The way I interpret the "I'm slowly losing power, has it only been an hour?" line is that he spent like an entire year creating this special and after all that time it was only an hours worth of content.
I interpreted it more as a type of social anxiety. Finally going outside and as you start to feel so completely socially drained you check the time and realize it's only been an hour with who knows how much longer you have to be out
Also think of it in the meta that a year of his life is worth 1hr of work. I also think of it in the literal, during quarantine I found a lot of points where I would be doing something playing a video game I would think I spent most of my day doing only to realize it was 1pm. Time seemed to almost slow when you have so much.
The ending with the spotlight on his naked self is-I think-a visualization of how it feels to be looked at by an audience. The vulnerability, everyone looking at you, (all eyes on me) and especially with the addition of having to come out with his hands up. Again, having hands up is another vulnerability metaphor. He’s naked with his hands up, he’s defenseless, he’s exposed. It’s humiliating, in a way. That’s probably why he had so many panic attacks on stage.
"Am I right back where I started 14 years ago" refers to when he first started performing, on TH-cam, from inside his house. Now after a 5 year hiatus, to work on his mental health, stop having panic attacks on/off stage, and come to terms with the added stressors that came with performing live. He was ready to face a live audience, and likely needed it a little, but was forced back inside and without his audience.
Also another piece I like to think of is after he says “am I right back where I started 14 years ago” he sings welcome to the internet which is where it all started for him.
@@Sunny67493 that is clearly not what my comment says, it’s saying after the preforms “Goodbye” in which he says “Am I right back where I started 14 years ago?” He goes into the song “Welcome to the Internet.” As if he’s remembering when he first began on the internet.
I’ve been watching him from back then. “New math” was the first thing I saw of him. I was like 13/14. I never would have guessed that he’d be a go to for me when I’m feeling lost. Inside has so many songs I listen to when I’m not totally ok. It’s wild how much it helps
Bo took his hiatus due to his mental health coming to a point where he no longer could be on stage. He began having panic attacks in the middle of his sets, and he has said that when he got done with the Kanye rant, that he walked off stage and cried for I believe three hours because he had panic attacks while performing it
On stage is performance art. He has issues being on stage, and he's talked about it in interviews. But he's always dealt with it. he left more likely because he was writing and directing eighth grade and he stared in a couple movies in that time frame.
@@AdsForAdults he says in the start of Inside that he left live comedy because he started having severe panic attacks on stage. He took 5 years off to get better and he got better so he decided in January of 2020 to start doing live shows again, but then Covid happened forcing him to be inside.
@@MrZane777 You do understand Inside is performance art? elements of truth mixed with lies and embellishments? He's said in interviews that he hates it when people think who he is "on stage" is who he is "off stage" ... There is bo the person, and Bo the performer. The performer's goal is to create a product consumed by the masses. we aren't his therapists he divulges everything to. Bo worked and was around lots of people in order to make 8th grade, and star in movies and side projects. He also was pegged for writing songs for a muppet movie at one point. Bo wasn't an isolated depressed mess as Inside portrays. it is a performance piece.
@@AdsForAdults never said he was an isolated depressed mess. He’s talked in multiple interviews about his last live show and why he left live comedy. After the Kanye Rant in What, he broke down back stage for 2 hours. He’s been very blatant about the fact he has mental health issues, if you genuinely think he’s making up why he left live comedy idk what to say to you. Just because he worked around people doesn’t mean he still didn’t have anxiety/was getting help for it. Being at work/working with other is very different than a solo act on stage. I know Inside was a performance piece, what I said was still true. I wasn’t saying he never did anything in between. him getting forced back inside was the point of him not being able to perform because of Covid, so instead he created Inside.
I think a lyric that’s often overlooked in this song is when he says “when I’m fully irrelevant and totally broke…n dammit call me up and tell me a joke”. Fully irrelevant and totally broke is one thing but the little pause he gives before revealing that he says broken just hits so much harder. Also the lyrics have it as broke and not broken so that’s probs why people don’t notice it as much.
This song is powerful. The end, particularly the "You're really joking at a time like this" feels like an artist who wants sincerity in a time of need but is caught up in the perception that everything needs to be a joke because he's a comedian. Then follow that with the robotic yet sarcastic "Well, well..." line feeling like "Oh, you're back for more. Let's see what you got, funny man." exposed in full detail by a spotlight with zero empathy or understanding. "Entertain us."
You should watch "look who's inside again" for you to have more context of this song's ending Also my interpretation of the "come out with your hands up we got you surrounded" is aligned with the whole "apathy's a tragedy and boredom is a crime" line which he's probably expecting the aftermath of putting out the special to be surrounded by critics and people who wanted more
I would really support for you to watch the entire special in one sitting, even if it's not recorded for youtube. It changes a lot of the meanings of the songs having the little spaces in between them where bo takes us on a journey with his hardships during the filming of this.
I take the “am I right back where I started 14 years ago?” Line to mean he’s back in his bedroom, making videos by himself for the internet. You’ve got to watch the special!
Honestly I think this is my favorite song in the whole special, he does such a good job here at closing the loops on a lot of the song we had heard throughout the special. As you said he music/chord progression is amazing and its sung so beautifully.
As this track has sections and meanings from different songs. The “look who’s inside again” that is heavily modulated is from a short song during the special and you can hear more clearly. It gives a lot more meaning and I site to the words. But they are used here in this song in a darker way
I think 14 years ago he was a kid stuck in his room creating music like he was in this entire special. Like i've said before 6 noms and 3 Emmys ... need to watch it. The monologues and stuff between songs give it so much more feeling. In the start of the Inside special he said I'll call you and tell you a joke, but at the end he asks us to call him to tell him a joke.
I really love that ending where it abruptly cuts to him sitting at the piano completely naked with a spotlight on him and a very distorted unnerving voice playing an altered version of a few lyrics from one of the songs, taunting him, leaving him completely and utterly exposed and vulnerable to the world on a stage with the spotlight and everyone is watching him as he bares his entire soul to them in the form of these songs and this special. And afterwards, it’s represented again by him walking out of his house out onto a stage with a spotlight, a crowd cheering, he goes to go back into his house and the door is locked and he’s desperately trying to pry the door open as the crowd laughs at him in increasing volume until he just sinks to the ground and curls up into a ball as they continue to laugh and cheer at his misfortunes
I always heard the 'has it only been an hour? No that can't be right' line as a more first-person perspective. As in he was working on this massive project for so long during quarantine in order to keep himself moving, but once he puts an end to it, all he's really left with is an hour of entertainment put on Netflix. Side Note: Loving your reaction! Keep it up Dave! I'd love to be able to support you more on Patreon, even if I don't 'get a vote' in doing so!
"Hey, here's a fun idea: How 'bout I sit on the couch and I watch you next time?" Nothing's ever motivated me more to create something for entertainment than that.
The ending means he is exposing himself by being a comedian and being on stage. In the video he is literally exposed, naked, and the robotic voice says he's looking for a reason to hide again. This means he's back inside, like during his 5 year break and also like during his beginnings as a youtuber 14 years ago. The voice says, come out with your hands up we've got you surrounded. I think this is referring to his fans. They are waiting for him and watching his every move. No matter what he does he will always be famous and will always be watched by his fans, so he is like a prisoner whether he is inside or not.
Once it's all put into context by watching the entire special it takes on a different meaning. I watched a few parts out of context as stand alone songs and made my own meanings. But I really changed my thoughts about the songs once put in the context of his completed art by watching the whole special. Bo is an artist. He crafts things very well. He is very talented and one of his talents is giving so many possible meanings that is up to listener to find their own meaning in it. It is indeed a wonderful rabbit hole to go down. Alice in Wonderland (the original reference for strange rabbit holes) has nothing on Bo for creating strange worlds.
At approximately 8:43 in your video, Bo says something like, “when I’m totally broke.” A different reaction video to this song noticed that he actually says “when I’m totally broke’n.” I found that interesting. Thought you might too.
You have great reactions! Yes, you'll miss things, but on the average you seem to miss a lot less than other reactors. Your insights are excellent. Great reaction :)
I'm glad you reacted to this, it was great! I've been watching Bo since I was just making it into my teen years makes my day seeing people appreciate his craft. Great Vid man keep it up!!
as a fellow introvert, i get anxious around people out of fear of being misunderstood (mainly because it feels like my brain just stops working and i think il seem awkward or dumb not having hot takes just to be clear), however a lot of us are constantly building pressure and confidence until an explosion of extrovertness and then we go scurrying back into our whole, also i will say introverts alot of the time are very down to earth good people, a lot of that alone time is spent introspectively judging yourself while at the same time building yourself up, alot of introvert are amazing artist or musicians or super funny because we have to be in infectious person because we need to know that people like us or we need something you can be without a doubt good at, or else we'll assume that all of what we think about ourself is being thought be them too, obviously not all introverts are like this.
I can always appreciate your desire to understand the context of the content you're reacting to. Would absolutely love to see you react to the full special. Like a watch party! :D Patreon watch party??
The “do returns always diminish? Did I say that right?” could be a reference to the underlying political messages in this special. During How the World Works socko is portraying the working class and presenting some of the glaring issues with capitalism. One of the major talking points against capitalism is the tendency for the rate of profits to decrease; there is only so many times you can reduce wages or increase the cost before the profit increase from doing so is negligible. I think this is partially what is meant by the first line, “do returns always diminish?.” And the “did I say that right?,” can be seen as Bo playing the part of someone who is beginning to understand and learn the critiques but still isn’t sure they get the points correctly. I also think there is enough room in Bo’s work for this to have multiple meanings, some of which are in this comment section.
The line “you pick the street I’ll meet you on the other side” has 2 meanings if you think about it (as do so many lines in this song). In this instance, at face value it’s cuz of Covid that you can’t cross the street to see them (social distancing). But it could also be much darker and someone choosing the street to meet him but he will have passed onto the other side… just deep stuff.
I know others have mentioned the “look who’s inside again” bit at the end being a callback to a prior song (the whole last like 10-15 seconds are callbacks to other songs. You caught the bit that was from Comedy”). I think the end is basically saying it’s over now and as soon as it’s finished it’s out in the open for everyone to watch and criticize and critique to their hearts content. If the public wants to rip it to shreds there’s nothing he can do but stand back and watch. So it’s almost like living in that nightmare where you’re naked in public and everyone is laughing and pointing at you (spotlight is shining very harshly at him). So it’s him opening himself up to that onslaught. When he sings that song earlier in the special it almost sounds like he’s sarcastically talking to himself. “Like good job, you gave it a good try but clearly we’re not ready for this, let’s go back inside where we’re safe”. But at the end here the voice is warped (like it might be in a dream) and it sounds taunting, like it’s the public telling him his whole special is a joke and to give up.
"Has it only been an hour" is reference to the playtime of the special. This song occurs about an hour into the special but the amount of time he had put into recording the special had been over a year, while isolated and secluded. Have all these months of work really only been an hour of product?
I took “only been an hour” as in usable content. The amount of work this must’ve taken to produce on his own: writing, producing, mixing, editing, set building, practicing, filming, editing again… not even including time for working around program malfunctions and mistakes, taking mental health breaks. I can imagine that this got dragged out for the most of 2020, probably even the beginning of 2021. But all of that work he put in only resulted in a 1 hour special. I think that also ties into the “do returns always diminish”. Like he put in all this work to make the special on his own, what if no one bothered to watch. What if in the 5 years he was gone his fans moved on and we’re no longer interested in his art? What if they saw it and hated it? The world is very different now compared to when he started in the early TH-cam days, what if he was out of touch with what fans would actually want to hear? What would that mean for his career moving forward? When you watch the special, you’ll see some in between moments that give you the sense that this project dragging out is giving him anxiety, like he’s slowly devolving-he wants it to end but is afraid of the aftermath. I love how he is always vulnerable enough with his fans to show that. Aside from his first TH-cam videos I don’t think he’s worked on a project like this completely on his own, at least not to this scale. So I can only imagine how much more pressure he must’ve felt knowing that if something didn’t come out the way he wanted that he could only blame himself. I really hope he’s proud of what he made and knows how deeply it affected us. It’s been over a year now and I’m still listening to reactions and rewatching the special.
I took the “am I right back where I started 14 years ago” as he is back in his room making videos again, just like when he started on TH-cam when he was a kid.
so, you'll probably get a lot of these comments, but you might need to really watch the whole "Inside" special to really get the whole context. To answer your question, he was having panic attacks on stage and so he left to try to address his mental health and heal from his experiences. basically. from my perspective. I'm sure there are other takes. Anyway, another great reaction, Dave! You're vibe is so chill and engaging!! I'm glad you're sharing your reactions! :D
The closing piece of the special, aftter this, he actually steps out of the house, looks at an (unseen ) crowd and tries the door unsuccessfully to get back in. I would recommend his Kanye Rant, (I don't Think I Can Handle This, the end of his previous special Make Happy. I think it will make you say "Oh"
Diminishing returns refers to a principal that says that at a certain point, putting more effort into something does not produce returns equal or greater than the energy used to create them. He's saying, if I really just keep working on the special instead of finishing it, will it really not just become better and closer to my idealized version?
On the diminishing returns line, I think he’s talking about adding more and more songs and figuring out how much each subsequent song will boost the overall special. It’s an economic term mainly. Let’s say you offer a bag of 5 wing nuts for $1. That’s a twenty cent return on each wing nut, but if you add a sixth wing nut, you might only be able to sell the bag for $1.19. That means you’re only getting a nineteen cent return on that sixth wing nut. There’s a diminishing return from each subsequent wingnut, so the trick is to find the sweet spot that allows you to maximize profit. So he has to decide where to draw the line and call the album complete instead of continuing to add songs that don’t add much to the finished product. As a perfectionist, I’m sure that figuring out where to draw the line is difficult for him.
To be honest, I'm not necessarily in a good place right now, but this song always reads a little like an ...... unaliving letter..... to me. You are trying to do something, but each time it's getting a little more difficult. Returns diminish, you're losing power, time seems to be standing still. Another reaction I watched caught something I hadn't even thought about before and now it hits me like a ton of bricks each time. At the end of the line "when I'm fully irrelevant and totally broke" he adds a quiet "-en" when he starts again on "Dammit", but they did not text it. I think it's not about money in the end, I think it's about him fearing falling apart.
It feels like he is saying goodbye to being Inside, surrendering to the end of his work and coming outside - where he is vulnerable to the thoughts, opinions, emotions, etc. of his audience. But he needs that interaction at his core (being saved by others calling HIM up and telling HIM jokes; "how about I sit on the couch and I watch YOU next time?). So he says Goodbye to his special - to his creating of the special, anyway - and comes outside. And immediately, he feels naked and vulnerable, as the audience (or, rather, the audience he is imagining) sees his nakedness and starts laughing at him. He IMMEDIATELY tries to go back Inside, but the door is locked - he can't get back Inside, and now is exposed for all the world to see. That part wasn't in your reaction but it was an essential part of the bit itself. It's worth noting that the final shot is when the camera goes to clothed Bo, in a separate room, watching the scene - the audience laughing at him, his exposure and fear, and he begins to smile. So in that final moment, we get acceptance of his special Inside, as a finished product. He's proud of what he made, other reactions be damned.
love love love this! i also am adding to the chorus of you should watch the whole special. maybe do mini reactions to the clips in between (it’s not just songs). i’ve seen people do it and it’s fun. ads lots of context.
He took a hiatus because his mental health was suffering, and he was having severe panic attacks on stage while performing. If you haven’t already, check out “all eyes on me” he explains the situation better.
probably my favorite song of the special. The short little 40 second songs are really good on the special too. You should roll all those short songs into 1 reaction video.
Just watched the whole video. The reason he quit is the panic attacks he was having live while he was performing.. he says am I right back when I started 14 years ago because he started when he was 16 in his room making comedy songs.. just like now
“Look who’s inside again. Went out to look for a reason to hide again.” That like is from another song. I interpret it as an introvert and a bit of a shut-in. It’s like every time I leave the house, I’m looking for an excuse to not have to leave the next time. Like if I get cut off in traffic, the next time I’m trying to leave, I just think about how the traffic will be really bad so maybe it’s better to stay home. Even though that’s a thing that happens to everyone, I’m just looking for reasons to not leave the house. Now just take that and amplify it to Bo’s level of fame and stress. Maybe he thinks, “The last time I did a show, I got heckled. Maybe it’s best I just don’t do another show.”
"Has it only been an hour, no that can't be right." IMO is more along the lines of the fact that the comedy special is an hour long, and Bo Burnham spent over a year working on it. So its more like he's questioning the output of his productivity... also, during the lockdown, many people did things like watch shows or movies or entertainment to pass the time, so it's also from the perspective of the person watching the special, who just has too much time on their hands and they're desperately trying to kill time to get to the next day, being entertained for that hour and forgetting that "funny feeling" they've been warding off. It works, but when its over, they look at the clock and its only been an hour. That's just how I took it.
What i imagine on "You're really joking at a time like this" is his parents died, he's old and largely forgotten and you are calling to him telling him a joke. Funny in a way for me but i do see how morbid it looks like.
Great song to do right after Comedy! Very similar, but with parts of other songs from Inside incorporated into it! I love how he started with this song at the beginning of the process. He's naked at the end to show just how vulnerable he made himself to all of us! He took the break because of the panic attacks he was having on stage. Watch All Eyes on Me again, you may have forgot his explanation. That's my take anyway! Amazing how his mind works! Always love your thoughts on your reactions!
If you watch the entire Netflix special INSIDE, you get an idea of why he is going in the direction he is currently. The song "All Eyes On Me" explains why he took a break from comedy.
Diminishing returns involve trying to do something enough times while it’s still producing whatever it is you are aiming for, before it drops off in efficiency or stops being practical. Maybe he’s talking about recording over and over again without an audience.
Hey dude! Can't afford to join your Patreon at the moment cause I'm in the process of buying a home but I think you'd really enjoy the Harry Mack + Marc Rebillet stream! You should definitely react to "If I Had You" and "Move Your Body" if you do! And I'm sure a ton of people would watch if you reacted to the whole stream too. Hope things are good on your end!
Bo pretty much quit because he couldn't handle the pressure and the fame that had beset him so quickly. He was very unprepared for the fame and it gave him severe anxiety and made his mental health some of the worst its ever been. So after 5 years he had been planning to come back but then covid hit and so he made "inside". I highly suggest you go and watch the full show at some point (if you haven't already). Hearing everything in order and seeing all of the visual progression can really change how impactful certain scenes can be. It really is a whole different exp seeing the whole thing in one go.
Returns always diminish it's a play on words for diminishing returns a concept that means that something get less effective over time when repeated like jokes, like stories, etc Or something like that English is not even my primary language :P
This video makes me ask the question: why do I keep watching “Inside” reactions even though the people reacting to them aren’t actually listening to the message? The music is great, yes. The point of the reaction videos is to smile and be animated, yes. Does it come across that they’re feeling the actual emotion behind the music, highly debatable…
I got some hits and misses with Bo. In some songs, I get the message clearly. In others, goes over my head. I can’t be expected to get them all every time on a first listen. But I try.
Inside could/should and will be used in the future as some sort of psychiatric text or test or idk... I'm dumb but even I see it's immense value beyond a simple comedy special... It's a look Inside his mind, in our minds...
Now come out with your hands up we’ve got you surrounded... I always remember even after the Kanye rent and telling off the audience he still is a professional after l and comes back out on stage surrounded puts his hands up and bows to thank the audience for attending.
I'mma go ahead and agree with some of the other commenters: do yourself a favour and watch the whole special end to end. The individual songs are great, don't get me wrong, but there's a story there that the clips just don't show. Why is the show called INSIDE? Is it *only* that it was all filmed indoors? And if it means something else, then what does it mean that he's being forced out with his hands up, against his will? The best thing about INSIDE is that Bo made his album into a literal feature-length movie: his very own character arc, expressed only through the lens of creating and reflecting on his own art.
This song may be one of the stickiest from the album for me because of the general tone but also that exact progression you talked about. Its so sorrowful but at the same time beautiful. That felt like a real goodbye to me to the point I felt concerned for Bo. Not going to lie.
The clip you werent sure if you had seen was from White womans instagram!! seeing as you mentioned him reacting you should really react to Unpaid Intern😁thanks!! ps your reactions are awesome!
The way I interpret the "I'm slowly losing power, has it only been an hour?" line is that he spent like an entire year creating this special and after all that time it was only an hours worth of content.
He was actually talking about five nights at freddy’s lmao
@@CaptainKirbzholy shit, Freddy Fazbear from hit game series and film Five Nights at Freddy’s?!
I interpreted it more as a type of social anxiety. Finally going outside and as you start to feel so completely socially drained you check the time and realize it's only been an hour with who knows how much longer you have to be out
Also think of it in the meta that a year of his life is worth 1hr of work. I also think of it in the literal, during quarantine I found a lot of points where I would be doing something playing a video game I would think I spent most of my day doing only to realize it was 1pm. Time seemed to almost slow when you have so much.
The ending with the spotlight on his naked self is-I think-a visualization of how it feels to be looked at by an audience.
The vulnerability, everyone looking at you, (all eyes on me) and especially with the addition of having to come out with his hands up. Again, having hands up is another vulnerability metaphor.
He’s naked with his hands up, he’s defenseless, he’s exposed. It’s humiliating, in a way. That’s probably why he had so many panic attacks on stage.
"Am I right back where I started 14 years ago" refers to when he first started performing, on TH-cam, from inside his house. Now after a 5 year hiatus, to work on his mental health, stop having panic attacks on/off stage, and come to terms with the added stressors that came with performing live. He was ready to face a live audience, and likely needed it a little, but was forced back inside and without his audience.
Also another piece I like to think of is after he says “am I right back where I started 14 years ago” he sings welcome to the internet which is where it all started for him.
@@MrZane777 welcome to the internet wasn't 14 years ago
@@Sunny67493 that is clearly not what my comment says, it’s saying after the preforms “Goodbye” in which he says “Am I right back where I started 14 years ago?” He goes into the song “Welcome to the Internet.” As if he’s remembering when he first began on the internet.
I’ve been watching him from back then. “New math” was the first thing I saw of him. I was like 13/14. I never would have guessed that he’d be a go to for me when I’m feeling lost. Inside has so many songs I listen to when I’m not totally ok. It’s wild how much it helps
Bo took his hiatus due to his mental health coming to a point where he no longer could be on stage. He began having panic attacks in the middle of his sets, and he has said that when he got done with the Kanye rant, that he walked off stage and cried for I believe three hours because he had panic attacks while performing it
He talks about it one if the tracks from Inside - All Eyes on Me
On stage is performance art. He has issues being on stage, and he's talked about it in interviews. But he's always dealt with it. he left more likely because he was writing and directing eighth grade and he stared in a couple movies in that time frame.
@@AdsForAdults he says in the start of Inside that he left live comedy because he started having severe panic attacks on stage. He took 5 years off to get better and he got better so he decided in January of 2020 to start doing live shows again, but then Covid happened forcing him to be inside.
@@MrZane777 You do understand Inside is performance art? elements of truth mixed with lies and embellishments? He's said in interviews that he hates it when people think who he is "on stage" is who he is "off stage" ... There is bo the person, and Bo the performer. The performer's goal is to create a product consumed by the masses. we aren't his therapists he divulges everything to. Bo worked and was around lots of people in order to make 8th grade, and star in movies and side projects. He also was pegged for writing songs for a muppet movie at one point. Bo wasn't an isolated depressed mess as Inside portrays. it is a performance piece.
@@AdsForAdults never said he was an isolated depressed mess. He’s talked in multiple interviews about his last live show and why he left live comedy. After the Kanye Rant in What, he broke down back stage for 2 hours. He’s been very blatant about the fact he has mental health issues, if you genuinely think he’s making up why he left live comedy idk what to say to you. Just because he worked around people doesn’t mean he still didn’t have anxiety/was getting help for it. Being at work/working with other is very different than a solo act on stage. I know Inside was a performance piece, what I said was still true. I wasn’t saying he never did anything in between. him getting forced back inside was the point of him not being able to perform because of Covid, so instead he created Inside.
I think a lyric that’s often overlooked in this song is when he says “when I’m fully irrelevant and totally broke…n dammit call me up and tell me a joke”. Fully irrelevant and totally broke is one thing but the little pause he gives before revealing that he says broken just hits so much harder. Also the lyrics have it as broke and not broken so that’s probs why people don’t notice it as much.
This song is powerful. The end, particularly the "You're really joking at a time like this" feels like an artist who wants sincerity in a time of need but is caught up in the perception that everything needs to be a joke because he's a comedian. Then follow that with the robotic yet sarcastic "Well, well..." line feeling like "Oh, you're back for more. Let's see what you got, funny man." exposed in full detail by a spotlight with zero empathy or understanding. "Entertain us."
You should watch "look who's inside again" for you to have more context of this song's ending
Also my interpretation of the "come out with your hands up we got you surrounded" is aligned with the whole "apathy's a tragedy and boredom is a crime" line which he's probably expecting the aftermath of putting out the special to be surrounded by critics and people who wanted more
I would really support for you to watch the entire special in one sitting, even if it's not recorded for youtube. It changes a lot of the meanings of the songs having the little spaces in between them where bo takes us on a journey with his hardships during the filming of this.
Plus, it's just amazing. There are parts not available as stand alone vids.
Absolutely!!! You gotta watch the whole thing!
@@gloriam1972 Yes!!!! he should......it's priceless!!!!
100! Agree
@@AnaCarolina-vy3gh and let's not forget the inside outtakes!! Absolutely brilliant too!! I think I love Bo Burnham ❤️❤️🥰
I take the “am I right back where I started 14 years ago?” Line to mean he’s back in his bedroom, making videos by himself for the internet. You’ve got to watch the special!
Honestly I think this is my favorite song in the whole special, he does such a good job here at closing the loops on a lot of the song we had heard throughout the special. As you said he music/chord progression is amazing and its sung so beautifully.
As this track has sections and meanings from different songs. The “look who’s inside again” that is heavily modulated is from a short song during the special and you can hear more clearly. It gives a lot more meaning and I site to the words. But they are used here in this song in a darker way
I think 14 years ago he was a kid stuck in his room creating music like he was in this entire special. Like i've said before 6 noms and 3 Emmys ... need to watch it. The monologues and stuff between songs give it so much more feeling. In the start of the Inside special he said I'll call you and tell you a joke, but at the end he asks us to call him to tell him a joke.
Word thief! I wanted to express this concept first and now I am forced to merely supporting it.
But yeah, this
@@kreadapelu8813 lol my apologies
I really love that ending where it abruptly cuts to him sitting at the piano completely naked with a spotlight on him and a very distorted unnerving voice playing an altered version of a few lyrics from one of the songs, taunting him, leaving him completely and utterly exposed and vulnerable to the world on a stage with the spotlight and everyone is watching him as he bares his entire soul to them in the form of these songs and this special. And afterwards, it’s represented again by him walking out of his house out onto a stage with a spotlight, a crowd cheering, he goes to go back into his house and the door is locked and he’s desperately trying to pry the door open as the crowd laughs at him in increasing volume until he just sinks to the ground and curls up into a ball as they continue to laugh and cheer at his misfortunes
I always heard the 'has it only been an hour? No that can't be right' line as a more first-person perspective. As in he was working on this massive project for so long during quarantine in order to keep himself moving, but once he puts an end to it, all he's really left with is an hour of entertainment put on Netflix.
Side Note: Loving your reaction! Keep it up Dave! I'd love to be able to support you more on Patreon, even if I don't 'get a vote' in doing so!
"Hey, here's a fun idea: How 'bout I sit on the couch and I watch you next time?"
Nothing's ever motivated me more to create something for entertainment than that.
If I create something it would be very disappointing
The ending means he is exposing himself by being a comedian and being on stage. In the video he is literally exposed, naked, and the robotic voice says he's looking for a reason to hide again. This means he's back inside, like during his 5 year break and also like during his beginnings as a youtuber 14 years ago. The voice says, come out with your hands up we've got you surrounded. I think this is referring to his fans. They are waiting for him and watching his every move. No matter what he does he will always be famous and will always be watched by his fans, so he is like a prisoner whether he is inside or not.
Once it's all put into context by watching the entire special it takes on a different meaning. I watched a few parts out of context as stand alone songs and made my own meanings. But I really changed my thoughts about the songs once put in the context of his completed art by watching the whole special. Bo is an artist. He crafts things very well. He is very talented and one of his talents is giving so many possible meanings that is up to listener to find their own meaning in it. It is indeed a wonderful rabbit hole to go down. Alice in Wonderland (the original reference for strange rabbit holes) has nothing on Bo for creating strange worlds.
At approximately 8:43 in your video, Bo says something like, “when I’m totally broke.” A different reaction video to this song noticed that he actually says “when I’m totally broke’n.” I found that interesting. Thought you might too.
We have the same face when that key change kicks in. Haha
It’s crazy how many people don’t recognize the genius in this guy
This one really has so much more power when you've seen the entire special prior, especially with all the callbacks to earlier songs
Bro I love your reactions, insight, and overall vibe. You feel like a friend I've never even met.
You have great reactions! Yes, you'll miss things, but on the average you seem to miss a lot less than other reactors. Your insights are excellent. Great reaction :)
No way, yesterday I was looking to see if you reacted to this one and now here it is lol. This is awesome dude, I love your channel!
"All eyes on me" has a quick explanation on why he took his 5-year hiatus. Definitely worth checking out.
I'm glad you reacted to this, it was great! I've been watching Bo since I was just making it into my teen years makes my day seeing people appreciate his craft. Great Vid man keep it up!!
Bos reaction to Phoebe Bridgets doing That Funny Feeling encapsulates a lot of his thoughts on performing
Think back on his All Eyes on Me..he literally explains why he left standup…I’ve really enjoyed taking your Bo trip with you☺️‼️
Yeah I remember now. I figured it was mental health related.
as a fellow introvert, i get anxious around people out of fear of being misunderstood (mainly because it feels like my brain just stops working and i think il seem awkward or dumb not having hot takes just to be clear), however a lot of us are constantly building pressure and confidence until an explosion of extrovertness and then we go scurrying back into our whole, also i will say introverts alot of the time are very down to earth good people, a lot of that alone time is spent introspectively judging yourself while at the same time building yourself up, alot of introvert are amazing artist or musicians or super funny because we have to be in infectious person because we need to know that people like us or we need something you can be without a doubt good at, or else we'll assume that all of what we think about ourself is being thought be them too, obviously not all introverts are like this.
been having this song on repeat this past week, glad to see you react to this one!
This is a tricky song to react to in isolation because it’s tying all the parts of Inside together.
"So this is how it ends" and the chord progression is like something the Beatles or oasis would do. Bo knows music theory and he uses it
I can always appreciate your desire to understand the context of the content you're reacting to. Would absolutely love to see you react to the full special. Like a watch party! :D Patreon watch party??
The “do returns always diminish? Did I say that right?” could be a reference to the underlying political messages in this special. During How the World Works socko is portraying the working class and presenting some of the glaring issues with capitalism. One of the major talking points against capitalism is the tendency for the rate of profits to decrease; there is only so many times you can reduce wages or increase the cost before the profit increase from doing so is negligible. I think this is partially what is meant by the first line, “do returns always diminish?.” And the “did I say that right?,” can be seen as Bo playing the part of someone who is beginning to understand and learn the critiques but still isn’t sure they get the points correctly. I also think there is enough room in Bo’s work for this to have multiple meanings, some of which are in this comment section.
I literally just subscribed to you I just watched your "comedy" reaction
Perfect timing man..
The line “you pick the street I’ll meet you on the other side” has 2 meanings if you think about it (as do so many lines in this song). In this instance, at face value it’s cuz of Covid that you can’t cross the street to see them (social distancing). But it could also be much darker and someone choosing the street to meet him but he will have passed onto the other side… just deep stuff.
I know others have mentioned the “look who’s inside again” bit at the end being a callback to a prior song (the whole last like 10-15 seconds are callbacks to other songs. You caught the bit that was from Comedy”). I think the end is basically saying it’s over now and as soon as it’s finished it’s out in the open for everyone to watch and criticize and critique to their hearts content. If the public wants to rip it to shreds there’s nothing he can do but stand back and watch. So it’s almost like living in that nightmare where you’re naked in public and everyone is laughing and pointing at you (spotlight is shining very harshly at him). So it’s him opening himself up to that onslaught. When he sings that song earlier in the special it almost sounds like he’s sarcastically talking to himself. “Like good job, you gave it a good try but clearly we’re not ready for this, let’s go back inside where we’re safe”. But at the end here the voice is warped (like it might be in a dream) and it sounds taunting, like it’s the public telling him his whole special is a joke and to give up.
@6:55 Also He was a Dude in his one room ( bedroom ) making videos 14 years ago
"Has it only been an hour" is reference to the playtime of the special. This song occurs about an hour into the special but the amount of time he had put into recording the special had been over a year, while isolated and secluded.
Have all these months of work really only been an hour of product?
I took “only been an hour” as in usable content. The amount of work this must’ve taken to produce on his own: writing, producing, mixing, editing, set building, practicing, filming, editing again… not even including time for working around program malfunctions and mistakes, taking mental health breaks. I can imagine that this got dragged out for the most of 2020, probably even the beginning of 2021. But all of that work he put in only resulted in a 1 hour special.
I think that also ties into the “do returns always diminish”. Like he put in all this work to make the special on his own, what if no one bothered to watch. What if in the 5 years he was gone his fans moved on and we’re no longer interested in his art? What if they saw it and hated it? The world is very different now compared to when he started in the early TH-cam days, what if he was out of touch with what fans would actually want to hear? What would that mean for his career moving forward? When you watch the special, you’ll see some in between moments that give you the sense that this project dragging out is giving him anxiety, like he’s slowly devolving-he wants it to end but is afraid of the aftermath. I love how he is always vulnerable enough with his fans to show that. Aside from his first TH-cam videos I don’t think he’s worked on a project like this completely on his own, at least not to this scale. So I can only imagine how much more pressure he must’ve felt knowing that if something didn’t come out the way he wanted that he could only blame himself. I really hope he’s proud of what he made and knows how deeply it affected us. It’s been over a year now and I’m still listening to reactions and rewatching the special.
"Has it only been an hour?" Remember, he made this special over the course of a year...
Hell yeah man, I love your Bo reactions! Simply a genius
I took the “am I right back where I started 14 years ago” as he is back in his room making videos again, just like when he started on TH-cam when he was a kid.
The whole ending of this song is a medley of songs from the rest of the special
You really should watch the whole thing, whether you react to it or not. I know you'd love it!
so, you'll probably get a lot of these comments, but you might need to really watch the whole "Inside" special to really get the whole context. To answer your question, he was having panic attacks on stage and so he left to try to address his mental health and heal from his experiences. basically. from my perspective. I'm sure there are other takes.
Anyway, another great reaction, Dave! You're vibe is so chill and engaging!! I'm glad you're sharing your reactions! :D
The closing piece of the special, aftter this, he actually steps out of the house, looks at an (unseen ) crowd and tries the door unsuccessfully to get back in. I would recommend his Kanye Rant, (I don't Think I Can Handle This, the end of his previous special Make Happy. I think it will make you say "Oh"
Diminishing returns refers to a principal that says that at a certain point, putting more effort into something does not produce returns equal or greater than the energy used to create them.
He's saying, if I really just keep working on the special instead of finishing it, will it really not just become better and closer to my idealized version?
On the diminishing returns line, I think he’s talking about adding more and more songs and figuring out how much each subsequent song will boost the overall special. It’s an economic term mainly. Let’s say you offer a bag of 5 wing nuts for $1. That’s a twenty cent return on each wing nut, but if you add a sixth wing nut, you might only be able to sell the bag for $1.19. That means you’re only getting a nineteen cent return on that sixth wing nut. There’s a diminishing return from each subsequent wingnut, so the trick is to find the sweet spot that allows you to maximize profit.
So he has to decide where to draw the line and call the album complete instead of continuing to add songs that don’t add much to the finished product. As a perfectionist, I’m sure that figuring out where to draw the line is difficult for him.
When he said "has it already been an hour?" He was talking about seeing his psychiatrist. He had more to say but the 1 hour he paid for was up.
To be honest, I'm not necessarily in a good place right now, but this song always reads a little like an ...... unaliving letter..... to me. You are trying to do something, but each time it's getting a little more difficult. Returns diminish, you're losing power, time seems to be standing still. Another reaction I watched caught something I hadn't even thought about before and now it hits me like a ton of bricks each time. At the end of the line "when I'm fully irrelevant and totally broke" he adds a quiet "-en" when he starts again on "Dammit", but they did not text it. I think it's not about money in the end, I think it's about him fearing falling apart.
He mentions why he took the hiatus in "All Eyes On Me" but it was over severe anxiety and panic attacks.
You should check out "Are you happy?", the last song from his "Make Happy" special, it's his last song before he comes back for "Inside"
Please watch the special, I feel like a lot of the meaning for things gets explained in the full context of the special.
He was having horrible panic attacks on stage.
It feels like he is saying goodbye to being Inside, surrendering to the end of his work and coming outside - where he is vulnerable to the thoughts, opinions, emotions, etc. of his audience. But he needs that interaction at his core (being saved by others calling HIM up and telling HIM jokes; "how about I sit on the couch and I watch YOU next time?).
So he says Goodbye to his special - to his creating of the special, anyway - and comes outside. And immediately, he feels naked and vulnerable, as the audience (or, rather, the audience he is imagining) sees his nakedness and starts laughing at him. He IMMEDIATELY tries to go back Inside, but the door is locked - he can't get back Inside, and now is exposed for all the world to see. That part wasn't in your reaction but it was an essential part of the bit itself.
It's worth noting that the final shot is when the camera goes to clothed Bo, in a separate room, watching the scene - the audience laughing at him, his exposure and fear, and he begins to smile. So in that final moment, we get acceptance of his special Inside, as a finished product. He's proud of what he made, other reactions be damned.
love love love this! i also am adding to the chorus of you should watch the whole special. maybe do mini reactions to the clips in between (it’s not just songs). i’ve seen people do it and it’s fun. ads lots of context.
His anxiety! He was having panic attacks on stage....his Kanye Rant was his last public song.
He took a hiatus because his mental health was suffering, and he was having severe panic attacks on stage while performing.
If you haven’t already, check out “all eyes on me” he explains the situation better.
probably my favorite song of the special.
The short little 40 second songs are really good on the special too. You should roll all those short songs into 1 reaction video.
This really hit hard when you finish all his special with it
I believe that the has it only been an hour line is about how far into the special it was
When bo says "Do returns always diminish?" He plays a diminished note.
Good catch!
was looking for this comment, i got so excited about that the first time i watched inside that i had to pause it hahah
"The Kanye Rant" Performance from 5 years ago, if watched after watching Inside, I feel answers a lot of questions about the why.
Just watched the whole video. The reason he quit is the panic attacks he was having live while he was performing.. he says am I right back when I started 14 years ago because he started when he was 16 in his room making comedy songs.. just like now
“Look who’s inside again. Went out to look for a reason to hide again.” That like is from another song. I interpret it as an introvert and a bit of a shut-in. It’s like every time I leave the house, I’m looking for an excuse to not have to leave the next time. Like if I get cut off in traffic, the next time I’m trying to leave, I just think about how the traffic will be really bad so maybe it’s better to stay home. Even though that’s a thing that happens to everyone, I’m just looking for reasons to not leave the house. Now just take that and amplify it to Bo’s level of fame and stress. Maybe he thinks, “The last time I did a show, I got heckled. Maybe it’s best I just don’t do another show.”
Do returns always diminish is a reference to a principle of comedy
I think he wrote the instrumentals first and wrote the lyrics at the end
I think there might have been a double meaning in the diminishing return, also referring to coming back to the beginning of a melody. Not sure
Bo is Amazing,Thank you x
"Has it only been an hour, no that can't be right." IMO is more along the lines of the fact that the comedy special is an hour long, and Bo Burnham spent over a year working on it. So its more like he's questioning the output of his productivity... also, during the lockdown, many people did things like watch shows or movies or entertainment to pass the time, so it's also from the perspective of the person watching the special, who just has too much time on their hands and they're desperately trying to kill time to get to the next day, being entertained for that hour and forgetting that "funny feeling" they've been warding off. It works, but when its over, they look at the clock and its only been an hour. That's just how I took it.
You watched his Kanye rant, right? That was 5 years ago (from release of Inside). That was a live panic attack at the end.
Listen to “Look Who’s Inside Again”. Seriously. That’s what makes the ending slap hard
So nostalgic❤
What i imagine on "You're really joking at a time like this" is his parents died, he's old and largely forgotten and you are calling to him telling him a joke. Funny in a way for me but i do see how morbid it looks like.
great coments! you got a new subscriber, keep doing what u d man, awsome!
just wanted to emphasise, ure awsome!on e of the best commentators i have seen, keep i going!!!
Teh has it only been an hour line for me feels like all this time is put into an hour
Great song to do right after Comedy! Very similar, but with parts of other songs from Inside incorporated into it! I love how he started with this song at the beginning of the process. He's naked at the end to show just how vulnerable he made himself to all of us! He took the break because of the panic attacks he was having on stage. Watch All Eyes on Me again, you may have forgot his explanation. That's my take anyway! Amazing how his mind works! Always love your thoughts on your reactions!
If you watch the entire Netflix special INSIDE, you get an idea of why he is going in the direction he is currently. The song "All Eyes On Me" explains why he took a break from comedy.
Diminishing returns involve trying to do something enough times while it’s still producing whatever it is you are aiming for, before it drops off in efficiency or stops being practical. Maybe he’s talking about recording over and over again without an audience.
Hey dude! Can't afford to join your Patreon at the moment cause I'm in the process of buying a home but I think you'd really enjoy the Harry Mack + Marc Rebillet stream! You should definitely react to "If I Had You" and "Move Your Body" if you do! And I'm sure a ton of people would watch if you reacted to the whole stream too. Hope things are good on your end!
Bo pretty much quit because he couldn't handle the pressure and the fame that had beset him so quickly. He was very unprepared for the fame and it gave him severe anxiety and made his mental health some of the worst its ever been. So after 5 years he had been planning to come back but then covid hit and so he made "inside". I highly suggest you go and watch the full show at some point (if you haven't already). Hearing everything in order and seeing all of the visual progression can really change how impactful certain scenes can be. It really is a whole different exp seeing the whole thing in one go.
Thank you!
Sir please watch the whole special would love to hear your thoughts about it in its entirety
I hope you sit down and watch Inside. You really need to see everything in context to "get it". Bo is a once in a generation talent.
Returns always diminish it's a play on words for diminishing returns a concept that means that something get less effective over time when repeated like jokes, like stories, etc
Or something like that English is not even my primary language :P
You should watch the special in order when you can. It's a different experience, and it has some cool short clips too.
I mean, all eyes on me explains why 😭
I think you should watch the entire special ! It has the songs and some funny bits
This video makes me ask the question: why do I keep watching “Inside” reactions even though the people reacting to them aren’t actually listening to the message? The music is great, yes. The point of the reaction videos is to smile and be animated, yes. Does it come across that they’re feeling the actual emotion behind the music, highly debatable…
I got some hits and misses with Bo. In some songs, I get the message clearly. In others, goes over my head. I can’t be expected to get them all every time on a first listen. But I try.
Inside could/should and will be used in the future as some sort of psychiatric text or test or idk... I'm dumb but even I see it's immense value beyond a simple comedy special... It's a look Inside his mind, in our minds...
Now come out with your hands up we’ve got you surrounded... I always remember even after the Kanye rent and telling off the audience he still is a professional after l and comes back out on stage surrounded puts his hands up and bows to thank the audience for attending.
You gotta react to his "Unpaid Intern" video, it's a meta-reaction
React to All Eyes on Me if you haven't already. He kinda touches on why he took the hiatus
Already done.
That was the first one I did.
Here’s all my bo reactions.
th-cam.com/play/PLG217Y9Pofu48gTH4GrCkdis3i0DsNKuq.html
I get serious Oasis vibes from this one
React to his All Eyes on Me track for the explanation of his hiatus
Already done. I simply forgot.
th-cam.com/video/gvhkC4Ia2LA/w-d-xo.html
I'mma go ahead and agree with some of the other commenters: do yourself a favour and watch the whole special end to end. The individual songs are great, don't get me wrong, but there's a story there that the clips just don't show. Why is the show called INSIDE? Is it *only* that it was all filmed indoors? And if it means something else, then what does it mean that he's being forced out with his hands up, against his will?
The best thing about INSIDE is that Bo made his album into a literal feature-length movie: his very own character arc, expressed only through the lens of creating and reflecting on his own art.
This song may be one of the stickiest from the album for me because of the general tone but also that exact progression you talked about. Its so sorrowful but at the same time beautiful. That felt like a real goodbye to me to the point I felt concerned for Bo. Not going to lie.
omg "problematic" must be next!!
The clip you werent sure if you had seen was from White womans instagram!! seeing as you mentioned him reacting you should really react to Unpaid Intern😁thanks!! ps your reactions are awesome!
I likes this right away because your voice is great. Read me bedtime stories 😅
You should react to phoebe bridges that funny feeling cover.