… Read Full Bio ↴The Uncluded is a duo that consists of Aesop Rock and Kimya Dawson.
In 2007, while on tour supporting his album None Shall Pass, indie rapper/producer Aesop Rock wrote a fan email to folk singer/songwriter Kimya Dawson. A few years later, in 2010, they reconnected during the creation of arts-and-oddities blog 900Bats, which in turn sparked the pair's collaborative musical efforts. After appearing on each other's respective recent solo records, Aesop Rock's Skelethon and Kimya Dawson's Thunder Thighs, both found more worth pursuing within the group dynamic, and The Uncluded were hatched.
The group name, The Uncluded, was chosen based on an excerpt from the book Imaginationally by artist/writer Michael Bernard Loggins. Imaginationally is an illustrated dictionary of words Loggins created to describe his daily experiences and thoughts.
Their debut album, Hokey Fright, was recorded over the course of a year using a variety of locations and devices, from voice memo recorders to fleshed out studios. Aesop and Kimya wrote, performed, and recorded the whole album, with the exception of the drums on "Delicate Cycle", which were played by James McNew of Yo La Tengo.
Having both experienced some loss in recent years, conversations about mortality served as a starting point for what would eventually become an album as much about finding therapy through writing/sharing as it is about being ok with admitting fear in the face of adversity. There is a sense of self-exploration and discovery that happens during the songs, as if the two are doing the problem-solving in front of you. While much of the album maintains a serious tone, Dawson and Rock's oddball humor plays an integral part in humanizing the obstacles that can initially seem too massive to process.
Oooooooooo
The Uncluded Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's weird when he's lonely
I'm lonely and weird
Party in the backside over the ear in
The wake of a sobering year
Faces of death on the regular
Tricks of an apex predator
Escape from a tray of developer
All black as a basic corpse
A cold turkey dressed like a steak
With forks the brand new
Vick pick from an ancient war he went
Hither and yon brown liquor like
A scissor in his palm
That would cut away his kid and her mom
Best laid plans go often awry but I still
Use knots that he taught me to tie
Never met an angel, never knew a ghost
Though I swear on the cast I
Can hear a little voice going
O-o-o-o oooo
Fish in my ear, spider on Nancy
Saying Aunt Nancy is with grandma dancing
No more tubes, little miss fancy
Toe head, toe shoes, far from the 'mancy
Roses are red, violator peek-a boo
Half cracked door, head bald, see through
Cracked head attic light escape routes
Double dutch baby, smoke a sweet tooth
Trying a deal, smacked by the dealer
Light skin thinner, easy to peel her
Open to kill her from the inside out
Same silly girl with the twisted mouth
No more pain bottle bagged tracheotomies
Sweet prickle head strong trying to tickle me
Topic of cancer, project get gone
She says 'sing me a song' i say
O-o-o-o oooo
The song “Oooooooooo” by The Uncluded begins with a description of a man who is lonely and weird. The singer sees herself in the same way, further emphasizing their connection and how they both stand out from the norm. The lyrics then delve into more abstract imagery, with mentions of faces of death, tricks of an apex predator, and escape from a tray of developer. The man, sober for a few days, is described as being all black like a corpse, dressed like a steak ready to be cut by the people around him.
The imagery in the following verses become more surreal, with mentions of fish in the singer's ear and a spider on Nancy. The singer seems to be reflecting on past trauma, with mentions of pain, tracheotomies and topics of cancer. Through it all, however, there is a little voice inside the singer’s head delivering the refrain, “O-o-o-o oooo,” which could be interpreted as a grounding, meditative presence that helps the singer through the difficult times.
Overall, the lyrics in “Oooooooooo” paint a picture of loneliness, trauma, and surrealism, but there is also a sense of resilience and strength shining through the darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
By the comb in his beard
His beard is so unkempt and wild that a comb stuck in it seems like the most unusual thing.
He's weird when he's lonely
When he finds himself alone, he becomes increasingly strange and peculiar.
I'm lonely and weird
She feels isolated and disconnected from the rest of the world and admits to being a bit odd.
Party in the backside over the ear in
There's a celebration that's happening inside his head; it's a party that only he knows about.
The wake of a sobering year
After a year of heavy drinking and partying, he is now sober and waking up to the mess he made.
Faces of death on the regular
Death is a common occurrence they've witnessed on a regular basis.
Tricks of an apex predator
Deceptive tactics used by someone at the top of the food chain.
Escape from a tray of developer
Getting out of a situation where they were surrounded by manipulative people.
Uncle a couple days off the sauce and
Their uncle has been sober for a few days, and it's noticeable.
All black as a basic corpse
Dressed entirely in black, looking very dull and lifeless.
A cold turkey dressed like a steak
Looking like a big, juicy steak but with no real substance to back it up, and the comparison of being unexpectedly dumped.
With forks the brand new Vick pick from an ancient war he went
Using a new tool to pick at an old wound, metaphorically referencing someone's past pain or trauma.
Hither and yon brown liquor like
Switching between different types of alcohol, looking for something to numb the pain.
A scissor in his palm
Holding a scissor tight, as if ready to defend themselves.
That would cut away his kid and her mom
The person is so unstable that they would even consider harming a child and her mother.
Best laid plans go often awry but I still
Even when things don't go as planned, I still remain optimistic.
Use knots that he taught me to tie
A reference to how her father has taught her life lessons and skills that she still uses today.
Never met an angel, never knew a ghost
Despite an uneventful life, with no supernatural occurrences, she still believes that there's more to the world than what we can see.
Though I swear on the cast I
Though she's never experienced anything of the sort, she is willing to bet on their existence.
Can hear a little voice going
She is experiencing some sort of inexplicable, supernatural phenomenon that she can't explain.
Fish in my ear, spider on Nancy
She is hearing strange sounds and is continually haunted by visions of a spider.
Saying Aunt Nancy is with grandma dancing
The spiritual presence of her Aunt Nancy is living on and dancing with her grandmother.
No more tubes, little miss fancy
A reference to someone who was once hooked up to breathing tubes and is now free and empowered.
Toe head, toe shoes, far from the 'mancy
Someone with blonde hair and shoes to match, far away from the world of divination and supernatural powers.
Roses are red, violator peek-a-boo
A play on words that can either be interpreted as a romantic gesture or a morbid peep show.
Half cracked door, head bald, see through
Someone who's slowly losing their grip on life and looking more and more like a ghost each day.
Cracked head attic light escape routes
Faint glimmers of hope shining through the cracks of despair, like light shining through the attic.
Double dutch baby, smoke a sweet tooth
Nonsensical phrases that are cryptic and open to interpretation.
Trying a deal, smacked by the dealer
Someone struggling with addiction and trying to make a deal with the devil, only to find themselves crushed and exploited.
Light skin thinner, easy to peel her
A reference to someone with a fragile and deteriorating appearance and personality. She's easily manipulated and controlled.
Open to kill her from the inside out
Someone who is so damaged on the inside that they are self-destructive and don't even realize it.
Same silly girl with the twisted mouth
She's still the same person, even after all the trauma and negativity she's gone through, with the same twisted sense of humor and outlook on life.
No more pain bottle bagged tracheotomies
Someone who once relied on medication and devices to keep them alive and pain-free, but now is ready to move on and shed that past.
Sweet prickle head strong trying to tickle me
A confusing and cryptic message with an overall sense of playfulness, but still leaving room for interpretation.
Topic of cancer, project get gone
Dealing with the topic of cancer head-on, working to find a resolution and move past it.
She says 'sing me a song' i say
A call to action, a request for something comforting and familiar in a time of uncertainty.
O-o-o-o oooo
Non-lexical vocables indicating a melody or a tune. The sound is raw, uncut, and full of life, communicating emotions that can't be put into words.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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