Every week for a year Coulton released a new song for free on his website as part of his Thing a Week podcast, on topics as diverse as vengeful nerds, self-loathing giant squid, partially-imagined historical figures, and devotees of a certain Swedish prefab furniture store. The Thing a Week project is now complete, and all songs can be streamed from his official website. Many of the songs on the site can be downloaded for free. The song "Code Monkey" became the theme song to the G4 television show Code Monkeys.
Coulton's song "Still Alive" has been featured in Valve Software's game Portal (and has become a hit among the gamers who finished the game) . He also made a recording of this song called the "J.C. Mix" which is exactly the same except he is singing rather than Ellen McLain as GLaDOS. "Still Alive" went on to be featured in the game Rock Band, as well as Skullcrusher Mountain and Re: Your Brains
Big Bad World One
Jonathan Coulton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Only thinking of something to say in the moment after the girl goes by
Everyone else is having fun or else pretending to
I eat another crudite
I quit, I'm done
Cause I don't think it's gonna turn out okay
It's no fair, it's no fun
Me: zero, Big bad world: one
At the office we're all having cake cause it's someone's birthday, I don't know who
Get my plate and I'm scanning the room and the only seat is right next to you
I get the nod, the tiny smile that doesn't come with teeth
Maybe you don't know who I am
I quit, I'm done
Cause I don't think 's gonna turn out okay
It's no fair, it's no fun
If every time it's gonna end the same way:
Me: zero, Big bad world: one
Staying in side, lying in bed
Noticing something that's not there
Follow my heart, follow my head
I'll follow anything that might get me somewhere
Catch her eye when she's pouring my coffee and search my head for an opening line
But I see by the look on her face if I keep my mouth shut I'll save some time
What if the best that I can be just isn't good enough?
Isn't it better not to know?
I quit, I'm done
Cause I don't think it's gonna turn out okay
It's no fair, it's no fun
If every time it's gonna end the same way:
Me: zero, Big bad world: one
The lyrics to Jonathan Coulton's song Big Bad World One tell the story of an individual who is struggling to navigate the complexities of social situations. The first verse describes a scene at a party where the singer, feeling out of place and awkward, retreats to the table of food, unable to muster the courage to speak to the woman who caught his eye. The second verse takes place at work, where the singer once again finds himself sitting next to someone he is attracted to, but is unsure of how to approach. The chorus - "I quit, I'm done / Cause I don't think it's gonna turn out okay / It's no fair, it's no fun / If every time it's gonna end the same way: / Me: zero, Big bad world: one" - captures the sense of defeat and futility that the singer feels in these situations.
The song seems to be exploring themes of social anxiety and the fear of rejection that many people struggle with. The singer is constantly grappling with the idea that perhaps he is simply not good enough, and that no matter how hard he tries, he will always come up short. The repeated refrain of "Big bad world: one" reinforces the idea that the world is against him - he is always the loser in these situations.
Overall, the lyrics to Big Bad World One are a poignant and relatable exploration of the difficulties of social interaction, and the insecurities that can plague us all at times.
Line by Line Meaning
All alone by the table of food in my wrinkled suit and my borrowed tie
I am standing by the food feeling very uncomfortable in my clothes
Only thinking of something to say in the moment after the girl goes by
I only think of something to say after the girl passes me
Everyone else is having fun or else pretending to
Everyone is enjoying themselves or pretending to enjoy themselves
I eat another crudite
I eat another vegetable
I quit, I'm done
I am giving up
Cause I don't think it's gonna turn out okay
I don't think this situation will end well
It's no fair, it's no fun
This situation is unfair and not enjoyable
If every time it's gonna end the same way:
If every outcome is going to be the same
Me: zero, Big bad world: one
I always lose to the world
At the office we're all having cake cause it's someone's birthday, I don't know who
At work, we are celebrating a mystery person's birthday with cake
Get my plate and I'm scanning the room and the only seat is right next to you
I'm searching for a seat and the only one available is next to you
I get the nod, the tiny smile that doesn't come with teeth
You greet me with a small nod and a smile without showing teeth
Maybe you don't know who I am
You may not know who I am
Staying in side, lying in bed
I am staying indoors lying in bed
Noticing something that's not there
I am noticing something that is not actually there
Follow my heart, follow my head
I am following my instincts or logic
I'll follow anything that might get me somewhere
I'll follow any path that might lead me somewhere
Catch her eye when she's pouring my coffee and search my head for an opening line
I make eye contact with the woman pouring my coffee and search for something to say
But I see by the look on her face if I keep my mouth shut I'll save some time
I realize from her expression that I should not say anything to save time
What if the best that I can be just isn't good enough?
What if my best efforts are not enough?
Isn't it better not to know?
Isn't it better to not think about that?
Contributed by Carter K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.