The album that got me through first year.

Because the Internet by Childish Gambino

Tracklist:

1. The Library - Intro

2. I.Crawl

3.II. Worldstar

4. Dial Up

5.I.The Worst Guys

6.II. Shadows

7.III. Telegraph Ave. ("Oakland" by Lloyd)

8.IV. Sweatpants

9. 3005

10. Playing Around Before the Party Starts

11. I. The Party

12. II. Zealots of Stockholm [Free Information]

13. III. Urn

14. I. Pink Toes

15. II. Earth: The Oldest Computer (The Last Night)

16. III. Life: The Biggest Troll [Andrew Auernheimer]

My favourite tracks:

The Worst Guys, II. Shadows,Telegraph Ave, Sweatpants, 3005, Urn, Pink Toes, Earth: The Oldest Computer.

I had a bit of a rough time my first year of uni. To make a long story short, my living arrangements and housemates weren't what I was imagining and my anxiety couldn't handle it. That combined with the whole living away from my parents for the first time thing I wasn't having a good time. There were some things that got me through the couple of months before I moved back home and one of those things was Childish Gambino's album 'Because the Internet'.

I had been a fan of Donald Glover for quite a while before uni but I hadn't really listened to a full album by him until that point, I'd only heard songs by him that had music videos. I decided to buy this album give a listen since I had seen a few people say it was their favourite of his albums.

I ended up listening to the whole album from beginning to end most days on my walks to and from uni / town. I really can't explain why or how but I came to find such comfort in this album. It made me feel confident in being independent during a time where I have never felt more alone.

I have so many memories of me walking home mouthing the words to these songs, it's like it gave me something else to think about, or something to focus on instead of dwelling on my problems on the walk home to a place that felt like anything but a home.

I'm going to go through each of my favourite tracks and try and figure out why I love them so much.

** I JUST FOUND OUT THERE IS A WHOLE SCREENPLAY FOR THIS ALBUM THAT I NEVER KNEW EXISTED, I'M GOING TO ADD MY THOUGHTS BEFORE AND AFTER READING IT**

I. The Worst Guys

There are so many clever bars in this song, I mean there are in all of his songs but this one especially, has loads. I think the reason I like this song is quite shallow, I just really like Donald's flow and the general production of the song. The tune sounds somewhat light and dreamlike. I've always loved how playful Donald can be when he delivers his bars.

The end of the song with the guitar and vocals is really nice.

II. Shadows

I love one very specific line from this song and that is: "Tuesday afternoon, I ain't got shit to do, but fall in love with you." It makes me think of the reality of love and relationships, what can be more normal than a Tuesday afternoon. I feel like it shows love for what it is rather than something fated or magical.

III. Telegraph Ave. ("Oakland" by Lloyd)

I love that this song is essentially a song by a character called 'Lloyd' and starts with someone in the car listening to the song and singing along. Other than that the song is really laid back until it changes up a little bit with the introduction of Donald's rap. I think this might be one of my favourite verses of his.

This song feels like the passing of time 'You wanted to be a mom and I wasn't mad at it I was thinking about me, I'd be really bad at it' 'We'll both be thirty soon'

II. Sweatpants

This is one of the first Gambino songs I heard and liked. I was drawn to Gambino's flow and cadence. How his flow changes, the pauses and changes in the song 'I dont give a fuck about my family name'

'You faker than some sweet and low' 'play me like a piano' 'fiskers don't make noise when they start up just so you know' 'dont be mad cos im doing me better than you doing you'

3005

Probably my favourite Childish Gambino song. I love the video too. There is a lot of clever lyricism to the point that I have listened to this song more times than I can count and it took me listening to it on repeat writing this to finally see the homophones in these lines;

"Got no patience, 'cause I'm not a doctor"

"Girl why is you lying, girl why you Mufasa"

I feel so stupid and in awe of his genius yet again. I encourage you to look up the lyrics on genius and just appreciate the genius of it all. There are so many layers.

I. Pink Toes

I'm very quickly learning that there are many different ways of listening to music. There is listening for how it sounds including the words on the surface level without really thinking too much about what is being said. Then there is actually listening to the lyrics and thinking deeply about the meaning.

I will admit I do the first one A LOT. I am really not that perceptive when it comes to meanings in songs, I usually listen for how it sounds first, meaning second. I'm trying to change that. Because if you REALLY listen to what is being said you can find so much more.

It appears that I never really listened to this song properly, only on a surface level, I never really got the character being portrayed in this song until now. By this point in the review I am very eager to read the screenplay that accompanies this album. I can't believe I've gone this long without knowing it existed.

II. Earth: The Oldest Computer ( The Last Night)

This song is another of my all time favourites. The opening of the song is just so iconic to me and I LOVE how perfectly it leads on from the end of Pink Toes.

I have vivid memories of rapping along to this song on the way home from uni.

This song has great existential social and societal commentary.

After reading the screenplay:

I really enjoyed reading the screenplay with the context of the song, listening to them at the same time meant that occasionally the theme in the bars would be the same as that specific moment in the screenplay. Much of the screenplay felt reminiscent of 'Atlanta' which makes sense since they are written by the same person, even character names like 'Vanessa'.

I like the repetition of certain things such as; smores, roscoes wetsuit and spiders. I also like the connection between spiders - webs and the web (the internet).

Other moments I enjoyed: Coachella being inside the closet, the wedding and 'Oakland' by Lloyd in the car.

It makes me very happy to have context for things such as the weird voice at the end of 3005 and the 'secret' version of 3005.

I am very aware that there are a lot of layers in the screenplay that I have missed as you can see, I missed so much about the lyrics to the songs alone.

I encourage anyone who is interested in the album, Childish Gambino or Donald Glover in general to watch his short films and read the screenplay.

This man is a genius. His work is so clever it makes me mad.

Kaitlyn.

Link to 'Clapping for the Wrong Reasons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_bONLcE8IA&t=1106s

Link to the full screenplay: https://burntostrich.github.io/