Very Ape (2023 Remaster)

Song Meaning

“Very Ape” immediately plunges the listener into a world of raw contradiction. The speaker feels overwhelmed by “Contradictionary flies,” a vivid image of being consumed by internal or external conflicts. The narrator declares themselves “king of illiterature,” a title both self-deprecating and boastful. This sets a tone of defiant, self-aware chaos. The core tension lies in the speaker's self-description: “I'm very ape and very nice.” This stark pairing encapsulates a struggle between primal instinct and social expectation, a desire for authenticity clashing with a need for acceptance. This internal tug-of-war manifests in their interactions, as they tell others to “ask someone else first,” a dismissive gesture that hints at a deeper weariness or a performative detachment. The lyrics masterfully employ irony to build this complex persona. The speaker's claim to be “too busy actin' like I'm not naïve” immediately undercuts their subsequent boast of having “seen it all, I was here first.” This isn't just a simple lie; it's a transparent defense mechanism, revealing a vulnerability beneath the world-weary facade. The repeated chorus, with its elemental movement from “Out of the ground / Into the sky / Out of the sky / Into the dirt” (or “ground”), offers a stark counterpoint to the verses' internal turmoil. This cyclical imagery suggests a relentless, perhaps futile, pattern of existence—a constant rise and fall, a return to the basic elements. It underscores the speaker's sense of being trapped within these contradictions, making the entire piece resonate with a raw, unvarnished honesty that hits hard.