What do you think Rat means?

Penelope Scott: Rat Meaning

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Album cover for Rat album cover

Song Released: 2020


Rat Lyrics

I come from scientists and atheists and white men who kill God
They make technology high quality complex physiological...
Experiments and sacrilege in the name of public good
They taught me everything, just like a daddy should
And you were...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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    Nov 20th 2022 !⃝

    Considering the original name of the song was "Elongated Muskrat", the most realistic interpretation is that the song was about her changing views on Elon Musk.
    "You promised you'd be Tesla" - Elon Musk's company and making a play on how he has made grand claims that he would be like Nikola Tesla for humanity
    "But you're just another Edison" - Elon Musk is really just a business man who profits off the work of other people and who was lucky enough to be born incredibly wealthy.

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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    Dec 21st 2020 !⃝

    This song is about how often the West Coast technology-driven society is prioritized and worshipped within our culture. People like Elon Musk are worshipped as people who will drive society further, change lives, however, their creations only further industrialization and harm the Earth. In this sense, they cause as much damage as conservatives or those stuck in the past. I think there's also a lot of discussion on old money vs. new money as well as neoliberalism.

  3. 3TOP RATED

    #3 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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    Dec 21st 2020 !⃝

    I think this song references and talks about celebrities/influencers that we looked up to and idolized. However, when we grow older, we soon realize it was all fake and how the people we look up to really aren't as great as we thought they were, and how they tricked us into thinking they were this great person, but in reality they were just a power-hungry human that just acted like that to make people like them. I think in particular this song references Elon musk. Everyone thought(me included) that Elon was this amazing person that was super cool and chill, and smart. However we soon grow to realize that he's just like every rich and power- hungry person to this day, tricking us into a false sense of reality. (Some lyrics that show this listed below;)

    ~~~
    'I loved you, I loved you, I loved you, it's true
    I wanted to be you and do what you do
    I lived here, I loved here, I thought it was true
    I feel so stupid, and so used
    I feel so used'

    'I fell for circuit boards, rocket ships, pictures of the stars
    If you could only be what you pretend you are'

    'Well I don't want to eat the rich, I'd have to eat my heroes first'

    So fuck your tunnels, fuck your cars, fuck your rockets, fuck your cars again
    You promised you'd be Tesla, but you're just another Edison
    'Cause Tesla broke a patent, all you ever broke were hearts
    I can't believe you tore humanity apart
    With the very same machines that could have been our brand new start

    This are just a few of the lyrics, but practically the whole song mentions Elon Musk, and scientist in general. Stay safe y'all! =)

  4. anonymous
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    Mar 25th 2024 !⃝

    Burnt out child prodigy.
    “I was your baby, your firstborn, the hot girl in your comp. psych class”
    She’s tired of being treated as special, and her heroes have betrayed her by doing something truly awful, and she wanted to be like them, but turns out they’re a monster, and now she hates them and feels betrayed.

  5. anonymous
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    Feb 17th 2023 !⃝

    The song talks about how Penelope has a deep hate towards the hell of Silicon Valley, where she once dreamed of working. In her genius interview she states that “i grew up near Silicon Valley” and that she “received a coder’s degree, but hated her job”, much like every other coder in silicon valley. In summary it talks about her “breakup” with billionaires and her quitting her job as a coder.

  6. TobiLikesFrogs
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    Apr 13th 2022 !⃝

    this is a personal interpretation that i came up with before i knew the real reason/moral for the song its an odd one that kinda goes along with something i was going through at the time. so basically i thought the song is somebody missing out on being able to be in a relationship with someone
    but by time they had the gut to confess theyre "love" to the. person moves on to someone else.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  7. TobiLikesFrogs
    click a star to vote
    Apr 13th 2022 !⃝

    this is a personal interpretation that i came up with before i knew the real reason/moral for the song its an odd one that kinda goes along with something i was going through at the time. so basically i thought the song is somebody missing out on being able to be in a relationship with someone
    but by time they had the gut to confess theyre "love" to the. person moves on to someone else.



    keep in mind this is a personal interpretation NOT AT ALL CANNON

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  8. anonymous
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    Jul 31st 2021 !⃝

    Thing is- I think their talking about animal testing. And someone who joined it and regretted it.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  9. anonymous
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    May 5th 2021 !⃝

    I imagine this song being about a family (A dad, a son, and a daughter, and a divorced mother) the "scientist" is the dad, and later on the daughter gets adopted, when it says "When I said take me to the moon I never ment take me alone" is when the mother (who has custody over her child) sends her child on visits, and the child wants to go but not alone sense she is afraid she will get hurt.

  10. anonymous
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    Feb 26th 2021 !⃝

    I also think its for elon musk cause who else and yes she wrote a song bout it my QUEEN this song just proves it's from him Because she said alot of things that are expensive and he is rich

  11. 1d0ntc4r3ab0uty0u
    click a star to vote
    Feb 9th 2021 !⃝

    This song is so well written. Not only is it a metaphorical breakup song between Penelope Scott and Elon Musk, but it also represents her breaking away from our industrialized and capitalist ideals. The phrase "your proposal is modest and insane" refers to Thomas Malfus's ideas that support the abuse and exploitation of the working class.
    There is another line, "You promised you'd be Telsa, but you're just another Edison" is talking about how much like Elon Musk, Thomas Edison was known for his genius and invention, but was actually more of a business man who took credit for and profited off of the work of others.
    "I don't want to eat the rich, I'd have to eat my heroes first" and "I loved you its true. And sometimes I feel like I still fucking do" express the pain and frustration she has with the people she once knew as idols becoming the thing she hates.

  12. anonymous
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    Jan 5th 2021 !⃝

    Everyone has been saying it's about Elon Musk, but I think it's more about the power hungry mankind in this world and being a child of one. People are worshipping people like Elon Musk, Celebrities and such but also people who kill and promise to 'make things better' like Hitler, Trump and more. Kids are also influenced by them and their parents that are famous and powerful but once they grow up they will realise just how bad their parents are and will rightfully rebel against them. Penelope is putting in a perspective of the kids who have seen the cruelty in this world and see how fucked up their parents are and if you still don't get it I can break it down for you


    "I come from scientists and atheists and white men who kill God
    They make technology high quality complex physiological...
    Experiments and sacrilege in the name of public good
    They taught me everything, just like a daddy should"

    The kids are talking about idol figures, scientists, atheists and such along with what they do. Basically Life

    "And you were beautiful and vulnerable, and power and success
    God, damn, I fell for you your flamethrowers, your tunnels and your tech
    I studied code because I wanted to do something great like you
    And the real tragedy is half of it was true"

    They then go on to talk about their parents/idols and saying they wanted to be like them, but after realising how bad they were they were rightfully upset

    "But we've been fucking mean, we're elitist
    We're as flawed as any church
    And this faux rad' west coast dogma has a higher fucking net worth
    I bit the apple 'cause I trusted you, it tastes like Thomas Malthus
    Your proposal is immodest and insane
    And I hope someday Selmers rides her fucking train"

    They talk about how mean they were, flawed etc and have an understanding of life

    "I loved you, I loved you
    I loved you, it's true
    I wanted to be you and do what you do
    I lived here, I loved here, I thought it was true
    I feel so stupid and so used
    I feel so used"

    They rightfully go at their parents/idols, saying how much they loved them

    "I was your baby, your first born
    The hot girl in your comp sci' class
    And I was Darwin's prep school dream
    Bred born and raised to kick your ass
    I fell for circuit boards, rocket ships, pictures of the stars
    If you could only be what you pretend you are"

    They talk about their life and say their parent/idol couldn't pretend to be what they said they would be

    "When I said, "Take me to the moon"
    I never meant take me alone
    I thought if mankind toured the sky, it meant all of us could go
    But I don't want to see the stars if they're just one more piece of land for us to colonize
    For us to turn to sand"

    They discuss how they wanted to spend time with them and how fucked up mankind can be with planets

    "'Cause we're so fucking mean, we're so elitist
    We're as fucked as any church
    And this bullshit west coast dogma has a higher fucking net worth
    I bit the apple 'cause I loved you, and why would you lie?
    And then I realized, you're just as naive as I am
    Oh, you're so traumatized, it makes me wanna cry"

    And again they discuss their understanding of life and how the parents/idols hide things and are 'traumatized' that it makes them wanna 'cry'

    "You dumb bitch, I loved you, I loved you
    I loved you, it's true
    I wanted to be you and do what you do
    I lived here, I loved here
    I bought it, it's true
    I'm so embarrassed, I feel abused"

    They again have a go at their parents/idols, mentioning how much everything meant to them

    "Well, I don't wanna eat the rich, I'd have to eat my hero's first
    And my tuition's paid by blood, I might deserve your fate or worse
    But I don't need your goddamn money, I don't need jack shit from you
    So when I speak, you bet your life, my words are true"

    They are saying they do not wanna give in to the rich as they'd have to give in to their idols/hero's first and discussing how they feel about their parents and their independence

    "Let me level with you, man, as someone guilty of the game
    I took the help, I took the cash, I would've taken your last name
    So if any girl on earth should get to make a call about this...
    It should be me and as I see it, you're a dick"

    It should be obvious they are mentioning the parents, the 'game' they played with their kid and how the kid would've done what they felt was right

    "So, fuck your tunnels, fuck your cars
    Fuck your rockets, fuck your cars again
    You promised you'd be Tesla, but you're just another Edison
    'Cause Tesla broke a patent, all you ever broke were hearts
    I can't believe you tore humanity apart...
    With the very same machines that could've been our brand new start"

    They are obviously going off at their parents/idols for lies, manipulation and such

    "And the worst part is, I loved you
    I loved you, I loved you, it's true
    And sometimes I feel like I still fucking do
    I lived here, I loved here
    I brought it, it's true
    I'm so embarrassed, I feel abused
    I feel so used, I feel so used
    Take me to the moon
    'Cause I feel so used
    I feel so used"

    They are literally going on how much they used to love them and sometimes still feel like they do (many do that) and how ashamed they feel knowing they felt used and abused

    Well I've summed it up here and yes I see some comments about it being celebrity figures/influencers and I can say they are also referring to them, but also the parents.

  13. anonymous
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    Jan 3rd 2021 !⃝

    You all are dumb af. It’s abt Nikola Tesla not Elon Musk

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  14. anonymous
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    Dec 30th 2020 !⃝

    i have a feeling it is about elon musk. she looked up to him. when she figured out with time that what elon did was horrible, she felt defeated and abused.

  15. anonymous
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    Dec 24th 2020 !⃝

    I think its about her looking up to people like elon musk and later finding out that what they did is wrong or bad etc. and how she brought into everything they said and did and regeting doing it.

  16. anonymous
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    Dec 22nd 2020 !⃝

    I think this song is about Penelope reminiscing on large figures who created technology and advancements and how they weren't actually good and she used to love them, thinking they were amazing and the smartest when they were in fact as clueless as she.

  17. anonymous
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    Dec 18th 2020 !⃝

    i think she is talking about mankind and some kind of cult and how mankind is taking advantage of technology and it also seems she was in a relationship with a man (her ex).

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  18. anonymous
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    Dec 17th 2020 !⃝

    I think this song is about a girl who loved someone or something who made cars and ended up having a toxic relationship with them and also with her father. She was clearly wronged by men in general.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway

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