Busdriver guested on upward of 20 singles, and by 2001 he could no longer be contained by guest spots, releasing his first full-length, Memoirs of the Elephant Man (1999). There were just as many detractors as supporters for his singular style, which was so densely packed it made his chosen name seem a reference for multiple-personality disorder, and the lo-fi production also left more listeners scratching heads than nodding them.
His next album, This Machine Kills Fashion Tips (2002), continued in a similar manner before being trumped by better production and more focused rhymes on Temporary Forever the same year. Joined by another West Coast avant-garde MC, Radioinactive, and the breezy, fractured pop of electronic producer Daedelus, Busdriver released yet another odd puzzle piece in 2003, The Weather. Fear of a Black Tangent followed on Mush in 2005. After moving to Anti-/Epitaph, the rapper issued RoadKillOvercoat, which featured production from Nobody and Boom Bip. His second Anti- release, Jhelli Beam, appeared in 2009. In 2010 he put out a full-length mixtape of unreleased gems and illegal remixes called Computer Cooties. It was released as a free album. 2010 saw Bus toiling over a new album that will shock fans and confuse the unconverted into unwilling servitude. It is called Beaus$Eros and was released on February 21, 2012 on Fake Four. Beaus$Eros forgoes the lightening-speed rhyming that defined his style in favor of a diverse, off-kilter brand of pop and post-hip-hop.
The Troglodyte Wins
Busdriver Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I should just (get up)
And treat these itchy bedsores
(get up) to making my indie-cred soar
(get up) my witty thread bores your kiddy pool party
(get up) this self-absorbed crowd is dumb and foolhardy
(get up) to face that's like a homepage
(get up) I'm a quadruped pulling your dogsled
(get up) Yet in my mind we are all dead(all dead, all dead, all dead)
(get down)
Hey, I'm always telling them to (get up)
But they stand-by like bystanders until I (get down)
They're camera-shy giant pandas and when they (get up)
They can't comply to my standards especially when I (get down)
They're camera-shy giant pandas and when they (get up)
But they stand-by like bystanders until I (get down)
They're camera-shy giant pandas and when they (get up)
They can't comply to my standards especially when I (get down)
They're camera-shy giant pandas and when they (get up)
Your retro hair band's gonna blow up
Cuz gay is the new black
And when you stray LA won't take you back
I'm supposed to spearhead this Christian rap record
And not the musings of a winded fact-checker
So I feel about an inch tall
And I got pre-teens to enthrall
So I pimp all the cost shares, install the software
But still I feel like my back is against the wall
(get down)
Hey, I'm always telling them to (get up)
But they stand-by like bystanders until I (get down)
They're camera-shy giant pandas and when they (get up)
They can't comply to my standards especially when I (get down)
They're camera-shy giant pandas and when they (get up)
But they stand-by like bystanders until I (get down)
They're camera-shy giant pandas and when they (get up)
They can't comply to my standards especially when I (get down)
They're camera-shy giant pandas and when they (get up)
Cuz you can ward off U.S. wars
By fingering warped fret boards
See we exploit our talents so we can raise kids
Like my homie Trey, he's the poor women's Taye Diggs
But when it comes to love I stain the bedding
Catching bouquets at the wedding
But this don't go hand and hand with your Volkswagon van
Because you voted in a defrosted Cro-Magnon man
(get up)The Troglodyte wins (get down)
Because you voted in a defrosted Cro-Magnon man
(get up)The Troglodyte wins (get down)
Because you voted in a defrosted Cro-Magnon man
(get up)The Troglodyte wins (get down)
Because you voted in a defrosted Cro-Magnon man
(get up)The Troglodyte wins (get down)
Because you voted in a defrosted Cro-Magnon man
I'm always tellin them that.
We don't believe in you
In Busdriver's song The Troglodyte Wins, the artist is primarily addressing his dissatisfaction with the cultural and intellectual stagnation that he perceives within his contemporaries. Through clever wordplay and astute observations about pop culture phenomena, Busdriver paints a vivid picture of a world where people are content with their intellectual sloth and cultural ignorance. "I should just get up and treat these itchy bedsores" speaks to his underappreciated artistic talents, while pointing out the public's dismayed notions of what real talent or creativity actually is. He then switches to criticizing the stagnation that sets in among peers once they’re able to find success. They have no drive for growth and thus, so many of the worlds wonders go unnoticed. The lyrics "your retro hair band's gonna blow up cause gay is the new black and when you stray, LA won't take you back", speaks directly about the silver-lining that a solely aesthetic trend such as the '80s retro phase can gain, but also insinuates it is little more than a trend for the Los Angeles scene. In the chorus, Busdriver posits he is always telling others to get up, but they remain bystanders until he gets down. He compares them to "camera-shy giant pandas" who are struggling to comply to Busdriver's standards to make any lasting impression. Busdriver observes that the world is currently structured in such a way that exploiting one's talents would be the right way to raise a family, but then contrasts this by noting that society often values shallow and superficial attributes above talent.
The second verse continues to focus on the difficulty of gaining recognition for worthy works. Busdriver describes someone named Trey who is "the poor women's Taye Diggs". This is an interesting comparison that seems to elevate Taye Diggs above Trey, perhaps because of the former's greater success and wider recognition. Busdriver also discusses his struggles with relationships and how he doesn't align with the image of his Volkswagon van-pushing predecessor. In the outro to the song, Busdriver repeats the phrase "the Troglodyte wins" four times, exasperated with the fact that a primitive and backward type of man is allowed to be in power.
Line by Line Meaning
I should just (get up) And treat these itchy bedsores
The artist should engage in actions that will elevate his indie-cred.
(get up) to making my indie-cred soar
The artist believes that the best way for him to become popular as an indie artist is to take action to make people realize his talent.
(get up) my witty thread bores your kiddy pool party
His music, which is rich in wordplay, doesn't resonate with the juvenile partygoers.
(get up) this self-absorbed crowd is dumb and foolhardy
The people he's playing music for are shallow and don't appreciate his talent.
(get up) to face that's like a homepage
He needs to deal with the daunting task of dealing with the complexities of the music industry.
(get up) in a day as long as the stone age
The uphill battle he's facing seems never-ending and it's quite tedious.
(get up) I'm a quadruped pulling your dogsled
The artist feels like he's doing most of the work by pulling the weight and not getting a fair deal.
(get up) Yet in my mind we are all dead(all dead, all dead, all dead)
Despite the difficulties, struggles, and hassles in the indie art space, everyone will ultimately die, so it's important to continually work hard and keep trying.
(get down) Hey, I'm always telling them to (get up)
The artist is always trying to motivate people to follow in his footsteps and take action to pursue their dreams.
They're camera-shy giant pandas and when they (get up)
People are not forthcoming with their talent for fear of being in the spotlight and being judged over it.
(get down)They can't comply to my standards especially when I (get down)
When he is serious about something, his peers are not capable of following his lead.
Your retro hair band's gonna blow up
A prediction that his rival, the hair band with an outdated sound, will gain popularity soon.
Cuz gay is the new black
Acceptance and appreciation of homosexuality is increasing, and it is gaining popularity.
And when you stray LA won't take you back
The city of Los Angeles should not be expected to accept and receive people who stand out for the wrong reasons.
I'm supposed to spearhead this Christian rap record
The artist is expected to lead the establishment of a Christian musical album that integrates rap style.
And not the musings of a winded fact-checker
The opinions of a person who can't stay on topic or goes off track are not of any importance.
So I feel about an inch tall
The artist feels insignificant, as if he lacks influence in the face of the challenges ahead.
And I got pre-teens to enthrall
His music appeals to and aims to please a young adult audience.
So I pimp all the cost shares, install the software
The artist is handling the financial arrangements and technicalities of the music so that he can focus on what he does best, music-making.
But still I feel like my back is against the wall
Despite all the efforts he's making to create good music and advance his career, he still feels boxed in and unable to make progress.
(get up)The Troglodyte wins (get down)
The ignorant, bigoted, and outdated stay in power despite all the efforts by the artist to revolutionize the music industry.
Because you voted in a defrosted Cro-Magnon man
People elected someone who is caveman-like in his views, values, and behavior, characterizing their desire for regression and primitive thinking.
Contributed by Victoria S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@HieroOfHorus
Legend forever underrated. I show people this still and they ask who it is every time. Timeless song big ups respect bus driver.
@indieATL
thank you for clearing this up! the music is the most important thing anyway.
@indieATL
Well said!
@kabooselol
15 years ago this absolutely blew me away growing up. I still come back to it every now and then and it still has that same energy for me. real artistry, untailored and unfiltered. and the message of this track rings even more true today. they really did vote in a defrosted cro-magnon man.
@indieATL
Busdriver was ahead of his time. The flow is amazing. So intelligent. Super cool guy too. 100% good music
@indieATL
nice!!
@indieATL
so true, so true. let me say again that busdriver is amazing!
@seerway1112
Everything about this is entertaining. This is incredible music, original, funny, thoughtful. And seriously, those shirts? I LOVE THESE MEN
@indieATL
nice. sometimes you get stuff live that you wou;dn't in the studio. pretty cool!
@eatinpsilocybin
people take music this good for granted. rapping around that sample = pure fire. thanks busdriver, and entertainmentresearch.