Shaggy's Anthem
Cartoon courage under capitalism: meme bravado, panic in the corner, monsters as trusted friends: I will not run away even while pretending.
Listen: Spotify·Apple Music
ISRC QZHN42072122 (soundexchange)
Track eleven on Masks and Monsters, teased ahead of the LP by Neon Music as courage while your knees are shaking. Luke solo; North Park lockdown record.
It opens in full brainposter voice (me, an intellectual / I greet anxiety with a friendly pull), where we live in a society is the joke. The group chant underneath admits the terror it’s trying to chant away: happy / then get terrified, the whole album’s emotional arc in four words.
The chorus is courage that wobbles (villains are all around me / but I will not run away), and the bridge turns the album’s masks literal and social at once: funny how the monsters are the ones you trusted from the very start. Then the tag collapses the distinction the song has been worrying at, pretending’s what I’ll do / but isn’t that the same?, leaving performed courage and the real thing indistinguishable.
Same grin-under-pressure as A Good Life and Creature Comfort; pairs with Snuggle With Shaggy and My Mind Is Slowly Slipping. The closer’s philosophical turn is Derrida Makes a Différance.
Written, performed, mixed, and mastered by Luke Francis Walton. Album art by Gentle Giant Illustrations.
Lyrics
Me, an intellectual I greet anxiety with a friendly pull We live in a society Or so I'm told By friends on the internet Generation meaningless But I'm scared as I'm laughing at the capitalists My fear and adrenaline are stalking me Disguised as the government Relax Take it back No use in worrying All together now Happy Then get terrified I will not run away No more Ah Don't wanna be afraid Though I'm sure That I'm surrounded by Monsters like to haunt me Villains are all around me But I will not run away No more Ah Ah Running down a mystery When all I wanna do is have a bite to eat My dog is in the corner with a panic attack My lover lost her vision, but I'm getting it back, cuz Funny how the monsters are The ones you trusted from the very start The friendliest among us wear a different mask And greed is all around us like a diseased bat Yeah Relax Take it back No use in worrying All together now Happy Then get terrified I will not run away No more Ah Don't wanna be afraid Though I'm sure That I'm surrounded by Monsters like to haunt me Villains are all around me But I will not run away No more Ah Ah Straight up I'll be strong for you Pretending's what I'll do But isn't that the same? Ooo I will not run away No more Ah Don't wanna be afraid Though I'm sure That I'm surrounded by Monsters like to haunt me Villains are all around me But I will not run away No more Ah Ah