Algorhythm
Childish Gambino Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everyone is an addict, stumbling, concrete
What was the motivation? Constant communication
Everybody wanna get chose like Moses
Came out Mother Earth smelling like roses
Summon the new edition, made it way too efficient
Made us the guinea pig, and did it with no permission
Told it to call a friend, didn't tell it to listen
Like or dislike, coal mine canary
I dream in color, not black and white
You sell your daughter on that data stream
Dopamine make it hit now
Humans don't understand, humans gon' sell a lie
Humans gotta survive, we know we gon' die
Nothing can live forever, you know we gon' try
Life is it worth it? The algorhythm is perfect, mmm
Everybody (everybody)
Move your body, now do it (now do it)
Here is something (ooh)
That's gonna make you move and groove
(Please don't lose that tempo) algorhythm
(Moving how they say so) algorhythm
Step, step, slide, slide
Move your body from side to side
Clap your hands, don't spite the vibe
Keep on moving, you might survive
Pressure is to evolve, take a bite of the apple
We crush it into the sauce, how do we know the cost?
How do we know the truth without feeling what could be false?
Freedom of being wrong, freedom of being lost
Wait a minute, wait a minute (wait a minute, wait a minute)
Feeling like the devil did it (devil did it, ooh)
Lord willin', I'ma step to it (step to it)
You gon' fall behind if you can't do it (ooh, yeah)
Ooh, we eating good over here now (yeah)
Is you eating good over there now? (No)
Human ain't the move, do I care now? (No)
Looking for something worth it, the algorhythm is perfect, mmm
Everybody (everybody)
Move your body, now do it (now do it)
Here is something (ooh)
That's gonna make you move and groove
(Please don't lose that tempo) algorhythm
(Moving how they say so) algorhythm (ooh)
Everybody (everybody) move your body, now do it (now do it)
Here is something (ooh) that's gonna make you move and groove
Algorhythm (woo)
Algorhythm (yeah, yeah)
The song "Algorhythm" by Childish Gambino is a commentary on society's relationship with technology and how it is impacting human behavior. Gambino observes that everyone is addicted to their devices, constantly searching for validation and approval through constant communication. He then goes on to compare humans to guinea pigs, being experimented on by the new technology without any real understanding of what the consequences may be. The chorus of the song encourages people to keep moving to the algorhythm or the algorithm of life, which has become so intertwined with technology that we can't escape it or even fully understand it, but we still strive to master it.
Line by Line Meaning
Supercomputer status, walkin' along streets
Walking through the streets like a supercomputer
Everyone is an addict, stumbling, concrete
Everyone is addicted, stumbling on concrete
What was the motivation? Constant communication
What drives us? Constant communication
Everybody wanna get chose like Moses
Everyone wants to be chosen like Moses
Came out Mother Earth smelling like roses
We were born perfect, just like roses
Summon the new edition, made it way too efficient
Created something new and made it too efficient
Made us the guinea pig, and did it with no permission
Used us as guinea pigs without our permission
Told it to call a friend, didn't tell it to listen
Told it to call a friend but not to listen
So very scary, so binary, zero or one
It's either yes or no, binary, and it's scary
Like or dislike, coal mine canary
We either like it or not, but like the canary in a coal mine, we can't tell if it's harmful
I dream in color, not black and white
I dream in color, not in black and white
You sell your daughter on that data stream
You put your child's information on the data stream for profit
Dopamine make it hit now
Dopamine makes it a hit now
Humans don't understand, humans gon' sell a lie
Humans do not understand but they will still sell a lie
Humans gotta survive, we know we gon' die
Humans need to survive, but we know we will eventually die
Nothing can live forever, you know we gon' try
Nothing lives forever, but we will keep trying
Life is it worth it? The algorhythm is perfect, mmm
Is life worth it? The algorithm is perfect
Everybody (everybody)
Move your body, now do it (now do it)
Here is something (ooh)
That's gonna make you move and groove
(Please don't lose that tempo) algorhythm
(Moving how they say so) algorhythm
The algorithm drives us to move, dance and groove
Step, step, slide, slide
Move your body from side to side
Clap your hands, don't spite the vibe
Keep on moving, you might survive
Move and groove to the beat, stay positive and keep going, it's what keeps you alive
Pressure is to evolve, take a bite of the apple
We crush it into the sauce, how do we know the cost?
How do we know the truth without feeling what could be false?
Freedom of being wrong, freedom of being lost
There's pressure to evolve, take a risk, but there are consequences. We don't know the truth without questioning it. It's okay to be wrong or lost, that's the freedom of thought
Wait a minute, wait a minute (wait a minute, wait a minute)
Feeling like the devil did it (devil did it, ooh)
Lord willin', I'ma step to it (step to it)
You gon' fall behind if you can't do it (ooh, yeah)
Ooh, we eating good over here now (yeah)
Is you eating good over there now? (No)
Human ain't the move, do I care now? (No)
Looking for something worth it, the algorhythm is perfect, mmm
Take notice, it feels like something is wrong with the current system. We'll keep going in hopes of catching up with a better life. It's not worth it to just follow our humanity when we can do better. The algorithm is what we should be following
Algorhythm (woo)
Algorhythm (yeah, yeah)
The algorithm is everything
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Donald Glover, Zane Grey, Renee Neufville, Abdullah Bahr, Keit Gist, Dacoury Natch, Eyobed Getachew, Kurtis McKenzie, Ely Rise, Riley Mackin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
elene gogiberidze
[Verse 1]
Supercomputer status, walkin' along streets
Everyone is an addict, stumbling concrete
What was the motivation? Constant communication
Everybody wanna get chose like Moses
Came out Mother Earth smelling like roses
Summon the new edition, made it way too efficient
Made us the guinea pig and did it with no permission
Told her to call a friend, didn't tell her to listen
So very scary, so binary, zero or one
Like code is like coal mine canary
I dream in color, not black and white
You sell your daughter on that data stream
Go finally make a hit now
Humans don't understand, humans will sell a lie
Humans gotta survive, we know we gon' die
Nothing can live forever, you know we gon' try
Life, is it really worth it? The algorythm is perfect, mmh
[Chorus]
Everybody (Everybody), move your body, now do it (Now do it)
Here is something (Ooh), that's gonna make you move and groove
(Please don't lose that tempo)
Algorhythm
(Moving how they say so)
Algorhythm
[Verse 2]
Step, step, slide, slide
Move your body from side to side
Clap your hands, don't spite the vibe
Keep on moving, you might survive
Pressure is to evolve, take a bite of the apple
We crush it into the sauce, how do we know the cost?
How do we know the truth without feeling what could be false?
Freedom of being wrong, freedom of being lost
Wait a minute, wait a minute (Wait a minute, wait a minute)
Feelin' like the devil did it (Devil did it, ooh)
Lord willing, I'ma step to it (Step to it)
You gon' fall behind if you can't do it (Ooh, yeah)
Ooh, we eating good over here now (Yeah)
Is you eating good over there now? (No)
Dreaming ain't the move, do I care now? (No)
Looking for something worth it, the algorhythm is perfect, mmh
[Chorus]
Everybody (Everybody), move your body, now do it (Now do it)
Here is something (Ooh), that's gonna make you move and groove
(Please don't lose that tempo)
Algorhythm
(Moving how they say so)
Algorhythm (Woo)
Everybody (Everybody), move your body, now do it (Now do it)
Here is something (Ooh), that's gonna make you move and groove
Algorhythm (Woo)
Algorhythm (Yeah, yeah)
Robert White
Doughboy & East African, you guys are both on to something, but it's much more specific and sinister than that. In Algorhythm, We get this half man, half machine sounding voice, stating he has a "super computer status, walking along streets." This to me details the ultimate simulated being, one that's a walking, living breathing computer, which by the way, we as a humanity are moving towards if you haven't noticed. Think RFID chipping, ID2020. They're going to make us human guinea pigs and without our permission as Glover states. Lines like "so binary" also make me think why Donald only reduced the album name and its songs down to numerical titles — he's showing how the future will be one that is completely simulated, down to the point where titles and names won't even matter. It's all just numbers and codes like the matrix with no real human aspect to it.
"Humans gotta survive, we know we gon' die / Nothing can live forever, you know we gon' try" — epitomizes exactly what transhumanism is and will attempt to bring about. Immortality. Looking to merge with technology, so we can live forever. The Bible speaks to this with the teaching about the Mark of the Beast and that the ones who accept it will not be able to die.
In the second verse, Donald talks about evolving and taking a bite out of the apple. What is the apple that he's referring to? The forbidden fruit. The knowledge of good and evil and being all knowing, having the knowledge of God. Just look at the back of your iPhones. It's literally a bitten apple.
Technology has given us the ultimate power of having the access to know everything and mimic being like God. Donald asks how can we know the truth of life if we don't embrace what's false, but then, embraces the freedom of being potentially wrong and accepts that his soul may be lost as a result. Also, I find it rather peculiar of how in the very next line, he feels like the devil did all of this, but still decides to step with it or act in accordance because you'll fall / be left behind if you don't. He ends the verse by stating being human is no longer what's cool. He further embraces the great merge with technology.
This album is riddled with themes of transhumanism as alot of his vocals are an intentionally computerized performance from songs like Time, Why Go to the Party and Warlords. I believe that last paragraph of his letter is speaking to the god of coming digital revolution (or antichrist) and speaking on how he will shape people to accept what is coming. The boundless canopy of eternity is what Donald believes will happen when people make this merge to accept being transhumans and therefore, not being able to die. I, again, could be very wrong about all of this.
Streetlight
You guys notice how this song is all about keeping with the tempo and rhythm of society, then, in the end, Donald just destroys the song's beat and rhythm entirely.
GrayF0x Of Lyt
Finally, you’re the first comment I seen thats actually spoken about it and that’s the reason I checked comments😂
Amaru
Even when you're on track, it's so easy to lose yourself in the absence of the rhythm. All that noise is to keep you from staying on track.
S. M.
Wow thanks I didn't even realize...that makes the song even better
KARÁTER
But after, you hear a sort of rhythm coming back..🤔 we always want rhythm
Amaru
@KARÁTER its offbeat, trying to mimic to throw you off
ishitv vats
I know for a fact this album will age extremely well
Andor Kruppi
Like a damn fine wine my man :)
The Movie Critic
This is April 2021, hell yea it did
Linkedius
@The Movie Critic hi