It didn't take long after the May 28 premiere of Netflix's Bo Burnham: Inside [1] for it to completely consume my life. I'm not talking about me being obsessed with the special itself, although it's probably Burnham's best work to date. No, I'm talking about the fact that I've not been able to go a single day since watching the special without playing at least one song from it. Some days call for "White Woman's Instagram" while others call for "Comedy."
Now that the accompanying album Inside (The Songs) is available to stream [2], I've made some questionable choices when it comes to road trip playlists. If you've been looking for a sign to listen to all of the songs from Bo Burnham: Inside, this is it. Ahead, I've broken down all 20 of the songs found on the album and what they've meant to me. Think of this as my way of asking, "Could I interest you in everything all of the time?"
"Content" From Bo Burnham: Inside
Was I expecting Burnham to refer to himself as "daddy" in the opening minutes of Bo Burnham: Inside? No, but he made us some content so I guess it's OK. The song is a nice opener to remind you just how weird his comedy sometimes gets, especially since it's been a while since his last special. It's also a reflection on the pandemic as a whole and how none of us really saw it coming a year or so ago.
"Comedy" From Bo Burnham: Inside
Out of the 20 songs featured on Inside (The Songs), "Comedy" is my absolute favourite. Not only is the beat catchy, Burnham wanting to change the world "while being paid and being the centre of attention" is pretty true to how most white male comedians' minds work. Granted, Burnham's lyrics are satirical, it's just funny to think of how other comedians (and white people in general) will only do something if it benefits them.
FaceTime With My Mom (Tonight)
As someone who FaceTimes her mom daily, this really hit home. My mom isn't a fan of The Blacklist but she has told me all about season finales of her favourite shows while covering her camera with her thumb. Next time you FaceTime your mom, have a running checklist to see how fitting the song truly is.
"How the World Works" From Bo Burnham: Inside
I don't claim to know how the world works, but there's something unsettling about how Socko exists "in a frightening, liminal space between states of being." And somehow, it's easier to listen to "radical" ideas when they're said by a sock puppet. Socko has a point when he says, "why do you rich f*cking white people insist on seeing every socio-political conflict through the myopic lens of your own self-actualization?"
"White Woman's Instagram" From Bo Burnham: Inside
Much like "FaceTime With My Mom (Tonight)," I found my life represented a little too well by "White Woman's Instagram." The saddest part is that Burnham's version of a white woman's Instagram is far more aesthetically pleasing than my own white woman's Instagram. Maybe I should take more pictures of avocados and golden retrievers with flower crowns? I'm sure I also have access to a backlit hammock and a coffee table made out of driftwood.
"Unpaid Intern" From Bo Burnham: Inside
I wish that the version of "Unpaid Intern" on the album was closer to what is seen in the special. Watching Burnham react to his reaction of his reaction of his reaction to the song in real-time is something to behold.
"Bezos I" From Bo Burnham: Inside
If Bo Burnham: Inside had been on Amazon Prime Video instead of Netflix, would Burnham have kept the reference to Amazon's CEO Jeffrey Bezos? Who knows. Either way, I can't stop singing "Zuckerberg and Gates and Buffett. Amateurs, can f*cking suck it. F*ck their wives, drink their blood. Come on, Jeff, get 'em!" Such a weird freaking song, but that could be said about everything on this album.
"Sexting" From Bo Burnham: Inside
As Burnham says, so eloquently, "sexting. It isn't sex, it's the next best thing." The irony of me never thinking of emojis as the successors to hieroglyphics despite my ancient Egypt phase in middle school has not been lost on me. However, I don't think the crisis in the song is actually averted because a snowman suggests that she's icing him out.
"Look Who’s Inside Again" From Bo Burnham: Inside
This brought me back to the few times I was grounded as a child. I did anything and everything to bring attention to the fact I felt wrongfully punished. Did it ever get me out of being stuck inside of my room? No, which is probably for the best. Now, I willingly stay inside most of the time.
"Problematic" From Bo Burnham: Inside
The lyrics speak for themselves and it makes sense that Burnham would hold himself accountable in a catchy tune. He explains how he's "been totally awful" and that his "closet is chock-full of stuff that is vaguely sh*tty. All of it was perfectly lawful, just not very thoughtful at all and just really sh*tty." He also owns up to how he's been complicit in the past but he's been working on himself [3] and learning how to be a better person.
"30" From Bo Burnham: Inside
I am 28 years old. I don't like how close I am to turning 30 or the fact that Burnham is 30 and he was born in 1990. I often think about how my mom had me when she was 28 years old and one of my most recent purchases at the same age was a Baby Yoda Squishmallow. Burnham does a similar reflection between himself and his grandfather, only his grandfather fought in Vietnam at 27 and Burnham built a birdhouse with his mom at the same age.
"Don't Wanna Know" From Bo Burnham: Inside
How many times have you asked someone how they are or what they were doing without ever actually caring? That's essentially the vibe of "Don't Wanna Know," only Burnham doesn't want to know whether or not the audience is actively watching his special or not paying attention to it in the background.
"Shit" From Bo Burnham: Inside
You've probably heard the opening of this song on TikTok because it's useful in so many different scenarios. "How we feelin' out there tonight? Hahaha, yeah, I am not feeling good," Burnham says before launching into the exact reasoning of why he feels so sh*tty. From being rejected by the hot guy at the bar to just waking up a little too early, this just plays on a loop in my head.
"All Time Low" From Bo Burnham: Inside
Whenever I hear the words "all time low," I immediately think of the Emo band from my youth. Which is fitting, I guess. At this point in the special, Burnham shares how his current mental state isn't great and halfway through, the tone of the song changes to something upbeat. Kind of like how even when you're depressed, you can still experience mood swings and be somewhat OK even though you're not actually OK.
"Welcome to the Internet " From Bo Burnham: Inside
There's a lot of content on the Internet and not all of it is good. The lyrics "Could I interest you in everything all of the time? A little bit of everything all of the time" are pretty representative of where the Internet currently stands. Do I want a little bit of everything all of the time? No, but I don't have a choice and neither do you. That's how Internet rabbit holes work.
"Bezos II" From Bo Burnham: Inside
Could I tell you why Amazon's Jeffrey Bezos gets two songs in the special? Nope. It feels more like writer's block on Burnham's part since he couldn't go outside until he finished the special.
"That Funny Feeling" From Bo Burnham: Inside
"That Funny Feeling" is just a big list of things. At first, the things don't necessarily feel connected but when you look at the overall theme of the special, the connection clears up. Basically, they're evidence that society has no idea what the f*ck is happening and no control over where it's going.
"All Eyes On Me" From Bo Burnham: Inside
The first time I heard "All Eyes On Me," all I could think about was how it sounded like it belonged on the soundtrack for Vox Lux. Just imagine how Natalie Portman [4]'s Celeste would've killed this song. Outside of that, "All Eyes On Me" gives backstory to why Burnham took a break from comedy and performing. Just as he was about to start performing again . . . the pandemic happened.
"Goodbye" From Bo Burnham: Inside
The main reason I like "Goodbye" is because its lyrics tie back to "Comedy." Over the course of the special, Burnham has become the person that needs help. Whether or not comedy is what can help him make it through, is unclear.
"Any Day Now" From Bo Burnham: Inside
As Burnham finally heads outside, "Any Day Now" begins to play. The lyrics could mean anything from how the special is almost over to how things could be getting better with COVID-19. It might also be a callback to how the world is not in a good place and might be ending soon, something seen in many of the songs.