Bavitz was born in Syosset, New York and grew up in Northport, New York. While attending college, Bavitz initially recorded and released two self-financed efforts, Music for Earthworms (1997), a full-length featuring underground artist Percee P on two tracks. Bavitz also released a music video to "Abandon All Hope", which was one of the tracks on the CD. The album sold over 300 copies, largely from a grassroots internet-based promotion at his website AesopRock.com and then-popular web portal, MP3.Com. It was a success. With the money he made from his previous release, he then released his Appleseed EP in 1999 which received critical acclaim in the underground hip hop circuit.[citation needed] Both of his early records were produced by long-time friend Blockhead, and underground producer Dub-L. He completed these albums while also working as a waiter.
After his breakthrough success in the underground hip hop and indie rap community, he was eventually noticed by the Mush label and obtained his first record deal in 1999, just a year after he graduated from college. Aesop released his first major album, Float (2000), with guest appearances from Vast Aire, Slug, and Dose One. Production was split between Blockhead and Aesop himself, with one track by Omega One. During this time, Aesop worked at a photography gallery. In August 2001 tragedy struck when Bavitz had a nervous breakdown. The song "One of Four" on his Daylight EP documents his struggles.
Shortly after releasing Float, Aesop Rock signed to Manhattan-based label Definitive Jux (commonly shortened to Def Jux), where he released Labor Days (2001), an album dedicated to the discussion of labor in American society and the concept of "wage slaves". This album was most well known for its single "Daylight". Because of its popularity, Daylight was re-released in 2002 as a seven-track EP, including an "alternative" new version of the song "Night Light", whose paraphrased lyrics simultaneously refer back to, and stand in stark opposition to, the original's. The song "Labor" (from Labor Days) was featured in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4; it also was the first album in his catalog to break through the Billboard charts, peaking at number 15 at the United States Independent Charts, giving Aesop Rock more recognition.
Labor Days was followed by Bazooka Tooth in 2003. For the first time, production was mostly handled by Rock himself, with three tracks from longtime collaborator Blockhead and one from close friend and Definitive Jux label CEO El-P. Guest appearances include Party Fun Action Committee, El-P, and Mr. Lif (all Definitive Jux labelmates) and Camp Lo. With this release Aesop hit a higher level of recognition, releasing "No Jumper Cables" as a single and music video, then another single, "Freeze", shortly after. A remix of "No Jumper Cables" was featured on Tony Hawk's Underground 2, furthering Aesop's recognition. In 2004, He released Build Your Own Bazooka Tooth and created a contest in which you had to create a remix of an Aesop Rock song using the a cappellas and instrumentals.
In February 2005, Aesop Rock released a new EP, Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives. The first pressing of the EP included an 88-page booklet with lyrics from every release from Float until this EP (the lyric booklet is titled The Living Human Curiosity Sideshow); later pressings of the album come without the booklet, but with an additional bonus track, "Facemelter". In addition, a limited number of albums were available direct from Def Jux with Aesop Rock's graffiti tag on them. In response to demands from his fans, Rock did less production on the EP: three songs are produced by Blockhead, three produced by Aesop, and one by Rob Sonic. During this time he was asked to join The Weathermen to replace Vast Aire.
Aesop Rock was commissioned to create a 45-minute instrumental track for the Nike+iPod running system, entitled All Day. It was released in February 2007. Distributed via the iTunes Music Store and featuring his wife Allyson Baker on guitar and scratches from DJ Big Wiz, Aesop has described the release as "something that evolved enough that the sound was constantly fresh and attractive, as though the runner were moving through a set of differing cities or landscapes."
All Day was followed in August of the same year by Bavitz's fifth full-length album, None Shall Pass released in 2007. The album also contained original artwork by Jeremy Fish. About Jeremy Fish, Aesop Rock said: "Man that guy is my hero. We have a friend in common who hit me up a while back saying that this guy Jeremy Fish had an opportunity to pitch a cartoon to Disney and wanted me to be involved in the music side. I flipped out cuz I was also a fan of his, and owned some of his work." Aesop Rock also teamed up with Jeremy Fish again in a project called Ghosts of the Barbary Coast. Aesop Rock made a song called "Tomorrow Morning", to go along with a slideshow of drawings that Jeremy Fish drew. This was displayed in San Francisco, but was also made available for download online. None Shall Pass had positive reviews from critics and fans, applauding Aesop for his change in sound.
In 2011, Rhymesayers released "Are You Going to Eat That?", the debut album from Hail Mary Mallon, a collaboration between Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic, and DJ Big Wiz.
On July 10, 2012, Rhymesayers released Aesop Rock's sixth studio album, "Skelethon". Its first single, "Zero Dark Thirty", was released four months earlier on April 10. A second single, "ZZZ Top", was released on June 29.
In 2011, Aesop Rock and Kimya Dawson of The Moldy Peaches formed the duo The Uncluded. The duo's debut album, "Hokey Fright" was released on May 7, 2013.
In 2018, Aesop Rock teamed up with TOBACCO to form Malibu Ken
The Harbor Is Yours
Aesop Rock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Up push the daisies till the soil is stale
In a powder blue tux for the farmer's sale
Mr. big sleep with the carp and kelp]
Once upon a time in the days of yore
When the people lived fresh outta legend and folklore
There was an old pirate who piloted vile slang
Peg leg navigator starboard to port
By the nautical star of male an the harbor is yours
And you should tell them where you situate the gold
That is unless you'd like a vacation with Davy j-j-j-Jones.
Like "walk the plank" for whom the shark thank
Maroon the mutineers consume the souvenirs.
Come all the shiny spoils piled higher every year
He was suffocating slow in the box of a buccaneer
Ten summers prior on a night like this
Crows nest scopes something afloat to the boats west
Swore it blew him a kiss
When he focus seen the face of an angel upon the body of a
F-f-f-fish.
"What the heck!" grabbed for his telescope
Shatter gathered himself she was ghost he was down the rope ladder
To deck circled the vessel the 360 swiftly
Found nothing in the water but salt, piss and whiskey.
Yarr, heckled by the swabbies at the bar,
He'll be the laughing stock of the barbary coast war
Like this dude either got two glass eyes
Or he wearing his patch on the wrong s-s-s-side
Now he knew what he saw
But had to prove he was raw
So he raped and he pillaged and
And he'd feud and he'd brawl
Try to rekindle his rep via sabers and gun smoke
And battle always find him though he never told cutthroats
Meanwhile, back in the now, Got a brand new skeleton crew
On the move out When they aren't manning thirty burning cannons stern and bow
They are prying shiny metals out your m-m-m-mouth
Okay, youth wanes old age holler wisdom and disease
Like the scurvy made his yellow gums bleed.
And he was aching from his boots to the feather in his cap
Till his quartermaster showed up with a stolen treasure map
One look down and lept off the dock,
See if you can guess where X marked the spot
The capital was buried at sea in a cursed cave,
Only one mile from where he'd seen the mer-mer-mer-maid.
Anchors up, hoist the jolly roger thank you much.
Day and night with his hook hands raised and clutched
But see the vitamin deficiency was strong
So by the time they bumped into the island he could barely lift his grog
Crawled off the boat, collapsed in the sand
Prayers in the air, seashells in his hand
An area high tide so grand it's the one that put the one that put
The lady of the lake on dry la-la-la-land
I wish I could tell you that it ended happy
Pretend like his bones weren't practically snapping
Pretend like her gills didn't dry up and suffer
But that's a half-dead pirate and a fish outta water.
No lie, scout's honor, got a million more
From the burgundy lighting above the shores of whores
Before your visions of grandeur go to slow those sails
Remember that dead men tell no t-t-t-tales
The first verse of Aesop Rock's "The Harbor Is Yours" is a reference to the old pirate mantra of "dead men tell no tales." The singer warns against withholding one's secrets, likening the consequences to death: "Up push the daisies till the soil is stale." He then goes on to describe a deceased man in a "powder blue tux," sleeping with aquatic creatures such as carp and kelp, indicating a burial at sea. The second and third verses tell the story of an old pirate who encounters a mermaid-like creature, which he later discovers to be mere salt, piss, and whiskey. The pirate then seeks to reclaim his reputation by waging battles and acquiring treasure, eventually discovering a map leading him to treasure buried at sea in a cursed cave. However, he is eventually weakened by scurvy and cannot enjoy his newfound wealth to the fullest.
The song is a compelling narrative that explores the themes of greed, mortality, and the dangers of believing in fantasy. The pirate's obsession with treasure causes him to lose sight of the reality around him, and he eventually meets a tragic fate. The chorus serves as a warning to those who would follow in the pirate's footsteps, emphasizing the importance of keeping one's secrets close in a world where dead men tell no tales.
Line by Line Meaning
Dead men tell no tales.
There is no news like old news, or so the saying goes. Dead men are incapable of spreading information or stories about what they have seen or experienced, which could be favorable or adverse.
Up push the daisies till the soil is stale
Daisies are very tough to resist as they have a certain appeal. However, in this line, they represent death. When someone dies, they are buried, and the flowers that grow on their graves are daisies. The phrase means that when someone dies, they cannot do anything beyond decomposition. They cannot talk, walk, or do anything.
In a powder blue tux for the farmer's sale
The color blue has been used to illustrate the blues that come with the feeling of sadness. Accordingly, a powder blue tux worn at a farmer’s sale would be a mismatch. It shows how focused people are on material possessions such as clothing and blindly attempt to show off even when they are not the right outfit for the occasion.
Mr. big sleep with the carp and kelp
This line reference death once again, with the 'big sleep' being a metaphor for death. When someone falls into the water and drowns, their body will settle on the seabed, where they will rest with the carp and kelp.
Once upon a time in the days of yore
When the people lived fresh outta legend and folklore
This line talks about a time long ago, where the world was purely mythical with extraordinary beings such as unicorns and werewolves. The line tells about ancient people who believed in fantastic stories and used them to teach lessons.
There was an old pirate who piloted vile slang
Had a bird perched on him and swash buckled the same
This line tells the tale of an old, roughened pirate who was fond of using offensive language (vile slang), and he had a pet bird that sat on his shoulder, mimicking some of his occasional flamboyant expressions.
Peg leg navigator starboard to port
By the nautical star of male and the harbor is yours
This line talks about an expert navigator who can swivel the ship across any direction angled at, courtesy of his knowledge and adjustments, which is backed by the North Star. The line conveys that the setting of the North Star can help any sailor find his way and makes the harbor accessible.
And you should tell them where you situate the gold
That is unless you'd like a vacation with Davy j-j-j-Jones.
This line advises people to come clean about their wealth, including their hiding place, lest they want to meet sudden death, depicted by Davy Jones, the mythological god of the ocean.
Like 'walk the plank' for whom the shark thank
Maroon the mutineers consume the souvenirs.
This line tells of the brutal punishments administered on pirates on a mutiny. The act of being forced off the pirate ship to drop into the ocean to serve as shark bait for sharks is one such punishment. Furthermore, any pirate that stayed behind would be marooned on an island, and their property would be seized by other freebooters.
Come all the shiny spoils piled higher every year
He was suffocating slow in the box of a buccaneer
This line talks about the runaway wealth pirates seize during their adventures. They keep amassing fortunes, and the wealth comes in both admirable and despicable forms that they stack as they go. Meanwhile, an old pirate slowly suffocates inside a wooden treasure box being kept dead secretly by the other pirates on-board.
Ten summers prior on a night like this
Crows nest scopes something afloat to the boats west
Swore it blew him a kiss
When he focus seen the face of an angel upon the body of a
F-f-f-f-fish.
This line tells of a sailor's encounter with an angel in the form of a fish. On a previous summer night, the sailor up in the crows' nest discovers an unusual-looking fish in the water moving in the opposite direction, creating a wake. The surreal sight of such a creature enraptures him, and when he looks more closely, he discovers that it's an angel posing as a fish.
"What the heck!" grabbed for his telescope
Shatter gathered himself she was ghost he was down the rope ladder
To deck circled the vessel the 360 swiftly
Found nothing in the water but salt, piss, and whiskey.
This line recounts the sailor's shock when he sees the angel in the form of a fish. Confused and a little scared, he grabs his telescope to get a better view. The surprise effect of seeing the angel's true form causes him to drop the telescope. Momentarily stunned, he then quickly goes down the rope ladder onto the deck, shouting to his fellow sailors. But they find nothing there except salty, murky seawater; the sailor realizes he must have seen a ghost.
Yarr, heckled by the swabbies at the bar,
He'll be the laughing stock of the barbary coast war
Like this dude either got two glass eyes
Or he wearing his patch on the wrong s-s-s-side
This line is about how sailors gossiped about the sailor who claimed to have seen an angel in the form of a fish. The other sailors jibed him and made fun of him, intending to shame him so that he would fit in better with the rest of the crew. They even accused him of not wearing his eye patch correctly.
Now he knew what he saw
But had to prove he was raw
So he raped and he pillaged and
And he'd feud and he'd brawl
Try to rekindle his rep via sabers and gun smoke
And battle always find him though he never told cutthroats
This line is about the sailor who saw an angel in the form of a fish, trying to redeem his lost honor. However, he ends up engaging in debauchery, sexually assaulting people, looting, starting fights, and engaging in other violent activities. He continuously instigates opponents to fight him, eventually losing his life in a gun fight without revealing his secret.
Meanwhile, back in the now, Got a brand new skeleton crew
On the move out When they aren't manning thirty burning cannons stern and bow
They are prying shiny metals out your m-m-m-mouth
This line depicts the new, inexperienced crew listening to the pirate stories of old. They have stolen a vast amount of valuable material from victims on their latest activity, which they are prying out of their mouth.
Okay, youth wanes old age holler wisdom and disease
Like the scurvy made his yellow gums bleed.
And he was aching from his boots to the feather in his cap
Till his quartermaster showed up with a stolen treasure map
This line talks about the effects of aging on a pirate. They get weak, resulting in diseases such as scurvy, which causes gums to bleed, among other symptoms. However, despite the pain, they search for riches constantly. Eventually, a younger quartermaster discovers a treasure map they are searching for on their voyage.
One look down and lept off the dock,
See if you can guess where X marked the spot
The capital was buried at sea in a cursed cave,
Only one mile from where he'd seen the mer-mer-mer-maid.
This line tells of finding wealth, following the lead of the newly acquired treasure map. It highlights the latitude and longitude coordinates and mentions the hidden treasure the map locates. The treasure is buried beneath the sea in a cursed cave, one mile from the location where the sailor saw the angel in the form of a fish.
Anchors up, hoist the jolly roger thank you much.
Day and night with his hook hands raised and clutched
But see the vitamin deficiency was strong
So by the time they bumped into the island he could barely lift his grog
This line emphasizes the team's excitement about finding the treasure, readiness to hoist anchor, and raise their 'Jolly Roger' pirate flag. But their satisfaction is short-lived because the pirate leader, who has a deficiency of vitamins, is too weak to lift his grog.
Crawled off the boat, collapsed in the sand
Prayers in the air, seashells in his hand
An area high tide so grand it's the one that put the one that put
The lady of the lake on dry la-la-la-land
This line talks about the pirate's last moments. He crawls off the boat, collapses in the sand, and says his prayers with seashells clutched in his hand. His life is about to end, and a high tide rises, exposing the lake lady's body he recovered decades ago.
I wish I could tell you that it ended happy
Pretend like his bones weren't practically snapping
Pretend like her gills didn't dry up and suffer
But that's a half-dead pirate and a fish outta water.
This line is a wish that the story would end well, with no suffering, chasing the narrative's fantastic beginnings. But in reality, both the pirate dying and a mermaid being stuck on land were not what was hoped for: the consequence of leveraging unrealistic beliefs leads to suffering in the end.
No lie, scout's honor, got a million more
From the burgundy lighting above the shores of whores
Before your visions of grandeur go to slow those sails
Remember that dead men tell no t-t-t-tales
This line mentions that there are other tales that speak of many other pirates and their fortunes up for grabs. They are more exciting and exhilarating, but the main lesson in pirate stories is that the dead can't talk, so caution is needed when one desires to follow their footsteps.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: IAN BAVITZ, JAMES ANTHONY SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind