I’ll say this, don’t overthink Bo’s older stuff. Sure there is some genuine meaningful lines in these songs, but a lot of them was Bo just being clever and trying to be funny. Which worked. Once he reached a certain level he started to create more thought provoking music, but these early ones are mostly just silly comedy songs with really clever puns. He even mentioned in an interview that the Can’t Handle This metaphor of the burrito being too full was something he had not even considered until he read an interpretation of it online.
This. I definitely also forgot since it's been a while how much, in the first two specials, he leaned into the kinda douchey arrogant performer character he was doing.
The burrito thing is super common in forms of literature (i will die on this hill, btw, that film counts as literature). The human brain wants to find patterns which means we also look for deeper meaning. I'm a writer and one of my poems, I went back 2 years after I wrote it that I looked at as a student of literature. Suddenly there was all this meaning I could find where before it was just a surreal bit of magical realism, which by nature is supposed to be taken at face value. But then there's metaphors and stuff later that ypu can read into it. Could it be subconscious? Sure. But there's a reason that you can't actually psychoanalyze based purely on produced literature. That being said I think sometimes some subconsciousness gets through.
@@brockmeade4450 that's the oroborous that is literature and literary reactions. When they leave the creator and are coalesced into the world, they belong to the consumer too, which means projected meaning is neither meaningful nor meaningless, it merely is what the consumer receives from it. If you read "more" into it, then so be it. It becomes that "more" in the corner wherein it belongs to you. That's the dirty little secret of literary study.
Agree with everything else you said, but there’s a 0% chance he didn’t mean the burrito thing as a metaphor. If it wasn’t a metaphor, the entire ending to “Can’t handle this” would be meaningless and border on not making sense: “You can tell them anything if you just make it funny, make it rhyme. And if they still don’t understand you then you run it one more time” before repeating the burrito verse to close the show. If he didn’t mean it as a metaphor, the song has no weight.
The further back into Bo’s stuff you go, the less you need to overthink the meaning of it. Remember he started as a comedian, not a giver of existential crises.
I usually just watch your reaction videos because I love seeing how people react to Bo's comedical and musical genius, until I saw your cover of That Funny Feeling and realized you have musical talent of your own! I was a fan, but now I'm an air conditioner lol. Love your videos!
Found myself having a wierd moment going "shit where's Chris's Bo video" the other day. Glad to see ya back. Odd attachment at this point, love watching these.
I think you definitely over-analyze a bit, but I’ve always liked the line, “If life makes you wish you were dead, just put on a good movie, then promptly put a bullet in your head.” So I’m glad you chose to talk about that line lol. Also, I just like how that part rhymes! When you listen to it, your brain is so expecting a rhyme for “dead” that it’s caught off-guard when “promptly” (slant?) rhymes with “movie” (the word you weren’t expecting a rhyme for), and so then when it rhymes “head” with “dead”, it sounds, overall, slightly less predictable, while completing the rhyme scheme in a nice, neat bow. Not to mention how the highlighted juxtaposition via repetition between “put on a good movie” and “put a bullet in your head” makes it hit a little harder. …Or something. Either way, it’s really good lol
I heavily recommend reacting to his song “Art Is Dead” which is actually similar to the meaning of this song. Very in-depth and I can tell you’ll have so much to say about it.
So glad someone pointed out this reference, Tim posting a home recording of Beauty because of Inside was such a nice little moment of closing the circle of musical comedy introspection
I'm still in awe of his musical talent. Playing the notes out of place deliberately when he's such an accomplished pianist and overcoming the muscle memory that's trying to play the "right" notes is genuinely difficult. He plays slightly wrong notes that don't become overly discordant but are out of place enough to convey the joke. It's pretty amazing.
I also realized when Bo said that "Cause life pales in comparison to living the dream, #deep." actually means being dead deep underground instead of living.
@@everythingweather They relate though. When you're deep in sleep, you dream. He'd rather be asleep because dreams are better than living. I think it adds depth to the whole thing line even if it wasn't specifically your point.
The first time I list to this song I just laught, but after that the last line always get me "Spend forever asleep 'cause life pales in comparison to living the dream", remind me of Kill Yourself a little but about him. I like your analysis, good to see you back!
I think you're definitely over analyzing individual lines, but I think the general perspective you have, having seen Inside and Make Happy first, is actually really interesting and informative. When this special first came out, there was no reason for anyone to think about this song on a deeper level. While Bo definitely still added introspection and serious messaging to his comedy at the time, it was still primarily comedy, and many people overlooked the serious messages anyway. At face value, this song seems to be making fun of people who act like and think they're super deep. And to some degree it is. But having seen where Bo's journey has led him so far, and knowing his difficulties with self esteem and self worth, I now feel like this song was a way for him to express that, and even attack himself, all the while veiling it with comedy so no one really catches on. Ultimately, I feel like this song is saying that he regularly has these "#deep" thoughts, but that he doesn't think he's a significant enough person to unironically express it. So instead he makes fun of/hates on himself, all the while expressing his pain and sense of being overwhelmed, but in a comedic manner, so that very few people at the time would notice what he's actually saying underneath it all. Which I think is all kind of summarized when he says "You don't know. How could you know?".
This makes a lot of sense to me. There are some saying I'm looking way too much into the lyrics but coming from my point of view where I've watched in reverse order, I definitely think most of these lines hold some sincerity. I can definitely see how the overall premise is poking fun at people who think they are in fact, #deep, but I don't know... I think some of them are way too specific to not be about feelings or thoughts he himself has had, and in true Bo fashion, camouflaging them in a silly manner.
@@ChrisReactsToThings Yeah, well, I think a lot of it is thoughts he had, but I feel like he's almost trying to invalidate those thoughts because he doesn't think he's worthy of expressing it to the world. Hence making fun of #deep. That's just my take though.
The first time I watched this special was back in high school. I loved it back then, but holy shit you're right about how much different it feels now after watching inside. His struggles have been there all along it's blowing my mind. Anyways love all your react vids, appreciate you
when i watched the what special for the first time, this was probably one of the only full songs i hadn't heard already through youtube and i'll be honest this made me laugh my ass off like nothing else in that special
You should watch some of his interviews because in make happy, he said that the burrito and Pringle’s can didn’t really mean anything. But also it’s really interesting to hear what he says about his anxiety
You should check out Tim Minchin's song Dark Side, where he tries to insert more depth into his routine with an intense song... Look up the "Awesome Version" for an epic 7 minute piano solo to go with it.
Chris, I'm pretty sure this song is poking fun at you. Regardless of your successful interpretations, there's a lot of times where you make a metaphor or analogy out of nothing at all, and that's what this song's about. People being 'deep', especially on social media. I would include people watching Bo's own songs in there, but the earlier you go, the less he really cared about introspective content. His reputation and style for being 'deep' was built up over a long time. At this point, I don't think it's right to look for any metaphors or hidden meaning at all, because he started out with funny wordplay and caustic humor. In a way, it's kind of awkward that you started out with Inside. You're traveling _backwards_ along the timeline, you should be seeing how his acts are _less_ developed as you go.
There’s nothing wrong with his interpreting the songs in any way he wants. It’s death of the artist. Bo Burnham can say that this song means something, and Chris can say that it means another thing completely different. Both are valid. That’s the beauty of Art.
@@KaneK1234 Except the song is intimately tied to the singer. There's a lot of books you can interpret any way you want, but I'm skeptical that the same can be done to autobiographies. Chris implicitly agrees on this because one of the first things he says is: "Maybe Bo feels like he's...". Chris isn't interpreting some kind of lesson out of this, he's arbitrarily imprinting meaning on Bo Burnham himself, something that I personally think touches on idol worship.
@@ChrisReactsToThings I know my stance comes off as pretty antagonistic. I think a lot of the things you said in this video were insightful. I think...I'm mostly just venting some building emotions about things you've said that I disagreed with over watching many, many of your reactions. Sorry, I'm not good at identifying why I get emotional sometimes. I usually default to using bigger words in the hopes that less people call me out on it.
No it's okay, man. My response came from a place of frustration seeing comments like these saying that I'm looking too much into the meanings behind songs. My thought process is: I'm just a guy trying to provide some entertainment to others over different kinds of content (obviously mostly Bo Burnham, but will branch out after this special). I don't really want to be a reactor where I just sit and laugh or smile or frown at something and then be done with it. I COMPLETELY understand that some lines or songs are just about being funny or silly or having no meaning at all, but since this is considered art and can be interpreted any way you want, I figured I'd share my thoughts in that way. And that's exactly what they are -- just one thought on one line at a time and then I move on. I don't see much harm in that. I do agree with you when I sometimes take something and say "maybe Bo feels this way or that" which I can see as being misconstrued to some because that can give off a different view about someone or something that wasn't meant to be that way. But I also know I am just one small person saying these things and there will always be people that continue to do that. I guess I should at least try to do my part in trying to possibly not spread those views as something that is real. I will never be able to please everyone, and it seems the harder I try, the more people aren't. Just know that I do take these criticisms to heart and will try to do what I think is best/right.
Missed you but it's always lovely to spend time with family 💕 Like others have said dont read too far into it mostly. Or go ahead and do. It's your prerogative and students of literature do this all the time so why not? Once it's out of the creator's mind and made tangible or knowable in the world, it belongs to the consumer and what you choose to get out of it is perfectly valid. Now I'm going to ignore my own advice and say I think the butthole stuff was about how people in his life, metaphorically, keep screwing him [over].
Lol. I don’t think the point was to actually make deep observations. It was to make funny surface jokes and call them deep. Hence the # part. When have you ever actually seen a #deep that was actually deep?
My takeaway from "Spend forever asleep, cuz life pales in comparison to living the dream" was Bo getting everything he dreamed of and not wanting it anymore, and thinking that nothing he could achieve could compare to his dreaming about it. And the butthole lines could've been referring to the people around him 'riding his ass'.
Yeah its really funny the backwards journey you're going on because you're so used to Bo where his music has meaning that when his old style of just straight funny shitpost song happens you have to assume it has a deeper meaning. I love it honestly lol.
problem with starting on all his deep and most popular songs first, you over interpret his just normal jokes. feels more like you should just have a podcast at this point since I don't skip the talking which is rare
He does not think himself as the god of comedy I promise you. I understand art is meant to be taken as whatever you want most of the time, but you gotta understand that you dont have to analyze every single line in that way. Bo has said himself that the burrito bit for example in Cant Handle This was not meant to be taken anything other than a joke and had no deeper meaning. There is an interview in everything in case anyone does not believe me. You should be able to tell when he is being genuine and trying to say a certain message, and when he is just singing a silly song.
Back again!
Reaction starts at 0:31
Well, well look who’s inside again
I dunno if you caught it, but 'crowning' is the term for when the top of a baby's head (crown) is first seen during labour.
I love how Bo is just sitting in Chris's switch.
lmfaoo me too
Literally was gonna comment this...
I’ll say this, don’t overthink Bo’s older stuff. Sure there is some genuine meaningful lines in these songs, but a lot of them was Bo just being clever and trying to be funny. Which worked. Once he reached a certain level he started to create more thought provoking music, but these early ones are mostly just silly comedy songs with really clever puns.
He even mentioned in an interview that the Can’t Handle This metaphor of the burrito being too full was something he had not even considered until he read an interpretation of it online.
This. I definitely also forgot since it's been a while how much, in the first two specials, he leaned into the kinda douchey arrogant performer character he was doing.
The burrito thing is super common in forms of literature (i will die on this hill, btw, that film counts as literature). The human brain wants to find patterns which means we also look for deeper meaning. I'm a writer and one of my poems, I went back 2 years after I wrote it that I looked at as a student of literature. Suddenly there was all this meaning I could find where before it was just a surreal bit of magical realism, which by nature is supposed to be taken at face value. But then there's metaphors and stuff later that ypu can read into it. Could it be subconscious? Sure. But there's a reason that you can't actually psychoanalyze based purely on produced literature.
That being said I think sometimes some subconsciousness gets through.
Artists can convey concepts they didn’t conceive of, but that doesn’t mean the message isn’t there or doesn’t exist.
@@brockmeade4450 that's the oroborous that is literature and literary reactions. When they leave the creator and are coalesced into the world, they belong to the consumer too, which means projected meaning is neither meaningful nor meaningless, it merely is what the consumer receives from it. If you read "more" into it, then so be it. It becomes that "more" in the corner wherein it belongs to you. That's the dirty little secret of literary study.
Agree with everything else you said, but there’s a 0% chance he didn’t mean the burrito thing as a metaphor. If it wasn’t a metaphor, the entire ending to “Can’t handle this” would be meaningless and border on not making sense: “You can tell them anything if you just make it funny, make it rhyme. And if they still don’t understand you then you run it one more time” before repeating the burrito verse to close the show.
If he didn’t mean it as a metaphor, the song has no weight.
“If mama is right and the world is my oyster then I have an allergy to shellfish “ that line resonates so hard with me
I used that line as my senior quote
I'm more of the mind of Weird Al in Albuquerque: Life was our Burrito
The further back into Bo’s stuff you go, the less you need to overthink the meaning of it. Remember he started as a comedian, not a giver of existential crises.
I fucking love that line "Because life pales in comparison to living the dream"
that one and the one before that is incredible powerful. really makes you think but thats just bo i guess.
It kills me....
I usually just watch your reaction videos because I love seeing how people react to Bo's comedical and musical genius, until I saw your cover of That Funny Feeling and realized you have musical talent of your own! I was a fan, but now I'm an air conditioner lol. Love your videos!
i have air conditioners? 😳
@@ChrisReactsToThings You have wind turbines.
Found myself having a wierd moment going "shit where's Chris's Bo video" the other day.
Glad to see ya back. Odd attachment at this point, love watching these.
I think you definitely over-analyze a bit, but I’ve always liked the line, “If life makes you wish you were dead, just put on a good movie, then promptly put a bullet in your head.” So I’m glad you chose to talk about that line lol.
Also, I just like how that part rhymes! When you listen to it, your brain is so expecting a rhyme for “dead” that it’s caught off-guard when “promptly” (slant?) rhymes with “movie” (the word you weren’t expecting a rhyme for), and so then when it rhymes “head” with “dead”, it sounds, overall, slightly less predictable, while completing the rhyme scheme in a nice, neat bow. Not to mention how the highlighted juxtaposition via repetition between “put on a good movie” and “put a bullet in your head” makes it hit a little harder.
…Or something. Either way, it’s really good lol
Holy shit, this was the first time I caught the 'crowning' joke in this song.
Same 😂😂
I heavily recommend reacting to his song “Art Is Dead” which is actually similar to the meaning of this song. Very in-depth and I can tell you’ll have so much to say about it.
We’ll get there but not for a bit probably
That’s an interesting interpretation of the grains of sand line. I hadn’t been able to make sense of it myself but you might be onto something.
6:33
"Art is a harlot"
I highly recommend "Beauty" by Tim Minchin, to get the reference here
To everyone else she seems to come so easily...
So glad someone pointed out this reference, Tim posting a home recording of Beauty because of Inside was such a nice little moment of closing the circle of musical comedy introspection
I'm still in awe of his musical talent. Playing the notes out of place deliberately when he's such an accomplished pianist and overcoming the muscle memory that's trying to play the "right" notes is genuinely difficult. He plays slightly wrong notes that don't become overly discordant but are out of place enough to convey the joke. It's pretty amazing.
Yay! Glad to have you back, Chris! :)
I also realized when Bo said that "Cause life pales in comparison to living the dream, #deep." actually means being dead deep underground instead of living.
You're missing the first part of the line.
Fall asleep forever, because life pales in comparison to living *the dream*
@@jazzwell well, that first bit wasn’t necessary, cause I was mainly talking about the last line.
@@everythingweather They relate though. When you're deep in sleep, you dream. He'd rather be asleep because dreams are better than living. I think it adds depth to the whole thing line even if it wasn't specifically your point.
@@jazzwell yeah that’s fair.
@@jazzwellI do that now. And it's amazing
The first time I list to this song I just laught, but after that the last line always get me "Spend forever asleep 'cause life pales in comparison to living the dream", remind me of Kill Yourself a little but about him. I like your analysis, good to see you back!
I live the dream, and I just.... Wish I could sleep forever
1:15 Wow, that new Bo Burnham Nintendo Switch game is out!
I think you're definitely over analyzing individual lines, but I think the general perspective you have, having seen Inside and Make Happy first, is actually really interesting and informative. When this special first came out, there was no reason for anyone to think about this song on a deeper level. While Bo definitely still added introspection and serious messaging to his comedy at the time, it was still primarily comedy, and many people overlooked the serious messages anyway.
At face value, this song seems to be making fun of people who act like and think they're super deep. And to some degree it is. But having seen where Bo's journey has led him so far, and knowing his difficulties with self esteem and self worth, I now feel like this song was a way for him to express that, and even attack himself, all the while veiling it with comedy so no one really catches on.
Ultimately, I feel like this song is saying that he regularly has these "#deep" thoughts, but that he doesn't think he's a significant enough person to unironically express it. So instead he makes fun of/hates on himself, all the while expressing his pain and sense of being overwhelmed, but in a comedic manner, so that very few people at the time would notice what he's actually saying underneath it all. Which I think is all kind of summarized when he says "You don't know. How could you know?".
This makes a lot of sense to me. There are some saying I'm looking way too much into the lyrics but coming from my point of view where I've watched in reverse order, I definitely think most of these lines hold some sincerity.
I can definitely see how the overall premise is poking fun at people who think they are in fact, #deep, but I don't know... I think some of them are way too specific to not be about feelings or thoughts he himself has had, and in true Bo fashion, camouflaging them in a silly manner.
@@ChrisReactsToThings Yeah, well, I think a lot of it is thoughts he had, but I feel like he's almost trying to invalidate those thoughts because he doesn't think he's worthy of expressing it to the world. Hence making fun of #deep. That's just my take though.
The first time I watched this special was back in high school. I loved it back then, but holy shit you're right about how much different it feels now after watching inside. His struggles have been there all along it's blowing my mind. Anyways love all your react vids, appreciate you
I'm very happy that you're back
Greeting from morocco ❤❤❤
glad you are back
Another great analysis. You bring an insight that others do not since you are about the same age as the Bo. Your generation will have the world soon.
Please don’t feel like you have to apologize for taking time for yourself and your family. Family first bro!
when i watched the what special for the first time, this was probably one of the only full songs i hadn't heard already through youtube and i'll be honest this made me laugh my ass off like nothing else in that special
Bless you for analyzing this so hard.
Hey Chris, glad to see you back
You should watch some of his interviews because in make happy, he said that the burrito and Pringle’s can didn’t really mean anything. But also it’s really interesting to hear what he says about his anxiety
Welcome back☺️
This much analysis of a song called hastag-deep is probably exactly what this song is about.
You should check out Tim Minchin's song Dark Side, where he tries to insert more depth into his routine with an intense song... Look up the "Awesome Version" for an epic 7 minute piano solo to go with it.
Howdy partner 🤠
Love you like a fellow man!
Chris, I'm pretty sure this song is poking fun at you. Regardless of your successful interpretations, there's a lot of times where you make a metaphor or analogy out of nothing at all, and that's what this song's about. People being 'deep', especially on social media. I would include people watching Bo's own songs in there, but the earlier you go, the less he really cared about introspective content. His reputation and style for being 'deep' was built up over a long time. At this point, I don't think it's right to look for any metaphors or hidden meaning at all, because he started out with funny wordplay and caustic humor.
In a way, it's kind of awkward that you started out with Inside. You're traveling _backwards_ along the timeline, you should be seeing how his acts are _less_ developed as you go.
There’s nothing wrong with his interpreting the songs in any way he wants. It’s death of the artist. Bo Burnham can say that this song means something, and Chris can say that it means another thing completely different.
Both are valid. That’s the beauty of Art.
@@KaneK1234 Except the song is intimately tied to the singer. There's a lot of books you can interpret any way you want, but I'm skeptical that the same can be done to autobiographies.
Chris implicitly agrees on this because one of the first things he says is: "Maybe Bo feels like he's...". Chris isn't interpreting some kind of lesson out of this, he's arbitrarily imprinting meaning on Bo Burnham himself, something that I personally think touches on idol worship.
Gotcha! I'll just stare at the screen and chuckle a few times for the rest of my videos. 😊
@@ChrisReactsToThings I know my stance comes off as pretty antagonistic. I think a lot of the things you said in this video were insightful. I think...I'm mostly just venting some building emotions about things you've said that I disagreed with over watching many, many of your reactions.
Sorry, I'm not good at identifying why I get emotional sometimes. I usually default to using bigger words in the hopes that less people call me out on it.
No it's okay, man. My response came from a place of frustration seeing comments like these saying that I'm looking too much into the meanings behind songs.
My thought process is: I'm just a guy trying to provide some entertainment to others over different kinds of content (obviously mostly Bo Burnham, but will branch out after this special). I don't really want to be a reactor where I just sit and laugh or smile or frown at something and then be done with it.
I COMPLETELY understand that some lines or songs are just about being funny or silly or having no meaning at all, but since this is considered art and can be interpreted any way you want, I figured I'd share my thoughts in that way. And that's exactly what they are -- just one thought on one line at a time and then I move on. I don't see much harm in that.
I do agree with you when I sometimes take something and say "maybe Bo feels this way or that" which I can see as being misconstrued to some because that can give off a different view about someone or something that wasn't meant to be that way. But I also know I am just one small person saying these things and there will always be people that continue to do that. I guess I should at least try to do my part in trying to possibly not spread those views as something that is real.
I will never be able to please everyone, and it seems the harder I try, the more people aren't. Just know that I do take these criticisms to heart and will try to do what I think is best/right.
Missed you but it's always lovely to spend time with family 💕
Like others have said dont read too far into it mostly. Or go ahead and do. It's your prerogative and students of literature do this all the time so why not? Once it's out of the creator's mind and made tangible or knowable in the world, it belongs to the consumer and what you choose to get out of it is perfectly valid.
Now I'm going to ignore my own advice and say I think the butthole stuff was about how people in his life, metaphorically, keep screwing him [over].
Regarding the “art is a harlot” line, I heard he was influenced by Tim Minchin's song Beauty is a Harlot.
Man do I hope you react to the part that comes afterwards
Lol. I don’t think the point was to actually make deep observations. It was to make funny surface jokes and call them deep. Hence the # part. When have you ever actually seen a #deep that was actually deep?
In this song
How could you forget the # Chris
My takeaway from "Spend forever asleep, cuz life pales in comparison to living the dream" was Bo getting everything he dreamed of and not wanting it anymore, and thinking that nothing he could achieve could compare to his dreaming about it. And the butthole lines could've been referring to the people around him 'riding his ass'.
I love your point of view- don't let these naysayers yuck your yum. Glad you're back, came looking a couple times.
I just found this I guess you can react to Zach stone on Netflix it’s literally no burnham acting lol
I hope you're doing ok Chris
.... #deep
Instagram link plug didn’t age well
I know, right? The one time I plug my Insta and it all goes down 🤣
Lol
You listen to Bo and The Kid Laroi? If you listen to Peep too then we need to be friends
Yeah its really funny the backwards journey you're going on because you're so used to Bo where his music has meaning that when his old style of just straight funny shitpost song happens you have to assume it has a deeper meaning.
I love it honestly lol.
:)))
Wait... so... does this mean that you're going to react to Words, Words, Words?
problem with starting on all his deep and most popular songs first, you over interpret his just normal jokes.
feels more like you should just have a podcast at this point since I don't skip the talking which is rare
Awesome top 5 comment
react to "From God's perspective"
bro missed the point of song
its not that deep bro
He does not think himself as the god of comedy I promise you. I understand art is meant to be taken as whatever you want most of the time, but you gotta understand that you dont have to analyze every single line in that way. Bo has said himself that the burrito bit for example in Cant Handle This was not meant to be taken anything other than a joke and had no deeper meaning. There is an interview in everything in case anyone does not believe me. You should be able to tell when he is being genuine and trying to say a certain message, and when he is just singing a silly song.
How do you know? Do you know Robert Burnham personally?