Aesop Rock - Battery Lyrics






[Aesop Rock:]
Yo change the fuckin channel
I burn a Coma candle
When the flame fades, consider my flatline a soldier's sample
We them cats talkin noise behind that New York trash heap
Where the stench of commuter briefcase replaces a bad sleep
And it's, worker zig-zagers versus piggy badge flashers
Training Generation Fallout
Waterfall bricklayer pincushion crawl out
There's smoke in my iris
But I painted a sunny day on the insides of my eyelids
So I'm ready now (What you ready for?)
I'm ready for life in this city
And my wings have grown almost enough to lift me
I'm a dinosaur with Jones Beach in my hourglass
Passing the time with serial killer coloringbooks and bags of marbles
Don't tell me you ain't the droid that held the match to the charcoals
Don't tell me Lucifer and God don't carpool
(This is our school)
I'm not trying to graduate to life at the personalized barstool
Head in a jar on the desk, feet dangling in a shark pool
(Man please) Man please
My name stands for my being
And my being stands for the woman who stood
And braved the storm to raise this evening
(Brother, sun, sister, moon, mother beautiful)
Yeah middle sibling suitable but far from son of excellence
Back in a long time ago, I was to way the wishers wish
But missers miss, I slept through my appointment
Saw the liquid dreams of a thousand babies solidify
And picked the rose that wilted
The second I introduced myself as Nervous
Well it appears the scars of learning have spoken
Some are burning, some have rosen
Some deserve tall tales, some wrote them
Some are just a brutal reprocussion of devotion
Mine are all of the above cause everything leads to erosion
Now where I live there's a homeless man
He sits upon a crate
He makes a rusty trumpet sound like the music that angels make
Now if you ever come and visit me, I suggest you watch the show
Tell him Aesop Rock sent ya just to hear his horn blow like this

[Horn samples]

[Aesop Rock:]
And I ain't getting any younger
My knuckles wear their bruises well
I've yet to lose that hunger
But only time can tell
Prodigal Son with a prodigal wish to sew that prodigal stitch
And crucify bigot voodoo doll on two popsicle sticks
See your name is Ambiguity
My name is something hands can't hold
But hearts part ocean scapes just to watch the starlet unfold
It's like sketching a circle in the dirt with a pointed stick
Knowing the wind'll kill it some day, still it calls my burning wits for now
And if I plow the fields that don't guarantee plentiful harvest
But starving artists die, I set my alarm for five o'clock
Idols block survival crops the cycle stops for nothing
The Bible's carp revivalist winos flock by the hundreds
To the opening, scarlet carpets greeting their duel
Leading the stubborn mule to cruel rugburn
But y'all numb from gut fuel
I administer eclispe, there ain't no motor like a martyr-made motor
Cause a martyr-made motor don't quit
I am an epiphany, I am webbed foot mammal
Channel surfing my way to the top
Tugboat in a bottle
With no holes poked in the nozzle
I fed em bedlam diluted in limelight
Till that rookie boogie graduated hostile
And the vehicle is grandeur and it veered over the medium
The second my halo ran outta helium
Demoted to thorn crown, damn talk about numbskull
I was born bound to a stencil called symmetry
But my energy's a rental
So I take this now to say
Thank you seniorita for holding a flame to a lost wick
Thank you James Anthony for the band-aids on my ego
Y'all are family for life
I'll take that bullet to preserve you
I wanna be something spectacular
On the day the sun runs outta batteries
Attach my fashion to the casualties of anarchy
Save my nickels up to buy that homeless man a brand new horn
Then sit up on his crate as I witness the beauty born like this
(I ain't gettin any younger)

[Horn samples to end]





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Aesop Rock Battery Comments
  1. S.... S....

    Lírica foda

  2. J.... ....

    Nobody equals Aesop rock

  3. T.... E....

    This song gives me chills EVERY TIME I listen to it.

  4. T.... E....

    Wisher's wish but misser's miss I slept thru my appointment...

  5. T.... E....

    There's smoke in my iris but I painted a sunny day on the insides of my eyelids 💕

  6. D.... ....

    I was the way that wishers wish
    But missers miss

    Lmao this guy is insane

    D.... ....

    Seems you slept through your appointment. :p

  7. M.... G....

    I could listen to this instrumental all day.

  8. d.... ....

    This beat is so sick

  9. T.... G....

    This shit is amazing

  10. b.... k....

    How long has Aesop been around I just found his stuff

    b.... k....

    since 1993-1996 till this day

  11. N.... L....

    beaBEAUTIFUL

  12. T.... ....

    "He makes a rusty trumpet sound like the music that angels make" — I think the homeless man gives amazing rimjobs, Aesop speaks in metaphors.

    T.... ....

    Its actually was homeless man playing the melody after he says that tbh

  13. C.... ....

    hey, i just switched that 999 to 1 K, yay

  14. N.... T....

    i have no fucking clue what is going on tbh

  15. J.... A....

    Thank you for all of these

  16. D.... ....

    the drugs I did to this track....dam

  17. K.... P....

    speechless....more brilliant wordsmithing!

  18. t.... ....

    This song is so amazing, one of his best. You make me feel alive, Aes.

    t.... ....

    Also, 'My knuckles where their bruises well' can't be right. I'm pretty sure its 'Wear their bruises well'.

  19. c.... ....

    Labor Days had just too many great songs. Not my absolute favorite Aes album but it did have some of my favorite songs by him: Coma, Battery, No Regrets, Daylight, Save Yourself.

    c.... ....

    chelsea6671 I agree. Labor Days had so many gems. Float has always been the top of my list. this and Bent Life gotta be my favorites on this album. I've listened to this shit for years now and it blows my literal mind each time I come back for seconds.

  20. L.... R....

    Aes is a portal into the human condition. A tugboat who charted the maps.

  21. m.... ....

    One of the best songs ever!

    m.... ....

    yep I listen to it every day years and years after i memorized every word. still do.

    m.... ....

    Still gives me shivers everytime some music just resonates with your soul extreeemly rare these days for me.

    m.... ....

    Serious

    m.... ....

    Agreed! That beat is genius

    m.... ....

    MANDATORY MH DOOM IS EVERYWHERE COMMENT

  22. T.... ....

    beautiful poetry, been listening to this song for atleast 4years now and can always come back to this and just be amazed..i wish there was alot more poets like this.

    Emerald eyes, crimson slate blue skies, sometimes i cant help but fantasize - me

  23. A.... E....

    best Aesop song, bar none

  24. I.... M....

    OH MY GOD is the "rusty trumpet" line a reference to a "rusty trombone!?"
    Because that would be savage as fuck 😂😂😂😂

    I.... M....

    That doesn't make you any less pretentious, dude. It's a youtube comment, just ignore it and move on. I don't like to stereotype but man are you living up to the classic caricature of an Aesop Rock fan on the internet...

    PS- it's a great song with some absolutely killer production, so just appreciate it for what it is and don't waste your time arguing with people who are probably trolling anyways

    I.... M....

    So angry

    I.... M....

    Man, I know better than this, but I really have to ask -- what about my statement makes you think that I'm angry? I'm just here enjoying a great song on an excellent album while trying to dodge all of the snobby -ass art majors lurking in the comments taking offense to some idiot talking about a rusty trombone.

    I.... M....

    Good talk buddy, enjoy the music.

    I.... M....

    That's better

  25. B.... ....

    Some of these lyrics are still wrong..

  26. S.... ....

    The sample reminds me of Tenchu, Stealth Assassins from the first playstation game

    S.... ....

    Funny, I never played that one but first time I heard this I thought of Tenchu return from darkness, I'm probably a bit younger than you lol.

  27. S.... O....

    There comes a point where only fellow artists/writers can appreciate the skill and talent behind such a degree.

    S.... O....

    Pretentious? Some of us live life aspiring to be like Aesop Rock. He is original, his art is something else, a very distinct type of verbal poetry. We're not saying we're good, we're saying that you can't understand how beautiful this art is unless you give the complexity credit. I try for that when I write. And to you, I'll give my humble piece;

    Prevention of pretension is assertion of a claim,
    That the man who thinks he's worthy has delusions of his name,
    I think the artist bears an ear that has an arm and wields a pen and in the
    Very moment sound goes in it comes out just the same.

    S.... O....

    @Cameron Rees well written. A mastery of words cannot always be written but sometimes a mentality that exists within the hearts of some.

    S.... O....

    Sho Omar yall dumb asf lile damn haha

    S.... O....

    Hi everyone. Meet Sho. He considers himself an artist/writer.

    S.... O....

    Yes pretentious, and everything you responded with sounded equally as pretentious. Hip-hop isn't meant to be taken as high art. You definitely have to bring your thinking cap when you're listening to Aes's stuff, but keep the "very distinct type of verbal poetry" ish for the English majors. We all know this is dope. No need to try and explain why.

  28. M.... ....

    this song deserves at the least, like 10 million views. tell your friends

    M.... ....

    @Dady Fatsax sorry 10 billion

  29. B.... T....

    13 ran out of batteries.

  30. j.... b....

    Dont tell me Lucifer and God don't carpool

    j.... b....

    they dont carpool they ride two up on a jetski

  31. u.... ....

    His flow makes me tingle ~.~

  32. S.... O....

    Channel surfing* not surviving. :)

    S.... O....

    THANK YOU... I'm glad i'm not the only one who saw that lol

  33. C.... N....

    13 thumbs need anuses

    C.... N....

    better call Kanye! He is well-known as a #FingersInTheBootyAssBitch 😂

    C.... N....

    13 anuses need thumbs

  34. M.... C....

    Most lyrical genius vocals ever spoke

  35. J.... G....

    Anybody know what kind of drum or percussive instrument that's used here for the clicks?

    J.... G....

    I think it's a pitch shifted conga/bongo

  36. N.... L....

    So many mistakes....

    N.... L....

    could you mention one? 

    N.... L....

    two years

  37. j.... b....

    i picked the rose that wilted the second i introduced myself as nervous, that line shivers me timbers every time

  38. N.... N....

    ‘Change the fucking channel’       

    Life can sometimes feel like a broken record that endlessly repeats over and over. Struggles appear, you overcome then, everything is fine again, struggles appear, you overcome them, everything is fine. It’s always difficult to keep picking yourself up off from the floor when you are fully aware that even if you fix this problem, more problems will eventually come.  

    ‘I burn a coma candle’

    The candle represents  a person’s lifespan. 
    Coma refers to how when the candle flame expires then our lives will end.


    ‘When the flame fades consider my flat line a soldier sample.’

    Flames fades: Upon his death.
    Flat line: Everyone has seen it on TV or in a film when a hospital patient is hooked up to a heart monitor you hear the beeps and see a line graph on the screen that represents their heart beat. If the heart stops beating then you hear the continuous beep and the line goes flat. Flat line.

    When he dies then he will become like any soldier, or any person that has died. He could be displaying anti-military sentiments, commenting that there are always some soldiers that have to be sacrificed for any cause involving war.

    ‘We them cats talking noise behind that New York Trash heap. 

    He’s referring to homeless people, vagrants or anyone who doesn’t have a job and is drifting or struggling through life. Anyone who is not a 9-5er.
    They are the people who stay up all night in the economically downtrodden areas talking, partying and socialising. They are the people you probably have been trained to fear.

    ‘Where the stench of a commuter briefcase replaces a bad sleep.’

    During the late night and early morning the streets are mostly empty except for the ‘cats’ he previously referenced . They have a tough existence; it’s hard for them to rest and therefore they have a ‘bad sleep.’  Once it’s morning the whole city is brimming with people and safety. The the business people in their suits, all the people going to work are unaware that a few hours previously, the streets that they now travel through were in  a polar opposite world.

    I think aesop is showing both worlds in a negative light. 
    The extreme of people in poverty who are financially poor. 
    The other extreme of the rich and successful, rushing around like slaves, oblivious to the plights of those around them. They have a poverty of soul.

    -------------------------------------------------------------
    These are just my interpretations of the lyrics using my own examples. I can’t claim to know anything that Aesop Rock originally intended. Hopefully my thoughts can inspire other people to come up with their own interpretations.

    N.... N....

    those are great interpretations! i happen to agree with you whole-heartedly 

    N.... N....

    i agree, great interpretations. On the negativity: i believe that he is poointing out how savage life can be; we live in a very rough and negative world if youre not at the top or at least close enough to be comfortable. Especially NY lol

    N.... N....

    +Ryu2012SF nice called him on it. I just rolled my eyes at coma candle too didn't read right

    N.... N....

    Ryu2012SF When is that said? Its dope

    N.... N....

    Navin Navout such a dope decipher of those few words, well put homie!

  39. J.... N....

    check out my song called Agony im from minnesota with a dream to join rhymesayers check me out if u like underground rap eyedea/ aesop rock style
    Matter - Agony

    J.... N....

    I would suggest attempting to record this in a studio (and have it mastered). I like the beat and lyrics (they really fit the style I'm seeking when I hear new songs), but I feel like the song lacks sound quality. 

    J.... N....

    @Alexandru Marton fuck you man fuckin hatin ass 

    J.... N....

    @Boozer Oner what are you talking about? I just said I like his song but it needs to be remastered or recorded in a pro studio. When someone asks for an honest opinion about their creation I think it's important to give them constructive feedback, not just shower them in praises.

  40. S.... S....

    http://rapgenius.com/Aesop-rock-battery-lyrics

    COMMON PEOPLE LEARN IT 

  41. c.... ....

    this song....

  42. M.... ....

    I'm ready for life in this city and my wings have grown almost enough to lift me.

  43. H.... S....

    check out rapgenius

  44. S.... T....

    Well there are lots of metaphors in the lyrics, but here's one example.

    "Brother sun, sister moon, mother beautiful. Middle sibling suitable but far from son of excellence."

    "middle sibling suitable but far from son of excellence" refers to the Earth i.e. a reference to all the misery and imperfection we see on the planet. But it also refers to himself, the imperfection that he sees in himself, that makes him 'far from a son of excellence.'

    S.... T....

    No he has two brothers and is the middle son

  45. V.... ....

    Listen to "Saturn Missiles" from his most recent LP "Skelethon".

  46. V.... ....

    So many quotable lines. Aesop Rock is the greatest lyricist in this realm of existence.

    V.... ....

    Said by a dude with Eyedea as a profile pic...fuck yeah 👍

  47. D.... A....

    This song strikes so many heart cords.He keeps it so real and honest.Traits that demand respect.

  48. h.... c....

    This is one of my all time favorite Aesop Rock tracks. The lyrics of this song are probably the deepest I've ever heard anywhere. This is some serious, inspiring, lyricism. Aesop Rock kills it.

  49. I.... D....

    this song is a good trip wen im stoned

  50. M.... I....

    the lyrics are metaphorical and beautiful

  51. e.... ....

    Sit back and contemplate meaning a lonesome, being able to interpret one's poetry is a wise virtue, it could never hurt you...

  52. g.... ....

    Serious lyrical content. Fairly decent rhyming schemes. Terribly square flow.

  53. B.... ....

    Did he just pun on Shakespeare? O_o

  54. M.... C....

    As with all of Aes' shit, this is dope. A few typos. "Surviving" = "Surfing", absence of the word "no", but as far as I know it's not included in his book either. Still better than a lot of the subbed music videos out there.

  55. 9.... S....

    tfw when your name is James Anthony 0____0 um, you're welcome aesop?

  56. s.... ....

    It's "channel surfing" ... Peace

  57. l.... ....

    what the fuck is he talking about?

  58. n.... ....

    How could he get them wrong if he made the song, unless he can't remember? That's one thing I don't understand. There could be multiple meanings to the song. In one line he could be talking about his surroundings, and the other he could possibly be talking about what his plans are for the future. But the song could have many meanings, it's just really how it speaks to you. But only he can be the most accurate in it's interpretation.

  59. K.... M....

    haha there is only one meaning to the lyrics, you cant justify misinterpretation that way. fair though if the lyrics are poetic not political, nobody but aesop can fully understand them and sometimes he'll get it wrong. trying to work out the guy before he does, without his background info is the fun part. fun because sometimes you nail it but you still cant be totally sure. saying you all get the meaning individually is absolute rubbish.

  60. n.... ....

    There is so many metaphors to explain. Honestly I don't think it has one specific meaning, but in almost every other line there is a different meaning. Like "I wanna be something spectacular on the day the sun runs outta batteries. Attach my fashion to the casualties of anarchy." He sounds really ambitious there
    And the "Attach my fashion... Anarchy" Sounds like he wants to reach out to people through what he does and touch their hearts. I guess the meaning really is what you want them to be.

  61. S.... ....

    never say something like that without stating the meaning. It makes you look like you don't know it either.

  62. n.... ....

    ... The meaning behind the lyrics are so clear and obvious. You just aren't listening well enough obviously..

  63. M.... ....

    Just because you don't understand it ...

  64. B.... ....

    at least he writes his own shit

  65. K.... 3....

    you serious im a huge weezy fan but is he lyrically better than aesop rock?? um NO weezys rhymes r shallow n easily understood you have to have an open mind with aesops lyrics but they are way deeper and he makes most of his beats

  66. G.... H....

    best song ever made

  67. b.... ....

    c'mon man. when you try to troll you gotta make it somewhat convincing.

  68. B.... S....

    aesop's lyrics are overrated and hardly make any sense. Lyrically he is nothing compared to Weezy.

    B.... S....

    Nah, he's Shakespeare on acid.

  69. S.... T....

    no problem. made a couple of others as well check the channel

  70. A.... C....

    Many props for making this video man. Watched it so many times, love this song, love hte lyrics.