iesika7387]

The opening verse follows his divorce - amicable marooning/sawed a woman in half. Goes from moving in packs to sharing food with a cat. He reached out to his mom to lean on her and didn’t get what he was hoping for there either. Aes is one of 3 kids, which i think is the key to understanding the animal parts. When you raise someone you do your best to build them up but eventually you let them go out in the world and they have to handle life on their own, sink or swim. Oh.

[@sundiatasoubefree683]

You just earned yourself a subscriber sir! Aesop rock is a MasterClass in poetry and I appreciate your deep dive into the lyrics. Just a suggestion you should do a LOT more of these because there is a audience for it. Also you might want to consider expanding it to other unique and talented individuals like Lupe, Billy woods, R.A.P Ferreira, MF DOOM, Saul Williams, Earl Sweatshirt etc. Like I said there is a audience for it and it would probably help draw more people to your channel, I like the way you decipher the lyrics, it’s s talent, keep it up and good job.

[@shanemcdaniels]

I absolutely will! I just know aes is the hot topic at the moment and once I start getting some more followers I'll expand HEAVILY lol thanks for your support!

[@karabomasibi2331]

@@shanemcdaniels I've been looking for a channel to tackle the behemoth that is Aesop's Writing, we supporting you man, keep going

[@jamesbarker2979]

I tear up on this song and 1 of 4 both hit me hard

[@beatgoes9171]

Ruby 84 too

[@Twilight0Dragon]

The song "Great Green Gobs of Greasy, Grimy Gopher Guts" is a children's public domain playground song popular throughout the United States. Dating back to at least the mid-20th century, the song is sung to the tune of "The Old Gray Mare".

[@benparris6455]

I swear this song has gotten me through the darkest and most self loathing fueled days of my life. That's Aes Rizzle

[@shanemcdaniels]

I'm sorry to hear about them days brother, but I'm glad it got you through. Everyone needs that little push sometimes. Great song, thanks for watching my video

[@UltimateDrDoom]

It’s in retrospect you realize gopher guts references the situation that happened at the ball game for his younger brother in Impossible Kidd

[@rev.jimmywonko9615]

Maybe it's a generational thing but the whole thing is a reference to the rhyme we'd sing as kids. "Greasy grimey gopher guts Mutilated Monkey meat Fried eyeballs rolling down the street Damn, I forgot my spoon" And he's setting the scene like he's revisiting his childhood and everything has been sittin there rotting, mold on the moon pie Now just wait untill you get to 1 of 4, the hidden track on Daylight.

[@cassiusvian7575]

Great content KZbin algorithm finally doing something good. My 2 cents on the first line is that gopher guts is a metaphor for taboo behavior or something that a parent wouldn’t want their child engaging in. Pool side references a family gathering. AES has things he wants to do/be that people around him would find repulsive .and not forgetting spoons twice means maybe he’s tried - unsuccessfully - to act out before. To me it seems like he is talking about his battle with his true identity and the one he creates to present to others for safety. Also if you could do PIZZA ALLEY that would be awesome. Love this series

[@RavenousCatalyst594]

@18:32 i didn't LISTEN to this song for a decade cuz of beat & cuz had top 100 aes tracks already BUT i was reading from his official lyric book one day & read the lyric sooo now i get chills everytime over multi lines SUCH IS ONE OF AES'S TALENTED GIFTS the way his art endears itself to me by making thoughts more endearing.. or sumthin

[@J0nnyTheJ3w]

Greasy grimy gopher guts refers to an old children's playground song. Poolside with his family or friends. 0 for one might be referencing some game he's playing. I've always seen the first two bars as providing context for his childhood, and how it wraps back around to his current life. "Greasy grimy gopher guts" is a pretty disgusting children's song, and it mimics his current lifestyle. EDIT: Just saw another comment about the juxtaposition about gopher guts and poolside; between the perfect suburban life and the disconnection within. Love that interpretation so much.

[@MattSwiftfreelance]

Loved the breakdown. My favorite track off Skelethon. Please review Black Thought/Danger Mouse - Aquamarine

[@shanemcdaniels]

Thanks! If you see the latest video, that's the new way these videos are gonna get made. More green screen, more edits, something to set this channel apart other than "aww thats dope" and "my man really said that!" Kinda reactions

[@Crybaby-Media]

As someone who has a difficult time with hoarding and cleaning, likely inherited from my mother . I view the chorus as an ideal parent . One that prepares their child for the world and lets them go. It’s weird to be able to address the things your parents failed you on, and still not blame them . Or appreciate them. This song is my life completely man. Especially the breakdown. It’s my favourite AES song by far , and one of my favourites of all time .

[@brigandpatrolworllvideos9]

great green gobs of greasy grimy gopher guts, mutilated monkey meat, little birdy's bloody feet it's an old school-yard song

[@slipknot95maggot]

Known, loved and thought about this song for years now and I still can't even figure out what he means by "oh..." It comes after "then I let 'em go" which follows him giving affirmations, so is he "trying to do the right thing" which leads to "letting the bird leave the nest", so in a song about isolation and consequences does the chorus function as him [1st line] actively seeking out an encounter, [2nd and 3rd lines] building an understanding and connection and then putting himself into making it a rewarding and healthy relationship, and then [4th line] a contextual reference to him bowing to "the wind blown way" ie "the way it goes" ie causality/entropy/etc ........? Thus the "oh" is him "letting them go" and then looking down to see he's alone again even when he did the right thing..? Or is it him realizing how he's become a similar thing to what he was trying to circumvent, something about how him doing what he thought was right still led to a similar outcome even if he managed to avoid some of the worst behavior....? "ooh..." ....? Is it just him coming back to the understanding that it's all ...... "manufactured".......? Like, affected? Is it some kind of "you can do your best but some times that isn't enough" expression...? I'm swinging a wide net on that one but what do you want from me xp No way I haven't known about his song for at least ..... I mean conservative estimate, 4 years Not like I think about it all day every or w/e but ....... still finding new possibilities for that one word at least 4 years later, just can't pin it down And yet it rings in my soul ...xp

[@headyyeti8653]

Nah In each verse he complements the animals he nurtures them like a mother without telling them about the demons of the world and then he lets them go.....oh. they are all baby animals that spawn in great numbers and make it to adulthood on luck. So he's being sweet to them letting them free into the wild and then the "oh" is realizing that kind words don't prepare you for the wild as the get swooped up by a bird or something.

[@headyyeti8653]

This ideology of coddling mothers is backed in hot dogs "special is as special does, you aren't special just because, yes your mother said you was, that's pretty much what mothers does"

[@deefman123]

man THANK YOU for breaking down these tracks, it really is high level writing that aes does, and im certain for years his work will be studied for the absolute gold mine of similes and metaphors this guy seems to fart out on the regular. he is a world away from the "scene" but influences it like picasso did with basically all abstract art and its current artists.

[@shanemcdaniels]

I'm flattered at all the positive support you guys have given me and my videos. I'm happy I get to do them, I'm already working on the next one as we speak

[@deefman123]

@@shanemcdaniels awesome!!

[@RavenousCatalyst594]

ooohhhh tease us pleeaazz! would love to know why next song was chosen as next reaction...

[@mn_cj1910]

Thanks for doing this video gopher guts has a way of punching me in the stomach

[@yungossan379]

I very much appreciate the community forming here. Aes is probably one of the best writers alive, and I've been studying him for years. About the opening line 'greasy, grimey gopher guts. Pool side'. I've always taken this as establishing the juxtaposition between an idealistic suburban home and the broken relationships that can be found within it. Setting the tone for the rest of the songs subject matter. 0 for one, I don't forget spoons twice is probably a reference to an old troupe where a kid at poolside asks his mom to bring them a spoon for ice cream. Except Aes is alone. He's forgotten to bring his own because the connection he felt he was supposed to have with his mom just isn't there. Reflected in the state of the home, illustrated in the next few lines. Anyway, that's my takes. He is incredibly dense and nuanced. It's so great to see more people paying attention to his lyrics instead of writing him off because his production isn't pop-like. Subbed.

[@shanemcdaniels]

It's people like you who built this channel. They're are so many of us who love to decipher lyrics like these and although this is the biggest part of my channel, I will be expanding into other videos, topics and styles in the far future. Hopefully this channel will be able to fund bigger and better projects that humbly started at the desk in my bedroom

[@iamthatlemon]

Sending love

[@brandonschnabel1328]

I want to point out that greasy grimy gopher guts is from a children's song, and that gathering animals and then letting them go is the plot to a short children's book. So, I think that much of this song has to do with his upbringing.

[@BigSexyWGlasses]

“I have been acutely undeserving of the ear that listened up n lip that kissed me on the temple.” Chills, every time.

[@Deucehoru]

I love this track so much

[@W1s3guy95]

Sawed a woman in half is about his divorce

[@bader9606]

This is talking about his divorce. "Suicide lane, wide load, ride looting In the wake of an amicable marooning. My duty go from moving in packs, to sharing food with a cat" He is now divorced with only his cat Kurby, giving up and contemplating suicide(He's talked about his mental health issues extensively in his works). The lyrics: I have been completely unable to maintain any semblance of Relationship on any level (level) I have been a bastard to the people who have actively attempted To deliver me from peril (peril) I have been acutely undeserving of the ear that listen up And lip that kissed me on the temple (temple) I have been accustomed to a stubborn disposition That admits it wish its history disassembled (disassembled) I have been a hypocrite in sermonizing tolerance While skimming for a ministry to pretzel (pretzel) I have been unfairly resentful of those I wish that acted different When the bidding was essential (was essential) I have been a terrible communicator Prone to isolation over sympathy for devils (devils) I have been my own worst enemy Since the very genesis of rebels (genesis of rebels) I'm not sure and have thought a lot about the lyrics above. This seems to point to the animals being the good people and things that he's let slip through his fingers due to his social disfunctions. I was privy to a headache over pirouetting inards, In the mirrior sweating pitchers. Who's there Simian or lizard? These lyrics I think are him looking in the mirrior and having a crisis. He has seen his life fall apart and the way he is living, is he using his Simian brain or Lizard? He is unclean and losing hope, using his lizard brain to survive which is the primordial part of him. Aesop is my favorite artist because he wants us to think about his lyrics and he has said that they mean something to him, but he does not clarify because he wants others to find their own meanings. His writing is poetry and interpritation is part of the fun. I love hearing other peoples points of view on his lyrics as they mean something different based on our backgrounds and life expierences.

[@lowlowseesee]

would love to hear you talk more about the stuff you touched on in the outro about your upbringing

[@Tracer_Sweat]

9:15 It's what's occuring, have you ever felt like shit, like really sick or super down, some people say "I was at the gate" so he was sick and awaiting to feel better, had a headache, guts all twisted up, looking at yourself in a mirror dripping sweat, ask yourself if your a Simian or a lizard, am I looking humanish or reptilic

[@Ushanedi]

Brilliant! Blood and water chapter is from a series called warriors. :)

[@MrBakersdozen2020]

the line about innards and lizards is him being high on acid while the subject, I think either his mother or his ex wife, goes to church, signaling his isolation

[@BPCustomCreations]

Another great video 👍 I'd like to recommend suicide big gulp (Malibu Ken) and Jonathan (hall mary mallon). Still Aes but with different groups. Also, if you've never heard of the band Clutch, their music would make for good breakdown videos too.

[@shanemcdaniels]

I'm excited to check em out!

[@peterlehu951]

Enjoyed your analysis. But i don't think he's apologizing. He's blaming his parents (and parents in general) for treating him like god's greatest gift as a child and then not being there for him as an adult. The third verse is the result of this on his psyche. The last chorus reaffirms that he is fucked up because his parents "let him go....oh". And now as an adult he his hurting people who care for him and the cycle continues "on and on and on."

[@shanemcdaniels]

Aaaaaaah that's a good take on it, I walked away from this song thinking (just an interpretation that's most likely not true) "I'll raise my children better than I was raised" only to find that it's not easy, and no parent in the right mind chooses to raise a child half assed, either they do or don't. But in this context despite how much support he showed each creature (symbolism for himself and his brothers aside) the oh is the x factor of life. I can say all these supportive things to my children but it might not change the aftermath of life chewing them up and spitting them out a few times. Just an interpretation, not trying to push it on anyway, I know its not his intended message but it's what I walked away with

[@peterlehu951]

@@shanemcdaniels It's that "oh" that is the focal point of the song to me. A parent's love only goes so far and even this purest type of love can't hide the fact that we are all in this alone. It's a statement about humanity. In the third verse he looks at his life as squarely and honestly as possible and recognizes that he has hurt many people...but there is no attempt to change or apologize. Instead he goes right back into the 3rd chorus as if the third verse never even happened. This is just the way humans do. Himself, his parents, everyone. But its not completely nihilistic because there is at least recognition and honesty. The tone of the song indicates to me that the narrator is at peace with these hard truths.

[@TheWallman456]

Simian and lizard are references to the “old brain”. The lizard brain refers to the amigdila, the region of the brain that deals with fear and anger. The simian was the “ monkey before it was man”.

[@lowlowseesee]

that beat is naaasssty

[@SpataWorks]

As a plant nerd. Him knowing strawberries are a vine is pretty sick. They're in the rose family

[@outergalacticmarauderfacti6950]

The third verse gets deep in the feels fr fr

[@nylight]

He's been on tour so much before this album he was nvr home, talks to his mom about his divorce ..... your making me want to give you the pieces your missing but i think im enjoying your struggle to figure this out but if you get hung up him me

[@shanemcdaniels]

Oh yeah man, I ain't gonna get em right, most of the songs Im breaking down im not too too familiar with, I'm glad I have you guys helping me see the path tho

[@lowlowseesee]

you missed some small parts of the lyrics but great vid

[@DougRaymond-rc5fd]

You should do take me to the basement

[@shanemcdaniels]

wish granted

[@K1ng_Solo]

Simean or Lizard. Are they human ( or uncontrolled beasts) or the shapeshifters

[@jbliv831]

An aloof mother

[@charlesjones900]

Ayooooooooooo!!!!….what instrumental is that you’re playing in the background?

[@shanemcdaniels]

I got em all listed in description!

[@madeINaBATHtub]

once he hits those blunt ass bars that need no deciphering i swear my stomach turned i got goosebumps and started tearing up… aes is such a fn brilliant artist and damn his talent packs a punch when it hits home.

[@arthurporter131]

The sawed a woman in half line is referring to his divorce with his ex wife

[@arthurporter131]

And the following lines are about how his mom didn’t support him at all through the divorce

[@arthurporter131]

And the “contraband keeping the core of his Hyde Jeckylized” refers to his previous addiction to benzos that he’s mentioned on other songs, e.g. the line off impossible kid is where he says “had to cold Turkey benzos, summer was awesome”

[@kristopherthomas7166]

You’re doing a great job man. Great channel. Just found you today and subbed.

[@StanHowse]

"Pool side" Somewhere to hang-out/Chill? That's the idea I get when hearing that, and it not being the obvious of, next to a Pool. Also, I'm pretty sure his Mom, if not both Mom & Dad, are religious types. In the song "Blood sandwich" he talks about his Older Brother not being allowed to go see a Band he really liked, simply because his Mom thought it had to do with "Satan" and all that.. Back in the 1980's? And about that time the whole "Punk Rock / Anti-Christ Rock" genre was being born. So, his Mother has probably refereed to him as a Godless Heathen... I know Mine did.

[@BigRed-gk1de]

You should listen to ‘Holding on’ by Rhyme Asylum. Their lyricism and imagery is up there with the best ever

[@shanemcdaniels]

Wish granted

[@lowlowseesee]

"ok honey talk to you on friday' is so good ahhahahahaha. not only was she not listening she is also maybe batshit. i have a uber religious grandma and she barely listens and its almost like talking to someone who is on an lsd trip half asleep

[@shanemcdaniels]

Buddy, I'm right there with ya 🤣

[@true_plays_games]

This song is about his marriage and his jilted disposition and bad attitude. Nothing about this song has to do with his relationship with his Mom at all. The last four lines are just him confessing to being shitty. I like this style of video, but man you gotta find some way to actually interpret the content. The title of this video made me watch this because it’s just so… not accurate.

[@mikeypeacemaker2729]

Dude …Im pretty sure Aes is super close with his family. “Thank You” I believe is a thank you letter to his sister and brother possibly family for helping him through hard times. Thatd be a good song to cover of Aes 😂

[@ju4408]

"One of Four"?

[@esotericbikeclub3018]

I would like it if you would redo this video and do it more justice with your breakdown.

[@lowlowseesee]

he'd does this so much too. go back and listen to Fumes. shit is heartbreaking.

[@Leeterthanthou]

Suicide Lane is the turning lane, wide load he is takign it up

[@Ffootagefetish]

I think you picked this song apart about as well as he intended for people to understand the lyrics, its not meant to be straight forward and obvious allowing you to interpret how you find it relatable

[@dont_take_it_personal]

Oh...

[@SunShine-hn7qk]

Road kill laying by the kitty pool he's yet to clean up greasy grimey gopher guts poolside. Or saying it's Nasty outside his house. As well as inside

[@stevenbaum6555]

It's an old (at least from when I was in 1st grade in the 90s) and kinda gross and crude childrens rhyme . It's sung in the tune of "Ol Gray Mare She aint what She Used to Be" and goes like this- Great Green Gobs of Greesy Grimey Gopher Guts Mutilated Monkey Meat Dirty little Birys Feet Great Green Gobs of Greesy Grimey Gopher Guts And I forgot my spoon.

[@TheJustmetitus]

Imagery.....

[@constantly-confused5736]

You think this an apology? really? the way his mum completely misses the point about what he is trying to tell her (failed marriage) in the first verse and only replies with meaningless platitudes? ...and he then goes on to say that they are connected by blood, but pretty much ONLY blood (common plasma)? and that there's a growing disconnection? The three animals (three snakes, three frogs, three crabs) stand for him and his brother. yes. but the encouragement he gives to those animals is exactly what was missing in his childhood... what his mother failed to do.... and what may have caused some of his problems now... him being a bad communicator, being unable to maintain a relationship, feeling undeserving of affection... when talks about the past, his childhood, his formative years... he talks about those he wished "would have acted different when the bidding was essential". but okay, he sees that his resentfulness was partly unfair, because maybe those people back then were caught in their own problems... but still: not an apology.

[@rosco3516]

A suicide lane is the lane between the two yellow lines where where it's a turn left only for BOTH sides of traffic at the same time. Front end collisions a full speed are common.

[@rosco3516]

12:13 is quite in character for long term depression. It's been like that for so long you don't know what else there is. So you fake being happy until you convince yourself it's true. All the while the hints are there, Kirby is all but a love song, and most of the content of his work is of an introspective nature; to question and philosophy possibly a dash of theology.

[@shanemcdaniels]

Didn't know that first bit 😨

[@kevincurpheymusic]

I love your breakdowns. The background music, between bars that you play, that has ZERO to do with the song you're talking about, totally takes me out of the message you are explaining, and is so distracting. *SIGH* Anyway. It's a good break down, but had to stop it half way through, as I couldn't even focus on what you were saying, past the background music, as I was trying so hard to place the bars you were explaining, over the ACTUAL song, but no, the background music kept displacing the bars for me. Note: I did subscribe however, as your breakdown on The Gates, was amazing! And didn't have background music, that totally distracted from the song you were explaining.

[@shanemcdaniels]

Sorry about that! I'll keep em much lower in volume, but I truly appreciate the sub!

[@kevincurpheymusic]

@@shanemcdaniels I wasn't trying to seem rude or disrespectful, it's just that I'm really not a multitasker at all, I have to focus on one thing at a time, and I LOVE your breakdowns, but the extra background music truly makes it near impossible for me to even fully process what you are saying about a given bar, as I can't remember where that bar is in the actual Aesop Rock song, until I stop your video, and listen to it on my own. The portions that you aren't playing the background music, I find SUPER interesting and easy I to follow what you're saying. You have a great way of verbally breaking down Aesop Rock , way better than most others who have attempted to explain his music. You seem like a really genuine dude, and truly have a unique way of looking at music / lyrics.

[@shanemcdaniels]

@@kevincurpheymusic I appreciate your kind words, and I'm not offended in the slightest. I'm glad you were open about it so I could fix it, thanks!

[@kevincurpheymusic]

@@shanemcdaniels I'd love to hear you do a breakdown of one of my songs, if you're ever interested. Do you make music yourself? Or write lyrics, etc? If so, I'd love to hear / read what you have!!

[@kevincurpheymusic]

@@shanemcdaniels you seem like a VERY genuine human being brother! I tend to not have much of a filter on my thoughts or how I present them to people, so I deeply appreciate your kindness back. I hope you have amazing succus and prosperity with your channel, and anything else that you do in your life!!! People like you deserve to succeed!

[@BadVladKayaks]

Think about the lyrics before you post a video trying to analyze it.

[@shanemcdaniels]

These are on the fly reactions my guy

[@Ikilledthebanks]

You project a good deal

[@jakobparker225]

Blood and Water chapter goes back to Shakespeare play prefaces. It is sort of a listing of who is related to who, so who is blood related and who are associates or strangers... As far as the statements to the 3 animals he would pull out in the choruses, he was assigning each characteristics he wants them to have. But then you here a "Oh..." only to realize that they are their own beings and will do what they naturally do...