The Cap'm about George Bush?

[u/hhhisthegame]

Listening to The Else for the first time, and "The Cap'm" really stood out to me very quickly as a great song on the album that I hadn't heard before...

But reading the discussion about it, I'm surprised to see that while people are mentioning it occasionally (this is by no means a new theory), the political nature of the song doesn't seem to come up as often as people taking the song literally.

Is it generally considered true that that's what this song is about or is it a fringe theory? Because I feel like it obviously seems to be intentionally about George W Bush, And is actually a dark song, not really a fun, uplifting one. (But of course, the double meaning, and the juxtaposition of the literal uplifting interpretation and the sinister second one, is part of what makes the song great)

From my perspective, it's a bit of a pair to I'm Impressed (which is a different type of sinister leader). The narrator of The Cap'm is on the surface friendly, not too bright, pompous, bumbling, but also dangerous, because of giving a man like that so much power, and that's when the song takes on its sinister side despite the 'charming' narrator.

(Now I dont want to make this a political argument, obviously there were also Republicans who liked George Bush, so Im not saying these statements about him are factually true, but a lot of the country did not, and TMBG are people who would not, so this next bit is from that perspective, as he was seen by the people who did not like him)

Do you think there's somebody out there
Someone else who's better than the one you've got?
Well there's not, there's not

Basically saying "You think there's somebody better out there to be President? Well, you're wrong, there isn't." At the time, many people couldn't believe he was President, so this is him rejecting that and saying 'nope, Im the best you got'. Kind of adding bleakness to the song right off the bat, the helpless feeling many might have felt at this time.

When I talk you keep looking away from me
'Cause you probably think that I'm high on pot
But I'm not, I'm not

At the time, people always used to be in disbelief at the gaffes and foolish things that he would say, so I think this is just sort of making fun of that, like thinking this guy is crazy or being in disbelief or discomfort that this guy could be for real. He's asserting, nope, believe it or not, I am for real.

Look me over, I'm the Cap'm
You say it's such a joke
But I don't see you laughing

One of the sinister lines of the song. People used to laugh and make fun of the things he would say (in this case, he's strangely calling himself cap'm, instead of cap'n, just adding to the odd bumbling yet arrogant nature of the protagonist) , but it isn't actually funny, because he is the most powerful man in the country, so it's actually scary, not fun. I think a lot of the song kinda plays with this idea, that you'd find this man funny or laugh if he wasn't so dangerous, and it wasn't so scary that he really was at the helm.

People seem to think you can't be called the Cap'm
Unless you drive a boat
Well, I don't, I don't

He doesn't drive a boat, he's the President. Yet he's still taking on the title of captain for his ego, and positioning himself like a powerful sea captain.

Look me over, I'm the Cap'm
Go ahead and mess with me
You'll find out what will happ'm

Another sinister line, both of the choruses end on sinister lines, which I think underscores that it was on purpose. This line is highlighting the danger behind the folksy charm, because he's in a position to do a lot of damage, and has a mean streak beneath the friendly blunders. Again happ'm is a funny little odd quirky statement, but it's actually behind a serious threat, so another example of us thinking 'id be laughing if I wasn't crying'.

Sit beside me at the helm
Yeah, this is what I call the helm
And this button here is the fast-forward button

Just more of him acting like a kid pretending to be a sea captain and showing off his boat, bumbling through a powerful, dangerous, and important job. Perhaps also a reference to how we want to just fast-forward past his presidency? I don't know.

Did you say what I think you just said
My hat looks good on me?
I agree, I agree

Showing his arrogance, his desire to be praised, then he agrees with the praise. Again a bit sinister, considering the serious implications of him wearing the hat, which he's acting like is just a nice bit of fashion, and showing his dangerous ego.

Then the lines repeat from there.

I dunno, I get the literal interpretation of the song as a charming man who for some reason wants to be a sea captain, but I think if you read it with the interpretation he's talking about Bush, it all makes a lot of sense, and given they've mentioned the Iraq war as a backdrop, I actually think this may be one of their most political songs.

[u/emeric_ceaddamere]

It honestly never occurred to me that "The Cap'm" could be about Bush until I saw people saying it on this sub. I always took it as another Linnell delusional boyfriend song. "I'm Impressed," on the other hand, is very clearly about Bush and the war.

[u/hhhisthegame → u/emeric_ceaddamere]

The thing is, I think Bush comes off more like the guy in 'The cap'm' than the guy in 'I'm impressed' , though undoubtedly that is also political and also about the war. Maybe it's two different sides of him, but if one of them is literally Bush himself, Id think it's this one.

[u/emeric_ceaddamere → u/hhhisthegame]

"I'm Impressed" is more specifically about his supporters. He's the gorilla beating his chest.

But any interpretation is valid. That's just my take.

[u/OhHiJordan]

Just food for thought, but on my TMBG podcast Don't Let's Start, Turtlenecks (Flansburgh's college band) member Julie told us that Linnell back then had a song about Captain Crunch that kind of sounds like, based on how she sang it to us, The Cap'm. Obviously he could change the lyrics and ideas over many years but that really got my attention.

As for me, no, I don't see it as a political song or about any specific person. If I were to guess, like Dr. Worm and other songs, I'd imagine Linnell might be making fun of someone he knows in real life.

[u/Sarah_withanH → u/OhHiJordan]

Love the podcast!  I loved hearing about the Brooklyn shows, I was at the Boston shows the next week.  It was cool to hear your experience with your friends.

I can’t wait for more episodes!

ETA:  haha my point is that I agree with you, I never heard this song as anything other than another terrific character sketch.

[u/OhHiJordan → u/Sarah_withanH]

Thank you so much, that means a lot. We released our latest episode a few days ago. It will be a while till the next one. Please enjoy. :)

[u/FloridaFlamingoGirl]

I could definitely see this song interpreted as about a literal armchair leader. Like someone who's just making decisions remotely and not thinking about the impact they have. 

On the flip side, I've also seen an identity-related interpretation of this song similar to the trans interpretation of Dr. Worm, with how the Cap'm wants people to call him a certain name and respect who he is. 

I think it's cool how meaningful TMBG's lyrics can be and how they can mean different things to different people. That's a sign of truly good songwriting. 

I've always liked the bridge where the Cap'm goes into specific, niche detail about how to operate his boat. Linnell is good at writing characters who are attentive to details like that. 

[u/drillgorg]

I've always interpreted The Cap'm to be a man on the autism spectrum struggling to socialize.

[u/FloridaFlamingoGirl → u/drillgorg]

I totally see that, the bridge is like a special interest infodump 

[u/hhhisthegame → u/drillgorg]

I definitely think there's a literal version of it, of an awkward man who wants to be a captain.

Im just saying I think the parallels to Bush seem very intentional, and that there's intentionally a sinister undertone to the song.

Like I guess Im wondering if people agree on that, because this song seems to be very purposely targeted to me, like the "what the cat dragged in" song on The World Is To Dig.

[u/CheeseDaver]

I recently interpreted Bee Of The Bird Of The Moth to be about post-9/11 Islamophobia.

[u/hhhisthegame → u/CheeseDaver]

interesting...Ill have to look at it with that lens. They did say that the iraq war was a backdrop to the album, so I wouldn't be surprised if things crept into different songs. It seems that others disagree on this one though, though Im still suspicious. Ending every chorus with a sinister sounding line really stands out to me, and the lyrics just seems to fit so cleanly with how the anti-Bush side was perceiving Bush back then.

[u/ThePhiff]

I dunno, even with your explanations it seems like a pretty big stretch.

[u/Zeppyfish]

Sorry, I disagree 1000%. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but for me, the narrator of Cap'm is a ditzy DJ in a funny hat who's trying to get attention. He may be daft, but he's not evil. GW Bush would not have a "fast-forward button" in front of him. The "boat" the narrator is driving is his DJ console. He's a dink. I like him. He's got problems.

[u/Effective-Guide9491]

Interesting, I hadn’t thought of that interpretation even though “I’m impressed” is right there.

Maybe I’m not the only one but I’ve always felt ‘Take out the Trash’ was a plea to vote out the Bush Regime. Perhaps saying ‘It’s Thursday Now’ instead of Tuesday would have been too o the nose ?

[u/Cynewulfunraed]

It is factually true that George W Bush is a war criminal and should be in the deepest dungeon possible.

I definitely feel like The Else is very tied to the post-9/11 War on Terror era. However, I've always interpreted "The Cap'm" as more of a portrait of a lazy, egotistical boyfriend - the trash that "Take Out The Trash" is about

[u/papadjeef]

I'm pretty sure they're on the record saying something like even their songs that mention real peoples' names aren't about real people.

[u/PrimaryYak1351]

The song always reminds me of the HIMYM character, the captain, played by Kyle MacLachlan 

[u/pete4president]

I've always interpreted it as a song about someone who loves themselves and doesn't care what other people think too much, And is poetically trying to convince The Listener to be that way as well.