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Escape Artist
Sage Francis Lyrics


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(When I first got into magic yeah)

When I first got into magic it was an underground phenomenon
Now everybody's like pick a card, any card
If I shot my full load with the first hand I played
I'd be a monkey in a box
Hangin' with the David Blaines
I'd be swimming with the sharks
Smiles full of razor blades
But I'm not
I got outta that game
Escape artist
I talked till I'm red in my face
With strange califs
I rocked till I'm outta my range
Then raised octaves
I played through the pain
And remained conscious
Refraining from commenting on the lame compliments
And the petty criticisms from those who ain't accomplished
Even one-fifths of some of this shit
I made progress with
I'm leavin' naysayers stumped like rain forests
After years of pullin' rabbit ears out my pants pockets
I'm not revealing any tricks of the trade
Its just there ain't no magic in the break down baby

In an effort to make them more secret I find in my life I decided to give them a look
Now I'm givin' them a glimpse and I guess I'm sittin' in the middle of an unread book
Letters are falling apart but the sentences end and run of the wording is permanent
Never been missed
Suckers been missed
What did you miss
Interpreted is
Funny I'm serving the sentence of solitary confinement
Results in a death sentence and still I'm a running assignment
I'm just wondering where my time went
It pulled a disappearing act
And every single assistant I ever had got stored in half

'Cause see I never payed attention but I can't afford to laugh (word?)
'Cause I'm lookin' through my book
And an autograph from my cats (ok)
And I'm short on staff
So all I ask is volunteers from the crowd
Show a little bit of audience participation now!
When I say hip (what do I say)
You, you say shut the fuck up we ain't sayin' shit
And I'll respect it (yes!)
Check it
In a flair for the dramatic exit
A fashionable entrance late to my own arraignment
(Oh) the self-destructive things that I do for entertainment
My folks gave me this art
You're broken heart is my pallet
While I was out honin' my craft
You were disownin' your talent
'Cause while you still live at home
And I bought this house off my parents (uhh)
I'm gettin' ahead of myself (I'm gettin' ahead of myself)
I see the hair on my back (I see the hair on my back)
I'm on the road reading Kerouac
His poems versus better raps
I think to myself (I think to myself)
What's worth remembering
Versus defending
The size of my manhood
Or confessional canned goods

In an effort to make them more secret I find in my life I decided to give them a look
Now I'm givin' them a glimpse and I guess I'm sittin' in the middle of an unread book
Letters are falling apart but the sentences end and run of the wording is permanent
Never been missed
Suckers been missed
What did you miss
Interpreted is
But none of this is gettin' told in confidence I reckon
I spin confidential records just to hold the listeners attention

I'm a veteran of spacial relationships
I clip your wings to fit you in
Head shrinking magician
Shape shifting reptilian
Turned body contortionist
Orphanages started offering tortures to abortion clinics (abortion clinics)
I lost acquaintances
And a morgue of lady friends
I gender bent the heaven sent angelic devil boy
Good god's androgynous
I'm lookin' marvelous
But looks can kill
And they're unsure about my sexual orientation still
Put me in a special kind of case that only breaks if
You hit it with a bouquet of flowers and baby breath arrangement
The vault is vacant
And they're all looking for phone call blame
I called my agent
The moment that I caught the train
I let him know that I'm goin' nowhere
He's invited
If he leaves tonight then he might just help me find it
But this is my burden to bear
Not his
And I'm a psychic without a sidekick
Holding the future hostage
A loose cannon standing on the rooftop with
A new respect and understanding of bartenders and locksmiths
They call me daredevil
But I'm not precise enough
Unprofessional
On an amateur level
I love my life too much

Escape artist
(Escape, escape)

Escape artist
I'm in two places at once
Escape artist
But I ain't slept in months
Escape artist
Just tryin' to get away
But there ain't no magic in the breakdown baby

Ain't no magic in the breakdown baby
No magic in the break
Ain't no magic in the breakdown baby

Pussies
You're scared to shoot me in the heart
You know it's too big!
Uh!
Yeah, fuck you
I gotta bulletproof heart
Hit it baby
I'll never fall in love with you
Ever!
If you got glass so long too
Biyatch shut up

Make some noise for sage francis y'all

Overall Meaning

Sage Francis's "Escape Artist" explores the idea of magic, both literal and metaphorical, and how it has evolved over time. The singer reminisces about when magic trickery used to be a rarity and a secret, something that only a select few underground magicians knew how to do, but now it has become a mainstream trend that anyone can learn. However, the singer has since given up on literal magic and instead has harnessed the metaphorical magic of music and the spoken word. He talks about his struggles as an artist, how he's had to talk until his face turned red and push himself through pain just to make progress. He also touches on the idea of balancing individualism with the need for audience participation, noting that while he's a veteran of space and shape-shifting, he still needs to connect with his listeners.


Throughout the song, the lyrics play with words and meanings, much like a magician would manipulate a deck of cards or their audience's perception. The singer reflects on the idea of time, and how it seems to disappear quickly and unpredictably, as well as the notion of gender identity, flipping between male, female, and androgynous descriptions. The song concludes with the repeated refrain, "ain't no magic in the breakdown, baby," suggesting a need to push through the struggles of life and not allow oneself to be taken down by them.


Line by Line Meaning

When I first got into magic yeah
When I first got into magic it was an underground phenomenon


Now everybody's like pick a card, any card
Magic has become mainstream and overplayed


If I shot my full load with the first hand I played
If I gave my all at the beginning, I would be a has-been


I'd be a monkey in a box Hangin' with the David Blaines I'd be swimming with the sharks Smiles full of razor blades But I'm not
I would be a sell-out, performing dangerous stunts for fame and fortune, but I chose not to


I got outta that game Escape artist
I left the magic game and became an artist who escapes from the expectations and limitations of others


I talked till I'm red in my face With strange califs I rocked till I'm outta my range Then raised octaves I played through the pain And remained conscious Refraining from commenting on the lame compliments And the petty criticisms from those who ain't accomplished Even one-fifths of some of this shit I made progress with I'm leavin' naysayers stumped like rain forests
I performed tirelessly, even when it hurt, and refused to acknowledge or care about the praise or insults of those who haven't achieved anything significant themselves


After years of pullin' rabbit ears out my pants pockets I'm not revealing any tricks of the trade Its just there ain't no magic in the break down baby
After years of performing and perfecting my craft, I won't reveal my secrets, but I must admit that there's no magic in breaking down or giving up


In an effort to make them more secret I find in my life I decided to give them a look Now I'm givin' them a glimpse and I guess I'm sittin' in the middle of an unread book Letters are falling apart but the sentences end and run of the wording is permanent Never been missed Suckers been missed What did you miss Interpreted is
In an attempt to keep my tricks a secret, I decided to examine them myself. Now I'm giving others a glimpse, but it's like I'm in an unknown book where the pages are falling apart, and people misinterpret it.


Funny I'm serving the sentence of solitary confinement Results in a death sentence and still I'm a running assignment I'm just wondering where my time went It pulled a disappearing act And every single assistant I ever had got stored in half 'Cause see I never payed attention but I can't afford to laugh (word?) 'Cause I'm lookin' through my book And an autograph from my cats (ok) And I'm short on staff So all I ask is volunteers from the crowd Show a little bit of audience participation now!
I feel like I'm imprisoned by my work, and though it's killing me, I keep going. I'm wondering where all my time went, and all my old assistants left me. I can't afford to laugh because I need help. I ask the audience for volunteers to help me perform.


When I say hip (what do I say) You, you say shut the fuck up we ain't sayin' shit And I'll respect it (yes!) Check it In a flair for the dramatic exit A fashionable entrance late to my own arraignment (Oh) the self-destructive things that I do for entertainment
I make a dramatic entrance and ask the audience to participate in my show. Despite my self-destructive tendencies, I still crave the thrill of performing.


My folks gave me this art You're broken heart is my pallet While I was out honin' my craft You were disownin' your talent 'Cause while you still live at home And I bought this house off my parents (uhh) I'm gettin' ahead of myself (I'm gettin' ahead of myself)
My family gave me the gift of art, and I perfected it while you wasted your talent. You live with your parents, and I own my house, but I'm getting ahead of myself.


I see the hair on my back (I see the hair on my back) I'm on the road reading Kerouac His poems versus better raps I think to myself (I think to myself) What's worth remembering Versus defending The size of my manhood Or confessional canned goods
I reflect on my life as I read Kerouac, and I wonder what's worth remembering and defending. Is it my achievements or my personal struggles?


But none of this is gettin' told in confidence I reckon I spin confidential records just to hold the listeners attention
I realize that nothing I say is really confidential, and I only say it to grab the attention of my audience.


I'm a veteran of spacial relationships I clip your wings to fit you in Head shrinking magician Shape shifting reptilian Turned body contortionist Orphanages started offering tortures to abortion clinics (abortion clinics) I lost acquaintances And a morgue of lady friends I gender bent the heaven sent angelic devil boy Good god's androgynous I'm lookin' marvelous But looks can kill And they're unsure about my sexual orientation still
I've become an expert in manipulating space and shaping bodies to fit my art. I've lost acquaintances and alienated those who question my sexuality. Good god's creation is androgynous, and I look great, but my appearance can still harm others.


Put me in a special kind of case that only breaks if You hit it with a bouquet of flowers and baby breath arrangement The vault is vacant And they're all looking for phone call blame I called my agent The moment that I caught the train I let him know that I'm goin' nowhere He's invited If he leaves tonight then he might just help me find it But this is my burden to bear Not his And I'm a psychic without a sidekick Holding the future hostage A loose cannon standing on the rooftop with A new respect and understanding of bartenders and locksmiths
I want to escape and disappear, leaving behind the burden of my fame and art. My agent can help me, but this is my problem to solve. I feel like a psychic without a partner but have a newfound respect for bartenders and locksmiths.


They call me daredevil But I'm not precise enough Unprofessional On an amateur level I love my life too much
Although people call me a daredevil, I don't have enough precision and professionalism to be one. I love my life too much to risk it all.


I'm in two places at once But I ain't slept in months Just tryin' to get away But there ain't no magic in the breakdown baby Ain't no magic in the breakdown baby No magic in the break Pussies You're scared to shoot me in the heart You know it's too big! Uh! Yeah, fuck you I gotta bulletproof heart Hit it baby I'll never fall in love with you Ever! If you got glass so long too Biyatch shut up Make some noise for sage francis y'all
I feel like I exist in two worlds and haven't slept in ages, just trying to escape. But there's no magic in giving up. I have a heart that's too big to be broken, and I'll never fall in love with you. If you have a problem with that, then shut up. Make some noise for Sage Francis.




Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Sage Francis

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Candymann Productions

When I first got into magic it was an underground phenomenon
Now everybody's like pick a card, any card
If I shot my full load with the first hand I played
I'd be a monkey in a box
Hangin' with the David Blaines
I'd be swimming with the sharks
Smiles full of razor blades
But I'm not
I got outta that game
Escape artist
I talked till I'm red in my face
With strange califs
I rocked till I'm outta my range
Then raised octaves
I played through the pain
And remained conscious
Refraining from commenting on the lame compliments
And the petty criticisms from those who ain't accomplished
Even one-fifths of some of this shit
I made progress with
I'm leavin' naysayers stumped like rain forests
After years of pullin' rabbit ears out my pants pockets
I'm not revealing any tricks of the trade
Its just there ain't no magic in the break down baby
In an effort to make them more secret I find in my life I decided to give them a look
Now I'm givin' them a glimpse and I guess I'm sittin' in the middle of an unread book
Letters are falling apart but the sentences end and run of the wording is permanent
Never been missed
Suckers been missed
What did you miss
Interpreted is
Funny I'm serving the sentence of solitary confinement
Results in a death sentence and still I'm a running assignment
I'm just wondering where my time went
It pulled a disappearing act
And every single assistant I ever had got stored in half

'Cause see I never payed attention but I can't afford to laugh (word?)
'Cause I'm lookin' through my book
And an autograph from my cats (ok)
And I'm short on staff
So all I ask is volunteers from the crowd
Show a little bit of audience participation now!
When I say hip (what do I say)
You, you say shut the fuck up we ain't sayin' shit
And I'll respect it (yes!)
Check it
In a flair for the dramatic exit
A fashionable entrance late to my own arraignment
(Oh) the self-destructive things that I do for entertainment
My folks gave me this art
You're broken heart is my pallet
While I was out honin' my craft
You were disownin' your talent
'Cause while you still live at home
And I bought this house off my parents (uhh)
I'm gettin' ahead of myself (I'm gettin' ahead of myself)
I see the hair on my back (I see the hair on my back)
I'm on the road reading Kerouac
His poems versus better raps
I think to myself (I think to myself)
What's worth remembering
Versus defending
The size of my manhood
Or confessional canned goods
In an effort to make them more secret I find in my life I decided to give them a look
Now I'm givin' them a glimpse and I guess I'm sittin' in the middle of an unread book
Letters are falling apart but the sentences end and run of the wording is permanent
Never been missed
Suckers been missed
What did you miss
Interpreted is
But none of this is gettin' told in confidence I reckon
I spin confidential records just to hold the listeners attention

I'm a veteran of spacial relationships
I clip your wings to fit you in
Head shrinking magician
Shape shifting reptilian
Turned body contortionist
Orphanages started offering tortures to abortion clinics (abortion clinics)
I lost acquaintances
And a morgue of lady friends
I gender bent the heaven sent angelic devil boy
Good god's androgynous
I'm lookin' marvelous
But looks can kill
And they're unsure about my sexual orientation still
Put me in a special kind of case that only breaks if
You hit it with a bouquet of flowers and baby breath arrangement
The vault is vacant
And they're all looking for phone call blame
I called my agent
The moment that I caught the train
I let him know that I'm goin' nowhere
He's invited
If he leaves tonight then he might just help me find it
But this is my burden to bear
Not his
And I'm a psychic without a sidekick
Holding the future hostage
A loose cannon standing on the rooftop with
A new respect and understanding of bartenders and locksmiths
They call me daredevil
But I'm not precise enough
Unprofessional
On an amateur level
I love my life too much
Escape artist
(Escape, escape)
Escape artist
I'm in two places at once
Escape artist
But I ain't slept in months
Escape artist
Just tryin' to get away
But there ain't no magic in the breakdown baby
Ain't no magic in the breakdown baby
No magic in the break
Ain't no magic in the breakdown baby
Pussies
You're scared to shoot me in the heart
You know it's too big!
Uh!
Yeah, fuck you
I gotta bulletproof heart
Hit it baby
I'll never fall in love with you
Ever!
If you got glass so long too
Biyatch shut up
Make some noise for sage francis y'all



All comments from YouTube:

Lyrics Anonymous

Top tier lyricist, crazy how so many people never heard of him.

luv POGL

They don't appreciate the art, just the money and the fame. So, they sit lost in a world of false bars pretending they feel the same.

Allan Woods

Riiiight?

Don Ra Star

@Lyrics Anonymous peep "Ams Uno" or my homie Helda

Lyrics Anonymous

@Don Ra Star idk what that means 🤷‍♂️

Lyrics Anonymous

@Don Ra Star you went to school with him? That's cool

16 More Replies...

Reubix Inc.

Very sad more people don't know about some of the best hip hop artists out there. Sage Francis has been ringing in my ears for about 8 years now. Much respect to Sage Francis, Eyedea, Slug, Aesop Rock and all the others out there not getting the respect that they deserve.

Ghost Da Kidd

Drop the rest I’m looking for music worth listening to

Mr G.

i remember listening to this over a decade ago. still goes hard af

QueenArugaloid

Wow I haven't heard this for years, I'm glad I woke up singing it in my head the other day. It took me 2 days to remember what the song was called. Good stuff. I lost one of my oldest friends a few weeks ago and he showed me Sage when we were 17 so this is for him. RIP Mike Andrew Stack and T.I.P up there man.

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