Car Seat Headrest's The Gun Song: A Musical Conclusion

Summary

This video script delves into the narrative of 'The Gun Song' from the 2013 album 'Nourished Young Man', exploring its themes of love, sacrifice, and self-destruction. The song, a 16-minute ballad, is described as a lyric-heavy exploration of a toxic relationship and the struggle to express oneself authentically. The script also discusses the metaphorical use of music and communication, and the artist's intention behind creating songs that invite interpretation. The video promises a re-recording with improved audio and a comprehensive analysis of the album's themes, offering viewers an in-depth look at the artist's journey.

Takeaways

• 🎵 The script discusses the song 'The Gun Song' from the 2013 album 'Nourished Young Man', which is a narrative continuation from 'Twin Fantasy'.
• 📚 It is described as a 'greatest hits' compilation of songs written by the artist between the ages of 17 to 21, including a period of a significant relationship.
• 🔍 The song is a 16-minute ballad that delves deeper into the artist's past relationship, providing a sense of finality to the narrative.
• 📺 The video creator encourages viewers to watch previous videos on 'Twin Fantasy' and 'Monomania' for context and to subscribe for more content.
• 🎤 The lyrics of 'The Gun Song' are heavily focused on the artist's past relationship, exploring themes of toxic love, self-sacrifice, and codependency.
• 💬 The artist uses the song to express his struggle with communication and self-expression, a theme that has been recurrent in his work.
• 🌞 The script mentions the use of sun metaphors to represent truth and reality in the artist's narrative, contrasting with the moon representing illusion and false connection.
• 🚭 The smoking metaphor is used to symbolize self-destructive tendencies and enabling behavior within the relationship.
• 🔪 The artist contemplates the idea of 'killing' the relationship, using references to Lady Macbeth and the consequences of such actions in 'Macbeth'.
• 🔄 The song reflects on the cyclical nature of the artist's realization of the relationship's issues and the struggle to break free from the cycle.
• 🎬 The video creator plans to re-record and re-edit previous videos for better audio quality and to compile them into a longer, comprehensive video.

Q & A

What is the narrative that began in 'Twin Fantasy' and continued in 'The Gun Song'?

The narrative is about the relationship that Will Toledo, the artist, had from the age of 17 to 21, which is explored in depth in 'The Gun Song,' a 16-minute ballad that provides a sense of finality to the story.

Why is the album 'Nourished Young Man' described as a 'greatest hits' compilation?

The album is described as a 'greatest hits' compilation because it includes songs that Will Toledo wrote during a significant period of his life, from the age of 17 to 21, making it a collection of his early works.

What is the significance of the 'Alter Ego' or 'Alias' in the song 'The Gun Song'?

The 'Alter Ego' or 'Alias' in 'The Gun Song' is a stand-in for Will Toledo himself, indicating that the lyrics are a direct expression of his feelings and experiences regarding the relationship being discussed.

What is the metaphorical meaning of 'story was a great suicide' in the lyrics of 'The Gun Song'?

The phrase 'story was a great suicide' metaphorically suggests that the relationship was self-destructive, with both individuals giving so much of themselves that they were left with nothing, akin to committing suicide.

How does the song 'The Gun Song' address the theme of self-expression?

The song addresses the theme of self-expression through the lyrics that discuss Will's inability to properly express himself, likening it to tripping over his words and being trapped in a loop of unending realization.

What is the significance of the 'Sun' metaphor in the script?

The 'Sun' metaphor in the script represents reality and truth. The line 'love lives underwater where the Sun never sinks' suggests that the truth about the relationship is hidden and not fully understood or acknowledged.

What does the phrase 'carve because Woods kind of sounds like wood' refer to in the script?

This phrase refers to a play on words where Will is carving or shaping his narrative, and 'Woods' sounds like 'wood,' which could symbolize the construction or crafting of his story.

How is the 'smoking' metaphor used throughout the narrative?

The 'smoking' metaphor is used to represent self-destructive tendencies and behaviors in the relationship, as well as enabling those behaviors, leaving marks or scars on Will.

What does the line 'should have listened to his parents and not entered a relationship with this person' imply about Will's perspective on the relationship?

This line implies that Will regrets entering the relationship and suggests that he believes he should have heeded the advice of his parents, indicating a sense of guilt or responsibility for the relationship's negative outcomes.

What is the significance of the 'artificial limb' metaphor in the script?

The 'artificial limb' metaphor signifies that the relationship felt fake or inauthentic to Will, and that it was something he felt he had to amputate, despite the pain and difficulty of doing so.

How does the script discuss the idea of letting go of a relationship?

The script discusses the idea of letting go through the metaphor of 'killing' the relationship, suggesting that sometimes, despite the pain, one must end a toxic relationship to move forward and heal.

What is the purpose of the script's reference to Lady Macbeth and the concept of murder?

The reference to Lady Macbeth and the concept of murder is used to illustrate the idea that ending the relationship is akin to committing a crime, with potentially tragic consequences, reflecting the difficulty and emotional turmoil of letting go.

Outlines

00:00

🎼 Emotional Depth in 'The Gun'

This paragraph delves into the narrative depth of the song 'The Gun' from the 2013 album 'Nourished Young Man'. It's described as a 'greatest hits' compilation of sorts, encompassing the songwriter's experiences from the ages of 17 to 21. The song is a lyrically dense ballad that explores a relationship in detail, providing a sense of closure to the story that began in 'Twin Fantasy'. The paragraph also mentions the songwriter's struggle with self-expression and the toxic elements of the relationship, such as codependency and the idea of self-sacrifice for intimacy. The use of metaphors like 'underwater love' and 'smoking' to represent self-destructive behavior is highlighted.

05:02

🚫 The Consequences of a Toxic Relationship

The second paragraph discusses the regret and the sense of being trapped in a toxic relationship. It references the songwriter's reflections on enabling his ex-partner's destructive habits and the metaphorical 'artificial limb' that he feels the need to amputate, symbolizing the difficulty of detaching from something that has become a part of him. The paragraph also touches on the theme of self-destruction as a perceived necessity in love and the struggle to maintain a genuine connection with the ex-partner, despite the lack of reciprocation.

10:02

🌙 The Illusion of Connection

This paragraph examines the theme of an illusory connection between the songwriter and his ex-partner. It explores the idea that their relationship was never as deep as the songwriter believed, using the moon as a metaphor for a connection that is not based in reality. The paragraph also discusses the songwriter's struggle with communication and openness, questioning why he chose to express his feelings through songs filled with metaphors and vagueness, which can lead to misinterpretation.

15:04

🔪 The Murder of a Relationship

The fourth paragraph focuses on the metaphorical 'murder' of the relationship, suggesting that in order to move on, the songwriter must 'kill' the past. It draws parallels with Lady Macbeth's advice to her husband, which led to tragedy, to illustrate the potential consequences of such an act. The paragraph also touches on the difficulty of letting go of a loved one and the necessity of doing so for personal growth and healing.

20:11

🎙️ Reflections on Artistic Expression

The final paragraph is a meta-commentary on the process of creating and interpreting art. The songwriter reflects on the purpose of his songs and the ambiguity they contain, questioning why he chose to express his feelings in such a way if he didn't want them to be interpreted. It also mentions the creator's intention to re-record and re-edit previous videos for better audio quality and to compile them into a longer, more comprehensive video. The paragraph ends with an apology for the lack of uploads and a teaser for upcoming content.

Keywords

💡Twin Fantasy

Twin Fantasy refers to a 2013 album by Car Seat Headrest, which is a significant part of the narrative discussed in the video. It is mentioned as the starting point of the story that continues in 'The Gun Song'. The album is characterized by its raw and intimate exploration of the artist's experiences from the age of 17 to 21, including a period of a toxic relationship.

💡The Gun Song

The Gun Song is a 16-minute ballad from the album 'Twin Fantasy' that delves deeper into the relationship explored in the album. It is described as 'lyric heavy' and provides a sense of finality to the narrative. The song is used as a metaphor for the artist's struggle with a toxic relationship and his attempt to move on.

💡Monomania

Monomania is another album by Car Seat Headrest that is related to the narrative of 'Twin Fantasy'. It is mentioned in the context of the artist's relationship and the continuation of the themes from 'Twin Fantasy'. The term is used to represent the obsessive focus on a single idea or person, which is a central theme in the artist's exploration of his relationship.

💡Toxic Relationship

A toxic relationship is a central theme in the video, referring to a romantic involvement that is harmful to one's well-being. The script discusses how the artist's relationship in 'Twin Fantasy' was unhealthy, with references to 'unhealthy codependency' and 'toxic idolization', illustrating the negative impact on the artist's self-perception and emotional state.

💡Self-Destructive Behavior

Self-destructive behavior is a recurring motif in the video, symbolized by the artist's smoking habits and his tendency to enable his partner's harmful actions. The script mentions this behavior as a metaphor for the artist's self-harm and the enabling of destructive tendencies in the relationship.

💡Communication

Communication is a key concept in the video, particularly in the context of the artist's struggle to express himself within the relationship. The script discusses the artist's inability to 'properly express himself' and the resulting feelings of being trapped in a loop of misunderstanding and misinterpretation.

💡Metaphor

Metaphors are extensively used in the script to convey deeper meanings and emotions related to the artist's experiences. Examples include the use of 'smoking' to symbolize self-destructive tendencies, 'the sun' and 'the moon' to represent reality and illusion, and 'artificial limb' to describe the relationship as something fake yet attached to him.

💡Intimacy

Intimacy is a central theme in the video, exploring the idea of deep emotional connection and sacrifice within a relationship. The script discusses the artist's belief that a sacrifice must be made to know someone on an intimate level, which is portrayed as a toxic and unhealthy perspective.

💡Closure

Closure is sought by the artist as a means to end the toxic cycle of the relationship. The script mentions the artist's struggle to find closure and the desire to 'try and forget all the things he wanted from them', indicating the need to move on and let go of the past.

💡Neurotic Behavior

Neurotic behavior is referenced in the script to describe the artist's constant need for reassurance and validation from his partner. It is depicted as a flaw that prevents him from finding peace and contributes to the ongoing cycle of the toxic relationship.

💡Self-Reflection

Self-reflection is a key aspect of the video, as the artist examines his own actions and emotions within the relationship. The script includes moments where the artist questions his motivations for writing songs about the relationship, acknowledging the complexity of his feelings and the potential for misinterpretation.

Highlights

The narrative of 'Twin Fantasy' concludes with 'The Gun Song', a 16-minute ballad exploring a deep relationship.

The album 'Nourished Young Man' is described as a greatest hits compilation of songs written between the ages of 17 to 21.

The song addresses the toxic idolization and unhealthy codependency present in the relationship outlined in 'Twin Fantasy'.

Will claims that in every deeply powerful romance, a sacrifice must be made to know each other intimately.

Lyricism discusses the inability to properly express oneself, a theme prevalent in 'Bodies'.

The song uses the metaphor of tripping over words to represent the struggle with communication.

Will's ex is depicted as living 'underwater', where truth never reaches, continuing the sun metaphor from previous works.

The song reflects on the need to forget past promises and the difficulty of moving on from a deeply ingrained relationship.

Will criticizes his extra smoking habits as a metaphor for self-destructive tendencies and enabling behavior.

The song references the idea of listening to parents and avoiding the toxic relationship altogether.

Will compares the relationship to an artificial limb, something he doesn't want to lose but needs to amputate.

The song explores the idea of needing to 'kill' the relationship to move on, drawing from Lady Macbeth's advice in 'Macbeth'.

Will's ex is compared to Marianne, wife of King Henry II, executed by her husband, foreshadowing the tragic end of the relationship.

The song acknowledges the difficulty of letting go of someone you love, even when it's necessary for personal well-being.

Will contemplates the purpose of writing songs that invite interpretation and the struggle with communication.

The video creator plans to re-record and re-edit previous videos for better audio quality and a more comprehensive analysis.

The video concludes with a promise of future content, including a discussion on the themes of the album in an upcoming video.

Transcripts

foreign

[Music]

ly we've arrived at the conclusion to

the narrative that began in Twin fantasy

the gun song off of the 2013 album

nourished young man we'll describe this

album as one that should feel like a

greatest hits compilation both songs he

wrote from the age of 17 to 21. that of

course would involve a period of time

which will was in the relationship

outlined in Twin fantasy in monomania

but this time instead of devoting one

last footnote of it to a whole other

album he condenses it into one

incredibly lyric heavy 16 minute ballad

that dives deeper into the relationship

and gives the story a sense of finality

before we dig in however I'm going to do

some classic YouTuber Shilling and

mention that there are two videos that

come before this on Twin fantasy and

monomania please go watch those and also

like 80 of you who watch these videos

aren't subscribed like genuinely and I

don't make money off these videos until

I'm at least at a thousand subscribers

so

yeah subscribe please

the song opens with the line I played at

the start of the video rule seems to

directly address his lover in a section

subtitled the lyrics As what Joe said

job would later go into being Alter Ego

or Alias of sorts that we'll use in the

future project teams of denial so it's

safe to say that this is just a stand-in

for will who claims to no longer be hung

up on the relationship but then proceeds

to take the 16 minutes of the song to go

very in depth on why he hung up on them

either literally or figure it'll be

cutting them off that toxic idolization

of unhealthy codependency will show on

Twin fantasy rears its ugly head once

more as he sings

story

was a great suicide

you can't give yourself completely

and will keep the man inside will claims

that in every deeply powerful romance a

sacrifice must be made in order to know

each other on an extremely intimate

level you have to destroy yourself give

yourself away to them this is of course

toxic that's not a healthy relationship

this is exactly what happened on Twin

fantasy though we'll try to give all of

himself to someone who is not interested

in doing the same and was left with just

a shell of himself

with these lyrics we are again called

back to something that came up a lot on

Twin fantasy discussing his inability to

properly Express himself this was most

evident in bodies where will tripped

over his words in the lyrics and found

issue with trying to speak his mind here

he makes the act of tripping over his

words akin to climbing sentences getting

halfway up and realizing his mistake

trying to backtrack and tripping over

his words

[Music]

we'll think to this feeling will haunt

him forever trapped in a loop the

realization that the feeling is unending

is also unending in itself a sickening

feeling that never leaves him alone he's

been able to take a moment to himself to

take a break spending half the day

exhaling his breath and the other half

holding on what he has left this

transitions just right into the next

section where will cling just love lives

underwater where the Sun never sinks

[Music]

this again fits right into the sun

metaphor from Twin fantasy and monomania

here meaning that we're his ex resides

the truth never reaches them

[Music]

[Music]

they need to put it all behind them

forget it all especially will he

promises to try and forget all the

things he wanted from them the things

that he thought he deserved the promises

that he made out of their Woods meaning

the things they said to him they

interpreted us promises passing bits of

conversation that he transformed into

sacred Oaths to stay by his side or

something along those lines he has to

says carve because Woods kind of sounds

like wood I'm sure he's real proud of

himself for that one thanks will

[Music]

and I said Jesus Christ

[Music]

this section calls back to the smoking

metaphor that has run through this whole

narrative his extra smoking habits being

a metaphor for their self-destructive

Tendencies and behavior and enabling

them in this Behavior left marks on him

I think this passage Bears a striking

resemblance of the twin bruises lines

from famous Prophets

in this next section will says he should

have listened to his parents and not

entered a relationship with this person

or smoke them out and for the record

that means he used his own Supply to get

his ex-high which is sort of a metaphor

for how much he feels like he gave to

them and how he enabled them after this

he references all of this as an

artificial limb that he'd hate to

amputate comparing the relationship to

something fake but a dual meaning here

lies and that since he's amputating it

it's attached to him taking the place of

something he's missing like an

artificial limb would as much as he

doesn't want to lose this piece of

himself the light from his eyes has

drained when he looks at them his eyes

being glass points to his warped

perspective maybe even just the idea

that he can't seem to have faith in his

own perspective this relationship in

this person seemed to drain him so much

and he can't just let go of it

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

foreign

[Music]

like I don't really love to just take it

straight from genius because I feel like

that's cheating but if a line Stomps me

I will check and I don't know history

stuff so I checked for this line just

just shut up Brew Bumble baby for this

one well but anyways besides and sort of

part of the section when you only know

here these lines go a lot he never

kissed them on the mouth somewhere

romantically intimate I think it's

implied a lot on Twin fantasy that they

hooked up some number of times but never

entered an actual relationship this line

speaks to that and under the history

reference that I didn't really

understand entirely genius lord of the

north means his liver didn't do much

work but conquering in the south is what

takes all the effort which is what we'll

put in the relationship and aside from

the clear again callback to the sexual

connotation we're calling himself a

masochist also means more broadly that

he enjoyed destroying himself for this

person remember the first verse seems to

consider it a necessary part of love

[Music]

foreign

[Music]

[Music]

both digs into the north south sexual

metaphor a bit deeper in the next few

lines not wanting to cause a fight and

meeting at the edge of the bed the

sexual acts not happening while in bed

together could be a metaphor for the

lack of real connection behind them and

they meet just at the edge of the bed

which probably both satisfied and

Confused will because he can project

that there's something deeper like he

did in Twin fantasy creating a whole

relationship in his mind with this

person but he also definitely wants

something more real so the one with the

line is across from fantasy to reality

is where the issues in this relationship

arise he knows the only way he'll ever

know if they truly love him is if they

do it in their sleep continuing another

metaphor for monomania where sleep was

used lyrically as a way to convey where

someone is at their truest form and

sharing sleep being a deeply personal

and intimate act but also at the same

time here he calls it a little bit of

his own neurotic behavior and flaws

acknowledging that in order to please

his wants and desires there will always

be another angle some new way to show

him that they love him

[Music]

time they're recording this whole

[ __ ] thing again

[Music]

even if Will doesn't manage to kill this

relationship things won't just go back

to the way they were before well this

clearly deeply damaged by everything and

this person supposing shortcomings are

documented in his music and in his

memory he refuses to be toyed with again

comparing toxic Behavior or something of

that like to chord changes this simply

add some of the motif of using music

related ideas Like lyrics or singing to

talk about poor communication from

bodies and mishaired lyrics

[Music]

[ __ ] over

still willing to take the fall for all

of this for everything to stay one-sided

just so we can have the tiniest bit of

affection he has set up at the start of

the song believes that this pain is a

natural part of relationships but as the

song goes on his bitterness towards this

person grows and the romantization of

that idea starts to break down

[Music]

different

[Applause]

[Music]

it's just like

[Music]

will has played his part he spilled his

mistakes on over and over and is going

to hate himself for them his ex he feels

hasn't done the same will this holding

on maybe just for that some closure or

maybe in the minutes of those mistake so

they could finally be together properly

the chance that this cycle this unending

realization that will never end

can you be finally come to an end

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

oh

[Music]

[Applause]

what finds it hard to discuss

everything's gonna happen between them

because of how set in stone their

current situation is his ex has

ownership of how everything affected

them and we'll seize it fit that they

could drag him through the mud as much

as they want but what happened between

them still happened it doesn't just not

matter because of how things are now and

if they want to blame someone for the

fact that what they did together isn't

public domain for them to control The

Narrative of and do whatever they please

with block the blame Disney for

extending the copyright law which will

famously hates

these ones are all sort of ironic though

is it large will really control the

narrative about this relationship

through his music and issue which he

later addressed in the re-recording of

twin fantasy a video on that coming soon

by the way subscribe if you want to see

it when it comes up

[Music]

and you said you said inside

this verse here probably being my

favorite in the whole song always a

quick flashback in time time when they

both attended parties alone when they

were still connected what was sat

outside avoiding the party you looked up

the notice the moon then borrowing a

line of poetry from Margaret Atwood

thanks again genius he used to assure

his love that they had something they

could still share while apart but unlike

him they weren't avoiding the party they

were inside the connection wolf thought

they had even went apart was not there

their connection was as it always has

been and still is

much closer on the physical level and um

quick little editor aside here I just

realized while editing this video that

he points out that they have a

connection by the moon because it's the

opposite of the Sun and that means the

connection that he feels isn't real like

it would be if it was the sun which

represents reality and Truth in the

narrative so that's why he points out

that they have a connection via the Moon

I don't know how I missed that until now

but I just thought of it

[Music]

Island alone

[Music]

[Applause]

the differences between them have been

laid out and will is ready to finally

try and let go of all this one last time

but go on trying to love someone else

again always looking for someone else to

cling on to and his ex can just live

alone move on without needing someone to

live with Mrs boundated by some higher

power connected on some deeper

unforeseen level they will meet in the

end and compare notes look back on their

lives again

thank you

I hate your receptionist she looks at me

like I'm [ __ ]

[Music]

out your forms

I see foreign

[Music]

for the first time throughout the whole

Saga well that's the other side of the

story come to the front singing about

himself from the perspective of his ex

they hated a bull's receptionist feeling

judged by them unable to speak to him a

metaphor for being unable to get through

the will being shut off they're able to

see that he's there be around him but

every time they attempt to get through

he pushes them away possibly judging

them begging for their love from his

side of the story but closed off from

theirs

against interpretation

why write these songs at all

why not

[Music]

why not tell everyone on the planet in

plain English what you want

this is really the first time will

acknowledges the existence of these

songs within the work breaking the

fourth wall for him to criticize himself

through his ex if he didn't want people

to interpret his songs why write them at

all if he didn't want people to draw

conclusions about him or his partner I

put that work into the world all of the

work including the song is shredded in

vagueness conceptuality and metaphors

it's easy to misunderstand what he means

and interpret it wrong I also think this

brings us back one final time of the

connection will draw us between music

and communication why close himself off

and put all these feelings into songs

why have that receptionist why not just

learn how to be open and properly

communicate with people tell them what

he wants what he is how he feels

and after this Will's X gets one last

one would have a perspective on the song

bring us back to a line from Beach life

and death and promising to eat Him

Softly this dream Wally doesn't even

notice it

and then

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

foreign

breaks into a sort of duet will with

himself but switching between the

perspectives his ex asked to be held

close one last time knowing will is

going to commit murder the murder of

this relationship based on the fact that

he's taken a device from Lady Macbeth

who in the play advised her husband to

commit murder he's encouraged to get on

with it just One Shot Two Shots then

inside of his hands and he can try and

forget it all move on

[Applause]

[Music]

well Compares his ex to Marianne wife

Sahara the great who was executed on the

grounds of treason by her own husband

who later came to say he regretted his

decision through the reference to

Macbeth before and Miriam now will

Express his word that killing off this

relationship will end in disaster

Macbeth's advice by his wife led to

tragedy and her out forever for granted

his decision

[Music]

all I know

[Music]

foreign

[Music]

has to kill the other at first it was an

idea perfectly reflective of a toxic

relationship or destroying himself

become one with someone else but now it

means the end of things if you love

someone you have to be able to let them

go when things get bad it's difficult

but it must be done almost doesn't have

the strength to giving them his new

number leaving the door open

but this is the gun song after all

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

all right

foreign

[Music]

[Applause]

foreign

if you'll notice the audio quality in

this video does sound better than in the

last two uh I posted a rant showing that

I was using my microphone wrong this

entire time so that's fun and that's why

it sounds better now because I've been

doing it right and I'm what's gonna

happen is um

if you're still watching subscribe by

the way but um what I'm going to do is

I'm going to re-record the audio for the

first two videos re-edit them and I'm

going to put one fantasy monomania and

the gun song this version the video

probably all into one big like

one big over an hour long video then

it'll be it'll be uploaded on the

channel again so I can get some more

views and do the versions of the video

with better audio quality

but other than that um I'm sorry for

like not uploading at all this month uh

yeah but um I'm still working on the

curriculars video I promise um that

one's definitely coming out like

probably January maybe February if I I

might want to talk about a few other

like music related stuff first so that

my channel doesn't just seem like

parks in headrest and Crow killers and

anyone who's not interested in those

things just screws off but I want to do

more music related stuff um so

yeah um consider this video a early

Christmas present I guess uh that's it

and face-to-face video will be the

unofficial conclusion to all this

because it won't be part of the

narrative it'll be just discussing the

like themes of the album and stuff like

that but yeah all right um

thanks for watching yeah