Dan Bern (aka Bernstein, a name under which he sometimes performs) is a gui… Read Full Bio ↴Dan Bern (aka Bernstein, a name under which he sometimes performs) is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and painter. His music is often compared to that of Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello. His song "Talkin' Woody, Bob, Bruce, and Dan Blues," from the album Smartie Mine, offers a joking take on this influence, presented in the style of a Guthrie or Dylan talking blues song, and containing a spoof of a Dylan song as well. Bernstein has also toured with Ani DiFranco. He is known for sardonic, literary lyrics, a range of musical styles, and a folk music style paired with rock instrumentation. He also wrote the novel Quitting Science (2004) under the pen name Cunliffe Merriwether and wrote the preface under his own name.

Although a vein of social and political humor runs though even his earliest work, Bern's work became more explicitly political during the 2004 US presidential election campaign, with songs such as "Bush Must Be Defeated" and "President" highlighting his sometimes surreal political takes.

Bern is reflexively literate, in the style of his favorite authors, including L.A.'s legendary bohemians Charles Bukowski and John Fante, urbane fantasist James Thurber, and yarn-spinning humorist Ring Lardner. He is in love with the power of words to turn on themselves, to frolic, to bite, and his strong, friendly voice can go from earnest to ferocious within seconds. Being captivated by Dan is the easy part; describing his music to the non-initiated is more difficult. One journalist tried: "topical-poetical-sarcastic-punk-folk." An admirable effort, further elaborated by the New York Times: "He veers from comedy to anger, conjectures to shaggy-dog stories; he takes sidelong approaches to theology, science fiction, consumer culture, art, love and baseball."

TAPE
Dan Bern Lyrics

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I got 36-foot insulation in my house
Wear 14 pairs of long underwear
Stick tape inside my ears
Cover myself with five bedspreads

I spend every morning in an isolation tank
Spend every afternoon high up in a tree
Spend every evening with one of those things over my eyes

Like in virtual reality

I'll never fall in love again

I got a walkman on my head every step I take
Put Thorazine in my morning coffee break
Won't feed the birds bread boys, let them eat cake
I'll lock my doors, click click click bang bang
When I'm not awake

When I'm walking down the street
Don't make me meet your sister, Pete
When there's a knock knockin' at my door
I'll just sit here on the floor

I'll run 26 miles a day straight up hills
Work overtime to pay all of my hospital bills
I'll spray black spray paint on my windowsills
I'll make a million dollars leave you outta my will

I'll never fall in love again

Overall Meaning

The song "Tape" by Dan Bern is a highly introspective work that explores the psyche of an individual who is dealing with severe mental health issues. The opening lines say "I got 36-foot insulation in my house, wear 14 pairs of long underwear, stick tape inside my ears, cover myself with five bedspreads." These lines indicate that the character is attempting to insulate and protect himself from the outside world, possibly because he fears it, or because he simply cannot handle it due to his mental health issues.

The next lines convey that the character spends every morning in an isolation tank, every afternoon up a tree, and every evening with a virtual reality headset. These are activities that are not typically associated with typical social behavior, but rather with seclusion and detachment. The phrase "I'll never fall in love again" suggests that the character has isolated himself to such an extent that he does not think that he will be able to find love or connect with another person on any level.

The subsequent verse continues to paint a portrait of a highly paranoid individual. From putting Thorazine in his morning coffee to locking doors and barricading himself in his own home, the character is reinforcing his isolation and refusing to engage with the world in any way. It is clear that the character is suffering from a mental health condition and has built up tremendous barriers to protect himself from the world.

Line by Line Meaning

I got 36-foot insulation in my house
I have so much insulation in my house that no noise or distraction from the outside world can penetrate it.

Wear 14 pairs of long underwear
I wear so many layers of clothing that I am completely shielded from the cold weather.

Stick tape inside my ears
I block out all sound by taping my ears shut, so I can be completely alone with my thoughts.

Cover myself with five bedspreads
I am so isolated that I cocoon myself with many blankets and covers, making it difficult for anyone to reach me.

I spend every morning in an isolation tank
I start my day by seeking complete and total solitude in an isolation tank, where I am cut off from all external stimulation.

Spend every afternoon high up in a tree
I take refuge in a high-up tree, where I can be alone with my thoughts and away from the ground and its distractions.

Spend every evening with one of those things over my eyes
I use a device that immerses me in virtual reality, because I prefer the isolation of a constructed world to the complexities of actual life.

I'll never fall in love again
I am so withdrawn and isolated that I have given up entirely on romantic relationships.

I got a walkman on my head every step I take
I always have music playing to cut myself off from the world and its distractions.

Put Thorazine in my morning coffee break
I medicate myself to the point of being numb, so that nothing can disrupt my isolation.

Won't feed the birds bread boys, let them eat cake
I refuse to participate in even small acts of kindness or generosity anymore.

I'll lock my doors, click click click bang bang
I am so paranoid and isolated that I go to great lengths to protect myself, even from imagined threats.

When I'm not awake
Even in my sleep, I am guarded and cut off from the world through the use of sleeping aids and other means.

When I'm walking down the street
Even in public, I am cut off and guarded.

Don't make me meet your sister, Pete
I am so withdrawn from the world that I reject all social invitations, even from those closest to me.

When there's a knock knockin' at my door
I am so isolated that even the slightest social interaction is terrifying to me.

I'll just sit here on the floor
I have no desire to engage with the world, even in the simplest ways, and will simply ignore anyone who tries to reach me.

I'll run 26 miles a day straight up hills
I will go to great physical lengths to push myself farther from the world.

Work overtime to pay all of my hospital bills
My self-imposed isolation has led to numerous physical and mental health problems, leaving me with astronomical medical bills.

I'll spray black spray paint on my windowsills
I am so guarded and withdrawn from the world that I am willing to do whatever it takes to block out any and all outside light and view.

I'll make a million dollars leave you outta my will
I am so isolated and removed from the world that even financial success and planning is done without regard for any meaningful human connection or relationship.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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