Top 10 Eye-Opening Lyrics From Bo Burnham’s Inside

Top 10 Eye-Opening Lyrics From Bo Burnham’s Inside

 

Bo Burnham is a Massachusetts-born musical comedian, who rose to fame after posting videos of his original songs on YouTube. He went on to release two Netflix specials: What. (2013) and Make Happy (2015). Once finishing Make Happy, he chose to take a break from performing. After a 5-year hiatus, Burnham decided to return to the stage; however, this was prevented by the pandemic. This led to the creation of Inside, a comedy show written, filmed, directed, and edited by the comedian himself. The special takes place in a single room, where he was unable to leave from, and gets increasingly dark as Burnham becomes more and more isolated. Through combining music and comedy, Bo Burnham masterfully blends the lines between silly and somber.

Below is a list of the ten most mind-blowing lyrics from Inside:

“Robert’s been a little depressed, no / And so, today, I’m gonna try just / Getting up, sitting down, going back to work / Might not help, but still, it couldn’t hurt” – “Content” from Inside  

Inside opens with a musical number titled “Content” in which he addresses his return to comedy, his disheveled appearance, and his mental state during quarantine. It only scratches the surface of the issues Bo tackles during the special. It provides a sneak-peek into how Burnham plans on filming the show completely alone as we see him creating his own lighting effects, camera setups, and musical compositions.

“The more I look, the more I see nothing to joke about / Is comedy over? / Should I leave you alone? / ‘Cause, really, who’s gonna go for joking at a time like this?/ Should I be joking at a time like this?” – “Comedy” from Inside  

The second song of the special features Burnham questioning if comedy and satire are appropriate during the social upheaval the world is facing. The entire song discusses when and where comedy should be used. It is not the first time Bo has expressed his conflicting feelings for his career. “Comedy” is about Bo’s desperation to make a difference in the world but feels that his profession as a comedian does not allow him to do so.

“The simple narrative taught in every history class / Is demonstrably false and pedagogically classist / Don’t you know? The world is built with blood! And genocide and exploitation!” – “How the World Works” from Inside 

“How the World Works” begins with light-hearted lyrics about bees, squirrels, and elephants. But, after the first chorus, Bo introduces a character named Socko, a sock puppet. Socko goes on to list the darker workings of the world, including the connections between politicians and the one percent as well as the faults of capitalism. “How the World Works” also questions the morals of privileged celebrities using socio-political issues as a way to capitalize on the population.

 

“Well, well / Look who’s inside again / Went out to look for a reason to hide again / Well, well / Buddy, you found it / Now, come out with your hands up / We’ve got you surrounded” – “Look Who’s Inside Again” from Inside  

Bo Burnham has been open about his struggles with anxiety, specifically anxiety about performing. “Look Who’s Inside Again” expresses the struggles many people face with mental health. It shows that even when Burnham attempts to go outside into the world, that his anxiety will always find a way to force him back inside. No matter what he feels closed in due to his celebrity lifestyle.

“And I’ve been totally awful / My closet is chock-full of stuff that is vaguely shitty / All of it was perfectly lawful / Just not very thoughtful at all and just really shitty” – “Problematic” from Inside 

Burnham addresses his offensive past with the song “Problematic” in which he is begging the audience to hold him accountable. The song also satirizes the extremely low standards set for apologies from celebrities. At the end of the song, Bo crucifies himself, representing the presence of god complexes in Hollywood and those that view themselves as a savior for the masses. “Problematic” shows that even if someone apologizes they need to be held accountable for their actions no matter who they are.

“Is there anyone out there? / Or am I all alone? / It wouldn’t make a difference / Still, I don’t wanna know” – “Don’t Wanna Know” from Inside  

“Don’t Wanna Know” features lyrics in which Bo asks the audience their opinion on the show. He immediately follows the questions by stating he actually does not want to know the answers. This song is another reference to his anxiety about performing. It also shows the pressure he feels to please his fans. At the end of the song, he questions if he is alone or not, but decides that it does not make a difference. He is literally alone inside the room but also feels alone within his life.

“Now, look at you! Oh, look at you! / You, you! Unstoppable, watchable / Your time is now, your inside’s out, honey, how you grew / And if we stick together, who knows what we’ll do? / It was always the plan to put the world in your hand” – “Welcome to the Internet” from Inside   

The song “Welcome to the Internet” shows Bo performing as a personified version of the Internet. Burnham takes on an unsettling character that is essentially giving the audience a sale pitch for the Internet. The song becomes cynical very quickly as he lists some of the darker aspects of the interweb. Burnham has publicly shared his distaste for the Internet, believing that it is the root of many societal issues. He hints at this with a misleadingly kind bridge before breaking out into maniacal laughter. Burnham’s song shows that though the Internet has provided the world with a lot of good, it came with a price.

“A gift shop at the gun range, a mass shooting at the mall” – “That Funny Feeling” from Inside  

Bo Burnham prefaces the song “That Funny Feeling” by stating he can neither sing nor play the guitar very well. This is the only song of the special that is performed acoustically and does not feature any voice effects. The song explores normalized occurrences in the world that are actually quite tragic. In the quote above he criticizes America’s glorification of guns and desensitization to gun violence. The song also discusses the rise in mental health issues, lack of human interaction, and the way America uses tragedy for profit.

“You say the ocean’s rising like I give a shit / You say the whole world’s ending, honey, it already did / You’re not gonna slow it, Heaven knows you tried / Got it? Good, now get inside” – “All Eyes on Me” from Inside 

In the completely autotuned song “All Eyes on Me” Bo asks an imaginary audience to put their hands up, pray for him, and rise from their seats. During the song, he takes a break to address his absence from performing. “All Eyes on Me” features recorded laughter and applause creating a haunting scene for the viewer because Burnham is completely alone. His lyrics express the lack of control Bo, and many others, feel in life. For him the result is always the same, he ends up back inside.

“So long, goodbye / Hey, here’s a fun idea / How ’bout I sit on the couch / And I watch you next time?” – “Goodbye” from Inside 

The closing song of Inside samples lyrics from many of the other songs, tying the special together. The song provides a raw look into Burnham’s internal struggles. He shares his fear of ending the special, becoming irrelevant, and returning to the world. He also challenges the audience to sit alone in a room and tell jokes as he watches from home. It is a reality check for the viewers as it communicates the difficulties and isolation Bo Burnham had to overcome in order to create this special.

 

Did I miss your favorite lyric? If so, comment it below!