Combining elements of Rap, Folk and Indie, the two men have created a superb thinking man's melodic hip hop record. Songs range from the happy pop like chorus of '21st Century Pop Song' and the minimal sadness of 'Lightning Bolts and Man Hands'.
Ben and Joey
Hymie's Basement Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
People make sure their hair looks good before they walk in a room.
Airplane blankets smell like brand new baseball uniforms
(and they don't keep you warm).
Ivy and moss are highly successful organisms.
Hitchhikers stay hitchhikers by turning down rides.
When we were kids, my friend ben told me
That when i was with a girl,
Occupying the same air.
Only seperated by our shirts.
The lyrics of Hymie's Basement's song Ben and Joey are highly introspective and philosophical in nature. The first two lines address the concept of appearances and how people often prioritize how they present themselves to others. The next line about airplane blankets smelling like brand new baseball uniforms is a unique observation, but it highlights how something that appears new and fresh may not actually be comforting or useful. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the disparity between appearances and reality. The next line about ivy and moss being successful organisms ties into this theme of success based on adaptation and resilience.
The fourth line about hitchhikers staying hitchhikers by turning down rides is an interesting paradox. It suggests that people who rely on others may also reject assistance, perhaps out of fear or mistrust. Finally, the last three lines bring the focus back to personal relationships. The singer recalls advice given to them by a childhood friend, Ben, about intimacy and closeness. The idea of being separated from another person only by clothing is a creative way of expressing a feeling of physical proximity but emotional distance. Overall, the lyrics of Ben and Joey encourage reflection on the tension between appearance and reality, self-reliance and vulnerability, and emotional distance and closeness.
Line by Line Meaning
People make sure their hair looks good before they walk in a room.
People are concerned about their appearance and strive to present themselves well in public.
Airplane blankets smell like brand new baseball uniforms
(and they don't keep you warm).
Airplane blankets resemble the scent of fresh baseball uniforms, but they are not effective at keeping you warm.
Ivy and moss are highly successful organisms.
Ivy and moss are successful at adapting to their environment and thriving in various conditions.
Hitchhikers stay hitchhikers by turning down rides.
Hitchhikers remain hitchhikers because they reject offers of transportation from strangers.
When we were kids, my friend ben told me
That when i was with a girl,
I should think about how close she was to me
Occupying the same air.
Only seperated by our shirts.
As a child, my friend Ben advised me to consider the physical proximity of a girl I was with, realizing that we were only separated by clothing and shared the same air space.
Contributed by Benjamin G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
mrsugarcoffee
(One, two, three, unh)
(UHN!)
Yoni: People make sure their hair looks good before they walk in a room
(Andrew: Yeah that's true)
Airplane blankets smell like brand new baseball uniforms
(Andrew: and they don't keep you warm)
Ivy and moss are highly successful organisms
Hitchhikers stay hitchhikers by turning down rides
They're turning down rides
When we were kids, my friend ben told me
(Andrew: What did he tell you?)
That when I was with a girl
I should think about how close she was to me
Occu- (Fucking shit!)
Occupying the same air
Only seperated by our shirts
(Andrew: Life's funny, isn't it, Joe Jovinski?)
(Yoni: Yes it is, Andrew Broder.)