After a couple of years Gabriel felt an itch. His Puerto Rican roots urged him to start digging in his own past. This led to a quest with the band L. Santo. Alas! Gabi felt that he could only get to the bottom of things on his own. He decided to devote his time to seeking for the inner spark that made him tick. In his search, he ran into one of Belgian s finest producers, Jo Bogaert, whose -Pump up the Jam- after circling the planet successfully crashed with the souls of Puertorican youngsters. Fate brought Gabriel and Jo together and they created a universe in which Gabriel could freely confront his ever creeping demons and yet treat his ghosts with the utmost respect. Gibbering like two old rapscallions Bogaert and Rios created an album, Ghostboy: an ode to that part of you guys who just, well, you know what I am talking about - on which Gabriel united his old-skool Caribbean roots with his love for hip hop and melody. Gabriel, besides currently being involved in extremely nasty, extracurricular activities, is still busy recording with Jo Bogaert. This time the project will bear the name of another species of neither the here nor the there, beware of the -Angelhead-.
Apprentice
Gabriel Rios Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spells and visions keep telling me
That you've been wearing that ball and chain growing blisters where my eyes should be
Ain't it plain to see That's no way to be Many miles ago
tar baby knows
cuz he was loving me Now he's left alone with a cover blown Cut your body loose Living off the noose like you were made to be
Like you were made to be
Rebel eyes don't look away Take the picture that you wanna see Tell the sky all blue and plain Tell your kingdom you belong to me
that's the way it goes you gotta learn to be Leave the boy alone Abdicate the throne Cut your body loose Living off the noose like you were made to be
Like you were made to be Like you were made to be
The song "Apprentice" by Gabriel Rios is a commentary on the toxic and controlling nature of some relationships. The song's protagonist is withholding his true feelings towards his partner, possibly because he is afraid of confrontation or of losing the relationship. However, the singer has experienced several strange visions and spells, which suggest that his partner is causing him emotional pain and blisters where his eyes should be. The metaphorical "ball and chain" that his partner is wearing is stifling the singer in their relationship and causing him to suffer.
Rios makes a compelling case that the singer's partner is manipulating him by cutting him off from the outside world. The lines "Living off the noose like you were made to be / Like you were made to be" suggest that the partner is keeping the singer on a short leash, confining him to her world at the cost of his own agency. She has made herself the king of his world, as the lines "Abdicate the throne / Cut your body loose" implies, and she expects the singer to remain completely devoted to her.
Ultimately, "Apprentice" seems to be an appeal to those in similar toxic relationships to find the strength to cut themselves free. The lyrics suggest that the singer has been in a similar situation in the past and presumably found a way out, as he knows "many miles ago / tar baby knows / cuz he was loving me / now he's left alone with a cover blown." The song encourages the singer's partner to "leave the boy alone" and to "cut your body loose / Living off the noose like you were made to be", urging her to let him go and live his life free from emotional constraints.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a lot I don't wanna say
The singer is hesitant to speak his mind about a certain topic
Spells and visions keep telling me
The singer has a strong intuition about something
That you've been wearing that ball and chain
The person being referred to is burdened by something
Growing blisters where my eyes should be
The singer has been hurting emotionally by observing the other person's struggles
Ain't it plain to see That's no way to be
It is evident that the other person's situation isn't good
Many miles ago tar baby knows
The singer had a past relationship where he was the one being hurt and now understands how that feels
cuz he was loving me Now he's left alone with a cover blown
The previous lover left the singer alone after their true nature was revealed
Cut your body loose Living off the noose like you were made to be
The singer is telling the other person to let go of their burdens and live their life to the fullest
Rebel eyes don't look away
The singer is encouraging the other person to be unafraid to rebel against societal norms
Take the picture that you wanna see Tell the sky all blue and plain Tell your kingdom you belong to me
The singer is urging the other person to take control of their life and be true to themselves
Ain't it plain to see you belong to me Everybody knows that's the way it goes you gotta learn to be
The singer believes that the other person belongs with him and that it is natural to have to learn how to live a fulfilling life
Leave the boy alone Abdicate the throne Cut your body loose Living off the noose like you were made to be
The singer is telling the other person to let go of societal expectations and live a happy life, free from burdens
Like you were made to be Like you were made to be
Reiterating the message that the other person should live their life to the fullest and be true to themselves
Contributed by Anna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Viction
Amazing man! This is so underated!
Iliasblond
Wow Viction, been watching your videos for years. Amazing to see someone with as much youtube following as you leave a comment on a small Flemish singer/songwriter. As a Belgian I appreciate you recognizing some Flemish talent! 😁
Эмир Адылбеков
Amazing i love it