Tyler the Creator - Parade Meaning

Parade Lyrics

[Chorus]
Odd (I'm not yet a man)
Future (still not of a boy)
Wolf (this my only joy)
Gang (now let's parade in gold)

[Tyler, the Creator]
Welcome to the euphoria of co-Kaine without Abel
I can make music that makes sense, but not meant...

1. anonymous

   • 1
   • 2
   • 3
   • 4
   • 5

   click a star to vote

   Yesterday, 12:02 !⃝

   Song's about him wanting to stay young.
   
   CHORUS:
   "Odd (I'm not yet a man)
   Future (Still not of a boy)
   Wolf (This my only joy)
   Gang (Now let's parade in gold)"
   
   Odd Future is his rap collective. "I'm not yet a man, Still not of a boy" At the time, he was 16-18 recording this song, so he's not an adult, but not a child. "This my only joy, Now let's parade in gold". He's saying that making music is the only joy in life. The parade in gold line is a metaphor, saying that we should strive being young.
   
   VERSE 1:
   
   "Welcome to the euphoria of cocaine without able"
   
   The euphoria could reference the beat, which feels dreamy and full of reverb. The second part of the line is a double etendre. If we pay attention to able, we realize the line references "Caine and Able" from the genesis.
   
   "I can make music that makes sense, but not mentally stable"
   
   Tyler's early albums were known to be horrorcore induced (e.g. sarah). Though it does makes sense.
   
   "Eighteen with the whole world in front of me"
   
   When he released Bastard, he was 18. The release of Bastard made odd future pretty popular with the internet.
   
   "Odd Future teenagers, nobody can fuck with we"
   
   Odd Future started when all of their members were either fresh out of highschool or still in high school.
   
   VERSE 2:
   
   "I scream and jump around on couches while you sit and talk
   I skip to places, smiling faces, while you fucking walk"
   
   In school, Tyler was known to be a very hyper kid. In these 2 lines, he's mocking people who are calm-mannered.
   
   "My TV stays on Cartoon Network, fuck that Twilight shit
   You have highlights about your life, I have lights 'bout my high life bitch"
   
   Similar to the last 2 lines, he's mocking people who aren't childish (not that childish tho).
   
   "Go to college, get a job, marry, have a kid
   Watch them grow and then you die? No, nigga fuck the system"
   
   He's rejecting the establishment.
   
   VERSE 3:
   
   "Good kids make bad grown ups"
   
   This is a pretty controversial and self-explanatory line.
   
   "Stay gold, stray old, maturing means that your life sucks"
   
   Using the gold metaphor again, he's once again saying NOT to mature and grow old.
   
   "In my wolf suit I roam where the wild things at"
   
   In the wolf trilogy, the character is Wolf Haley, one of Tyler's alter egos. I really don't know what this line means tho.
   
   "Still growing, still learning, not knowing that I'm maxed"
   
   He's convinced himself that he was oblivious in not knowing he learned and grew enough in high school.
   
   "I don't want to grow up, I know that shit for a fact, nigga eighteen"
   
   THE SONGS MEANING. Also pointing out how old 18 is.
   
   VERSE 4:
   
   "They say I'm immature, I say that they depressed"
   
   He's insulting the people who tells him to calm down.
   
   "I talk to unicorns, I'm wearing a uniform"
   
   Just a representation of youth.
   
   "Of a nigga that don't give a fuck about time"
   
   The metaphor "Time fly's by when you're having fun" is mentioned here. He doesn't care if it's fast. If it's fun, it's good.
   
   "You live your life all serious while I'm enjoying mine"
   
   Once again insulting the adults.
   
   OUTRO:
   "Wow, that's— That's a really good way to look at it
   Yeah I mean... I don't. I mean I'm really hyper and everything with my imagination
   Ohh okay—ADHD?
   I'm not having ADHD like, one second, I'm real hype as fuck, but the next minute, I can just slow that shit down"
   
   Dr. TC is here. Now they're just talking about his ADHD. This is also an interlude to the song "Slow It Down", which IS about his ADHD.