This morning, Jesse sent me a link to this song’s video (click on the image to the right) because I’m writing about Brooklyn these days. The video was shot there. It was apparently used in a trailer for Pineapple Express, but it took over my head immediately and it’s also worth examining for the meaning behind her lyrics.

Here are a couple of her comments about the song (from Wikipedia):

In an interview in late August 2008, Arulpragasam described the song as being “about people driving cabs all day and living in a shitty apartment and ‘appearing’ really threatening to society. But not being so. Because, by the time you’ve finished working a 20-hour shift, you’re so tired you [just] want to get home to the family”.

On the gunshots and cash register ringing in the song’s chorus, she felt “you can either apply it on a street level and go, oh, you’re talking about somebody robbing you and saying I’m going to take your money. But, really, it could be a much bigger idea: someone’s selling you guns and making money - that’s probably the biggest moneymaker in the world…” adding “It is [a lot for a pop song] but you only have three minutes to put in your thesis.”

Ooh, I just noticed the date. It’s kind of fitting that I posted this now.