LogFAQs > #954781862

186. Beck Where Its At (1996)
from the album Odelay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OnuOgJpa0U

Key lyrics:
I got two turntables and a microphone

Nonsense lyrics have been a staple in alternative rock since the beginning, but Beck brings a strangely organic quality. Oddity is in his nature, and Where Its At is a signature example of his mesmerizing wordplay. Its not that his lyrics mean anything, but his seemingly random choices have perfect cadence. Jigsaw jazz, jamboree handouts, hirsute, with your parachute fruits these are phrases signifying nothing, yet I always find myself singing along. Surrealism does not imply throwing random concepts in a blender, but finding a unique connection from one to the other. Many struggle with this concept, but Beck somehow suggests the coolest party in the world with Where Its At.

The structure is suitably chaotic. A funky rhythm serves as the backbone, but little moments scatter it in a hundred different directions. The end of the first chorus inexplicably replaces Beck with a robot voice. This is followed by a short drum break, which a sample then comments upon. Little samples from a sex education video are sprinkled out, and theres an extended bridge including a scarier robotic shout as it really kicks off. Beck throws in whatever stray elements he can think of, yet it all comes together as a cohesive whole.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/