One of LA’s smartest young voices says the LA Times...which the artist susp… Read Full Bio ↴One of LA’s smartest young voices says the LA Times...which the artist suspects, may just be a covert way of saying LA is dumb. "Open" Mike Eagle wouldn't terribly mind, being born and raised in Chicago where the painful winters and his uppity grandparents kept him inside as a youth. He spent his formative years watching alternative music happen on MTV and hoping to one day be able to audition for the Native Tongues. As a young adult after graduating with a degree in Psychology, he did the next best thing and moved to Los Angeles, joining the Project Blowed collective where he made music and toured with Busdriver, Aceyalone, Abstract Rude, Nocando, and more. He’s also gained notoriety in the world of comedy by being invited by professional funny people (Paul F. Tompkins, Hannibal Buress, Matt Besser/UCB) to rap at their shows. He’d like to be rap’s Kurt Vonnegut but recognizes that he’d first have to create something as iconic as the four-stroke illustration of an anus. He practices by releasing rap albums that delight, entertain, and confuse.

Helicopter
Open Mike Eagle Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ladies and Gents I have seen the future
And pretty soon you′ll need a PhD to be an English tutor
You're gonna have to put your house up to lease a scooter
We still work but our bosses are now mean computers
They make the decisions on when our lunch break is given
On whether the printers need new ink, tape, or ribbons
You can′t leave there's a brand new stapler missin'
No Panda Express for their cashew flavored chicken

We tell on each other for eight cent raises
And all the comedians make Dane Cook faces
And the rap has no lyrics just eight hooks pasted
And the newborn babies are given Facebook pages
′Cause ever since birth we′ll be prisoners in a meshwork
There's a war on terror but innocent people get hurt
So now Al Qaeda′s a system of internet jerks
And Osama Bin Laden is in your extended network

I'm getting the hell up outta here via helicopter
If I have to I′ll borrow Psycho's helicopter
I don′t need an umbrella I need a helicopter
'Cause everything here in the scene is getting hella awkward
So raise your hand if you wanna get on my helicopter
Gimme some energy if you wanna get on this helicopter
The only way up outta here is via helicopter
('Cause if my premonition′s right this is a demolition site)

We′ll have our own paparazzi
So TMZ'll have its own link for all your toxic hobbies
And the paparazzi′ll have their own paparazzi
So they'll be stalking each other up in their office lobbies
Hide in the back for interviews creepin′
To see what dinner you eatin' with Kick-A-Poo seasonin′
It used to be they could have it up in a few evenings
Now you Google yourself to find a pic of you sleeping
Brittney wins the 20 and 12 election
The Green Party candidate was a worker for Exxon
Christians promotin' for Jesus' resurrection
On a keyboard attached to the toilet for them to text on
Every one of us is living in its reach
′Cause unregistered citizens are a menace in the streets
And each one of your children is on an independent leash
And you′ll have to have a login to visit Venice Beach

But not me cause I'm saving to buy a helicopter
That way I never have to borrow somebody′s helicopter
So raise your hands if you wanna get on my helicopter

I got a big fat time-traveling helicopter
And I'm going to the moon

Overall Meaning

The song "Helicopter" by Open Mike Eagle is a commentary on society's growing dependence on technology and the resulting loss of individuality and autonomy. The lyrics paint a bleak picture of a future where technology has taken over every aspect of life, from work to personal relationships. The opening lines state that the future will require a PhD to teach English, implying that education itself will be subject to the whim of technology. The song then goes on to describe a world where bosses are replaced by computers, and people are reduced to mere cogs in a larger system.

People are under constant surveillance, with paparazzi taking pictures of even their most private moments, and children being confined by technology to a limited radius. The chorus of the song offers a faint glimmer of hope and escape from this dystopian world, with the artist suggesting that the only way to escape this world is to take a helicopter ride. This escape is not just physical, but also metaphorical, as the artist suggests that taking a step back from technology and the system is essential to preserving our individuality.

Overall, "Helicopter" is a poignant critique of the dangers of becoming too reliant on technology and the potential consequences of sacrificing our individuality in the name of convenience and efficiency.

Line by Line Meaning

Ladies and Gents I have seen the future
I've seen what's coming in the world ahead

And pretty soon you'll need a PhD to be an English tutor
Being a tutor will be a difficult job that requires a lot of education

You're gonna have to put your house up to lease a scooter
Scooters will be so expensive that you'll need to finance them with your home

We still work but our bosses are now mean computers
Computers are in charge of most workplaces, and they're not very understanding

They make the decisions on when our lunch break is given
Computers decide when we get to take a break from work

On whether the printers need new ink, tape, or ribbons
Computers monitor everything we use and order more supplies when we're running out

You can't leave there's a brand new stapler missin'
You can't even leave work because a stapler has gone missing and everyone's suspicious

No Panda Express for their cashew flavored chicken
Even fast food restaurants are changing their menus to make them more cost-effective

We tell on each other for eight cent raises
People are willing to betray each other for the smallest amount of money

And all the comedians make Dane Cook faces
There's only one type of joke that's popular, and it's not very funny

And the rap has no lyrics just eight hooks pasted
Rap music has become formulaic and uninspired

And the newborn babies are given Facebook pages
Children are considered to be part of the digital world as soon as they're born

'Cause ever since birth we'll be prisoners in a meshwork
We're trapped in a digital network from the moment we're born

There's a war on terror but innocent people get hurt
The fight against terrorism is causing more harm than good to ordinary people

So now Al Qaeda's a system of internet jerks
Terrorism has become a digital threat rather than a physical one

And Osama Bin Laden is in your extended network
Even the most notorious terrorists could be connected to you by the digital world

I'm getting the hell up outta here via helicopter
I'm leaving this world and its problems behind with the help of a helicopter

If I have to I'll borrow Psycho's helicopter
I'll use any means necessary to escape this world, even if it means borrowing someone else's helicopter

I don't need an umbrella I need a helicopter
This world is so messed up that even an umbrella wouldn't help - I need a helicopter to escape it completely

'Cause everything here in the scene is getting hella awkward
Everything is going wrong and everyone is acting weird

So raise your hand if you wanna get on my helicopter
You can join me on this sonic journey to escape this world

Gimme some energy if you wanna get on this helicopter
I need your support and enthusiasm to make this escape work

The only way up outta here is via helicopter
There's no other way to escape this world

('Cause if my premonition's right this is a demolition site)
This world is going to fall apart if we stay here any longer

We'll have our own paparazzi
Everyone will have their own group of obsessive followers

So TMZ'll have its own link for all your toxic hobbies
Gossip magazines will create new ways to shame people for their personal interests

And the paparazzi'll have their own paparazzi
Even the people who stalk others will be stalked and hounded by other people

So they'll be stalking each other up in their office lobbies
These paparazzi will stop at nothing to keep track of each other's movements

Hide in the back for interviews creepin'
People will try to avoid being seen in public and will hide in the background if they're being interviewed

To see what dinner you eatin' with Kick-A-Poo seasonin'
The paparazzi will obsess over everything you do and even what type of seasoning you use on your food

It used to be they could have it up in a few evenings
Gossip used to be much more low-key and difficult to spread, but now it's instantaneous

Now you Google yourself to find a pic of you sleeping
It's impossible to escape being constantly watched and photographed, even when you're asleep

Brittney wins the 20 and 12 election
We're electing people based on their fame rather than their politics

The Green Party candidate was a worker for Exxon
Even politicians who supposedly represent something different might actually be connected to the very industries they're supposed to oppose

Christians promotin' for Jesus' resurrection
Religious campaigns become more aggressive and in-your-face

On a keyboard attached to the toilet for them to text on
People are constantly connected to their phones, even when they're using the bathroom

Every one of us is living in its reach
We're constantly being monitored and surveilled by the digital world

'Cause unregistered citizens are a menace in the streets
People are becoming more distrustful of each other, even if they don't have proper identification

And each one of your children is on an independent leash
Even kids are connected to the digital world and constantly tracked

And you'll have to have a login to visit Venice Beach
Even public spaces will be restricted and require access codes or passwords to enter

But not me 'cause I'm saving to buy a helicopter
I'm working hard to obtain my freedom and escape this world

That way I never have to borrow somebody's helicopter
I want true independence and don't want to rely on anyone else to help me escape

I got a big fat time-traveling helicopter
I have everything I need to escape this world and travel to a different time

And I'm going to the moon
I'm going to leave everything behind and start a new life, even if it means journeying to a different planet

Writer(s): Menuk Wijethilake, Michael Eagle Ii, Victor M. Holmer

Contributed by Claire O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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