The Greatest Pac-Man Victory Ever
Aesop Rock Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

[Chorus]
Get up to get down now
Get up to get down now (like this)
Get up to get down now (like this)
Get up to get down now (alright)
I don't want to do it anymore
Couldn't do it if I tried, wouldn't do it if I wanted it
Hey
I don't want to do it anymore
Couldn't do it if I tried...

[Verse 1]
Okay
The moments were subtle but unstolen and guess who owns them
No friendly, non-threatening corporate lacky mucks in the totem
Lucy was in the sky with diamonds
Five dollars to hold them
The summer beneath these Pac-Man's with acid behind his molars
Little white tab hollering, little white flag waggling
Inorganic pat on back, trim the panic flat on backer
Back to back like Mad Hatter magic
Rabid mastif collaborative
Splatter bachelor fabric fatter with Cabbage Patch lit
(Dark days)
Banded Louie-Louie
(Park blades)
Chemically bent-up but eager to crash for that one, two, three repeater
Good morning Vietnam
Whose couch is this, whose house is this, who are you down with bitch?
I'm sorry, dog, I dreamt the foulest shit
There was this rabid foot talismen drowning out of my armspan
What's fouler was the other farmhands growing gills and shark fangs
What's fouler was my torso stripped to ribbons in the marshlands
But I'm up now
Let's get this window pane and shut the fuck down
Down by the river where the litter sits
And lionheart critters smoke dope and act like illiterates
I ran with a brat pack of loose bolts and high social maladjusties
Sacred, numb, and boundless went to same proto called cookie
Well, I was dummy to some when my tongue was cradled and my skin looks crazy
Pocketbook mirror, courtesy Amy
Spiders in the mattress, paisley sunglasses, dialing eyes green
Ice grill that could burn through your picture-in-picture widescreen
Poison late late show starring Aes and his jigsaw face
Twelve hour solid gold entertainment
Other shit to sell from other ships that sell they DD paper
(Space Invader)
This one's for the labor days worked for rent and rolling papers
Only the illest beats leak asbsurdly out the boombox
The daytripper anthem goes: "Wake. Drop. Walk to Aquarium."
Whistle while you work like a canary lung
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy to carry drugs
I sorta see it as my last flash summer
Skateboards and sloppy psychedelics and big numbers
Good times, good people
All airbrushed on a collapsible easel
Peace man, easy

[Bridge]
And I knew the permanancy would drift
And I knew the ph balance wasn't right
And I knew the crash and burn, how to caress it
L.S.D. flashed the message
And I knew the gash wasn't gonna stop bleeding
And I knew the ph balance wasn't right
And I knew how September would then affect it
L.S.D.

[Verse 2]
Lazy summer days
Like some decrepit landshark dumbluck squad dog lurks sicker, deluded
Last sturdy domino leans secluded
Don't let stupid delusions lesson super-duty labor students
Dragnet lifer solutions
Daddy loves sloppy dimensions like son-daughter links
Such determinated leopards, successfully disshelved
Little soldiers developed like serpents despite life sentence ducking
lemmings
Some don't like sobriety's dirty lenses
Some do let sleeping dogs lie still
Don't look so damn lackluster
Suck defeat
Love some damage, load sample delete
Late Show, Dave Letterman, shitty diner lip-slide dutch
Low self-discipline leader seek that lung self-destruct
Life sucks dickhead
Lost summer's display laminate showcasing divinity
Live system definitive
Liturgy soaked the pig lowly, spectactular delight
Why, what kind of L.S.D. you like?
Your lizard king has spoken (all hail)
You in the back, get them up, those trails are necessarily bumped
(Summertime)
Some'll try and recapture the same flag
But I played it smart and recognized the summertime passed





[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The overall theme of Aesop Rock's The Greatest Pac-Man Victory Ever is nostalgia for the carefree days of youth, which were influenced by drugs and a feeling of being out of place in the world. This is conveyed through his vivid and poetic language, as well as through the repetitive chorus of "Get up to get down" which could be interpreted as a call to action to recapture this lost feeling. The verses are a stream-of-consciousness account of Aesop's experiences during these times, which he likens to playing Pac-Man as a metaphor for the carefree and innocent moments of pure enjoyment.


The lyrics are full of references to drug use, such as "Little white tab hollering, little white flag waggling/Inorganic pat on back, trim the panic flat on backer" and "Let's get this window pane and shut the fuck down". There are also allusions to the counterculture of the time, such as "good morning Vietnam" and "Park blades" which may refer to skateboarding. Aesop's vivid descriptions of his surroundings, such as "spiders in the mattress, paisley sunglasses, dialing eyes green" and "lionheart critters smoke dope and act like illiterates" paint a picture of a world that is simultaneously beautiful and surreal.


In the second verse, Aesop becomes more introspective and contemplative, reflecting on the impermanence of life and his sense of disillusionment with the world. He also touches on themes of fatherhood and generational cycles, as well as the destructive nature of addiction.


Overall, The Greatest Pac-Man Victory Ever is a haunting and introspective journey through Aesop Rock's memories of a bygone era, colored by vivid imagery and poetic language.


Line by Line Meaning

Get up to get down now
It's time to start moving and grooving


Get up to get down now (like this)
Start moving your body in response to the music


Get up to get down now (alright)
Let's do this, get ready to dance


I don't want to do it anymore
I'm tired of something in my life


Couldn't do it if I tried, wouldn't do it if I wanted it
Even if I tried, I couldn't do it and even if I wanted to, I wouldn't


The moments were subtle but unstolen and guess who owns them
The small moments in life are important and should be cherished


No friendly, non-threatening corporate lacky mucks in the totem
Individuality is important and should be preserved against conformity


Lucy was in the sky with diamonds
Referencing a famous Beatles song, possibly alluding to drug use or psychedelia


Five dollars to hold them
Possibly referencing buying something important for a small price


The summer beneath these Pac-Man's with acid behind his molars
Possibly a reference to drug use and enjoying summer days


Little white tab hollering, little white flag waggling
Possible drug references


Inorganic pat on back, trim the panic flat on backer
Possibly referencing the pressure to conform and fit in


Back to back like Mad Hatter magic
Working together to achieve something amazing


Rabid mastif collaborative
Working together to achieve something amazing


Splatter bachelor fabric fatter with Cabbage Patch lit
Using absurd and creative language to describe something


Banded Louie-Louie
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing a song or a person


Chemically bent-up but eager to crash for that one, two, three repeater
Someone who is under the influence, ready to enjoy life and repeat certain experiences


Good morning Vietnam
Referencing a famous line from a movie, possibly alluding to the start of a new day


Whose couch is this, whose house is this, who are you down with bitch?
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing feeling lost or disconnected


I'm sorry, dog, I dreamt the foulest shit
Referencing a bad dream


There was this rabid foot talismen drowning out of my armspan
Describing an unsettling image from the dream


What's fouler was the other farmhands growing gills and shark fangs
More unsettling imagery from the dream


What's fouler was my torso stripped to ribbons in the marshlands
More unsettling imagery from the dream


But I'm up now
Awake and ready to face the day


Let's get this window pane and shut the fuck down
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing shutting something down


Down by the river where the litter sits
Describing a dirty location by the river


And lionheart critters smoke dope and act like illiterates
Describing people behaving recklessly and carelessly


I ran with a brat pack of loose bolts and high social maladjusties
Describing hanging out with a group of outcasts


Sacred, numb, and boundless went to same proto called cookie
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing a drug or a place


Well, I was dummy to some when my tongue was cradled and my skin looks crazy
Feeling out of place and possibly judged by others


Pocketbook mirror, courtesy Amy
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing a personal item


Spiders in the mattress, paisley sunglasses, dialing eyes green
Describing a strange and unsettling environment


Ice grill that could burn through your picture-in-picture widescreen
A very intense and serious expression


Poison late late show starring Aes and his jigsaw face
Possibly referencing a dangerous lifestyle or persona


Twelve hour solid gold entertainment
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing a long and enjoyable time


Other shit to sell from other ships that sell they DD paper
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing capitalism or selling out


(Space Invader)
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing a video game


This one's for the labor days worked for rent and rolling papers
Referencing hard work and struggling to get by


Only the illest beats leak asbsurdly out the boombox
Only the best and most creative music should be shared and enjoyed


The daytripper anthem goes: "Wake. Drop. Walk to Aquarium."
Possibly referencing a popular or well-known song


Whistle while you work like a canary lung
Working hard and staying positive despite difficulties


All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy to carry drugs
Working too hard and not enjoying life can lead to negative behaviors


I sorta see it as my last flash summer
Possibly referencing nostalgia or remembering a meaningful summer


Skateboards and sloppy psychedelics and big numbers
Possibly referencing carefree and wild behavior


Good times, good people
Memories of good experiences and connections with others


All airbrushed on a collapsible easel
Memories that are idealized or not fully representative of reality


And I knew the permanancy would drift
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing the impermanence of things


And I knew the ph balance wasn't right
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing something being off or unbalanced


And I knew the crash and burn, how to caress it
Knowing how to deal with failure or difficult situations


L.S.D. flashed the message
Possibly referencing drug use or enlightenment


And I knew the gash wasn't gonna stop bleeding
Something painful or traumatic that won't go away


And I knew how September would then affect it
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing a time of change or transition


Lazy summer days
Reminiscing about a slow and relaxed time


Like some decrepit landshark dumbluck squad dog lurks sicker, deluded
Describing something that is old, sick, and not attractive


Last sturdy domino leans secluded
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing something precarious or fragile


Don't let stupid delusions lesson super-duty labor students
Advocating for hard work and not being distracted by foolish ideas


Dragnet lifer solutions
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing something that is all-encompassing or thorough


Daddy loves sloppy dimensions like son-daughter links
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing relationships or connections


Such determinated leopards, successfully disshelved
Something or someone that is determined and able to break free from conformity


Little soldiers developed like serpents despite life sentence ducking lemmings
People who are able to develop themselves despite difficult circumstances


Some don't like sobriety's dirty lenses
Some people don't like to see things clearly


Some do let sleeping dogs lie still
Others prefer to leave things alone and not explore too deeply


Don't look so damn lackluster
Encouraging someone to be more energetic or enthusiastic


Suck defeat
Giving into defeat or negativity


Love some damage, load sample delete
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing destructive behavior or erasing memories


Late Show, Dave Letterman, shitty diner lip-slide dutch
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing specific TV shows or locations


Low self-discipline leader seek that lung self-destruct
Someone who lacks self-control may engage in destructive behavior


Life sucks dickhead
Life can be difficult and challenging


Lost summer's display laminate showcasing divinity
Possibly referencing a summer that was unforgettable or special


Live system definitive
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing a certain lifestyle or mindset


Liturgy soaked the pig lowly, spectactular delight
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing indulgence or excess


Why, what kind of L.S.D. you like?
Possibly referencing the variability of different experiences or perspectives


Your lizard king has spoken (all hail)
Unclear meaning, possibly referencing a figure of authority or power


You in the back, get them up, those trails are necessarily bumped
Encouraging someone to participate or get involved


(Summertime)
Referencing the season of summer


Some'll try and recapture the same flag
People may try to relive past experiences or feelings


But I played it smart and recognized the summertime passed
Accepting that things change and can't be recaptured




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

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