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
Octopus
Jonathan Coulton Lyrics
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They were hard enough to leave a mark
And now they echo inside my head
As I spiral down into the dark
I windmill upside down
Knowing you'll come at me again
And I feel your shadow
Octopus
Some kind of octopus
Tearing my shell apart
Letting the sea get in
You make my insides
Outside
I don't think I ever saw you blink
You were so controlled and no one knew
And by the time we all stopped to think
We were already too close to you
Now you keep coming by
Tellin' me it's not what I think
But I know a murder
When I see one
Octopus
Some kind of octopus
Tearing my shell apart
Letting the sea get in
You make my insides
Outside
Far above me I can see the world (see the world)
Receding slowly out of you
The sinking feeling that my worst mistake (worst mistake)
Was all the time I spent with you
Said you're sorry, you said you'd try
But you never did, I guess we're done
The bits and pieces of me float by
And I die in front of everyone
And you're already gone
Halfway to wherever you sleep
And you make me wish I
Never met you
Octopus
Some kind of octopus
Tearing my shell apart
Letting the sea get in
You make my insides
Outside
The song "Octopus" by Jonathan Coulton is a poignant and emotional depiction of a failed relationship. Coulton begins by recounting the words spoken by his former partner that have left a lasting impact on him. These words continue to echo in his head as he spirals down into darkness, unable to escape their power. He feels like an octopus is tearing his shell apart, leaving him vulnerable to the sea. Coulton continues by talking about how his former partner's controlled demeanor prevented anyone from realizing what was going on until it was too late. She keeps coming around, insisting that it is not what he thinks, but he knows better. He can see the world slowly receding away from him as he sinks further into despair. Coulton concludes by saying that his former partner has already moved on and he wishes he had never met her in the first place.
The song is full of vivid imagery and metaphorical language that really brings the emotions to life. The octopus represents the havoc that his partner has wrought on his life, tearing him apart and leaving him defenseless against the sea. The use of the imagery of the windmill turning upside down is an interesting choice, as it represents the upheaval that the failed relationship has brought to his life. The sinking feeling represents the literal and metaphorical sinking that Coulton feels as his relationship falls apart.
Line by Line Meaning
I still remember the words you said
The words you spoke to Jonathan Coulton left a deep impression in his mind.
They were hard enough to leave a mark
The words had a powerful impact on Jonathan Coulton, and the memory of them has stayed with him.
And now they echo inside my head
The words continue to haunt Jonathan Coulton, reverberating in his mind.
As I spiral down into the dark
The effect of the words has been to drag Jonathan Coulton further down an ominous and depressing path.
I windmill upside down
Jonathan Coulton feels disoriented and in chaos, perhaps metaphorically like a windmill that has lost its bearings.
Knowing you'll come at me again
Jonathan Coulton is aware that more verbal attacks or confrontations with the person who spoke the words are likely.
And I feel your shadow
The presence of the person who hurt Jonathan Coulton is felt, perhaps suggesting an ongoing influence or control over him.
Pass above me
The shadow figuratively and perhaps literally looms over Jonathan Coulton, creating a feeling of intimidation and fear.
Octopus
The person who spoke the hurtful words is compared to an octopus in the sense that they are multi-limbed and invasive, capable of inflicting damage in unexpected and insidious ways.
Some kind of octopus
Jonathan Coulton acknowledges that he doesn't fully understand the nature or intent of the person who hurt him, but knows that they have caused a great deal of harm.
Tearing my shell apart
The person who hurt Jonathan Coulton has created a vulnerability or exposed a weakness in him, leaving him feeling exposed and fragile.
Letting the sea get in
The person who hurt Jonathan Coulton has exposed him to new risks or dangers, perhaps in the form of outside influences or emotions.
You make my insides
Jonathan Coulton feels that the person who hurt him has damaged him on a deep emotional level.
Outside
The emotional damage that Jonathan Coulton has experienced has affected him on the outside, visible to others and perhaps impacting his behavior and relationships with others.
I don't think I ever saw you blink
The person who hurt Jonathan Coulton was able to maintain an unnerving sense of control and detachment during their interactions, which Jonathan Coulton finds troubling.
You were so controlled and no one knew
Jonathan Coulton recognizes that the person who hurt him had a public persona that concealed their true intentions or character.
And by the time we all stopped to think
Jonathan Coulton realizes too late that he and others were slow to recognize the true nature of the person who caused him harm.
We were already too close to you
The relationship between Jonathan Coulton, the person who hurt him, and others was already deeply intertwined before the full extent of the harm was revealed.
Now you keep coming by
Jonathan Coulton feels that the person who hurt him is still trying to justify or explain their actions, or perhaps further harm him.
Tellin' me it's not what I think
The person who hurt Jonathan Coulton is trying to gaslight him, telling him that his experience or perception of events is not accurate.
But I know a murder
Jonathan Coulton feels that the person who hurt him has committed a serious act of harm, akin to murder in the emotional and psychological sense.
When I see one
Jonathan Coulton is confident in his perception of the harm done to him, and won't be swayed by the arguments of the person who hurt him.
Far above me I can see the world (see the world)
Jonathan Coulton feels a sense of distance and disconnection from the world around him, perhaps brought on by the effects of the emotional damage inflicted on him.
Receding slowly out of you
The sense of disconnection and isolation that Jonathan Coulton feels is caused in part by his belief that the person who hurt him is leaving him behind or moving on without regard for his feelings.
The sinking feeling that my worst mistake (worst mistake)
Jonathan Coulton feels a sense of regret and self-blame for his decision to trust the person who hurt him, and is now paying the price for that misjudgment.
Was all the time I spent with you
Jonathan Coulton feels that he wasted a significant amount of his life on someone who ultimately caused him harm and distress.
Said you're sorry, you said you'd try
The person who hurt Jonathan Coulton has made some attempts to apologize or make things right, but they were insufficient or insincere.
But you never did, I guess we're done
Jonathan Coulton is resigned to the fact that the person who hurt him won't change their ways, and that their relationship is irreparable.
The bits and pieces of me float by
The emotional damage inflicted on Jonathan Coulton has left him feeling fragmented and disordered, as if his sense of self has been shattered.
And I die in front of everyone
The emotional pain that Jonathan Coulton is experiencing is so intense that he feels like he is dying, even though others can't see the full extent of his suffering.
And you're already gone
The person who hurt Jonathan Coulton has moved on and left him behind, even though he is still grappling with the pain they caused him.
Halfway to wherever you sleep
Jonathan Coulton feels like the person who hurt him is far away and unreachable, both physically and emotionally.
And you make me wish I
The person who hurt Jonathan Coulton has caused him so much pain and distress that he regrets ever having known them.
Never met you
Jonathan Coulton wishes that he could go back in time and undo the damage caused by his involvement with the person who hurt him.
Contributed by Lillian R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.