Song Meaning

Jad Fair's "It Is Them" isn't just a quirky tune; it's a primal scream rendered in lo-fi aesthetics. The "horror hoard of crawlin', crushed giants" emerging from the Earth's depths isn't literal; it's a manifestation of the anxieties that burrow beneath the surface of the everyday. Fair, a master of outsider art, taps into a collective fear of the unknown, the monstrous, the 'other' that threatens to disrupt our fragile sense of normalcy. The repeated "Mm, it's them" becomes a mantra of dread, an acknowledgement of the encroaching chaos. The ants, described with grotesque detail—"pinching, biting, crawling ants"—are a powerful symbol. They represent the relentless, insidious nature of fear itself. The image of these creatures "chewing on their heads like bubblegum" is both absurd and deeply disturbing. This juxtaposition is key to understanding the song meaning; it’s not just about fear, but about the bizarre, almost comical way our minds can fixate on the things that scare us. The shift to "eating heads like popcorn, peanuts, potato chips" further underscores the trivialization of terror, a coping mechanism against overwhelming dread. Ultimately, "It Is Them" is a psychological portrait painted with sonic dissonance. It's a reminder that the monsters we fear often originate not from some external source, but from the darkest corners of our own minds. The song's power lies in its ability to externalize these internal demons, giving them a form that is both repulsive and strangely compelling. Through the lens of avant-garde artistry, Fair exposes the raw nerve of human anxiety, leaving the listener to confront the 'them' that lurks within.