Question

[ben]

What is 'O is the One That Is Real' about? What is 'O' and why is it the one that is real?

lyrics:
always leave your televisor on.
always give your answers by the phone.
if you're hurt he wants to feel it.
if you've money he's your dealer.
if you're ready for him i don't want to see it.
oh.
o is the one that is real.

[Oz]

Well, I'm O. And why am I real? Why, I'll punch you in the nose, then you'll see I'm real!

No, I'm just kidding.  ;) I think Jim himself is the only one who can answer those questions. We probably all tried to figure it out, though. My personal view is that the lyrics have something to do with a guy who sits in his house all day and just sees the world through television, telephone, internet, etc. So his perception of the "real" world is kinda twisted. What he thinks is real, is not. This "O" would then have something to do with this, some sort of virtual reality guy giving you all you want, but who is not real. Or something...

Anyway, I love these lyrics for the fact that they say so little and yet seem to suggest so much. Just like 'Phone Went West', a song we also discussed once on this messageboard. Just a few lines of text and yet they seem to say so much, only you can't put your finger on what exactly.

[hipkink]

Ooooh. This is a good song to discuss. I think this one really shows off Jim's writing. I used to think it was more of a spiritual thing. It reminds me of church's asking for money on those tele-thons. And I thought that O represented God, or whatever higher power. O is a circle, and circle's are kind of like a perfect shape, right? Kind of representing a perfect higher power? But then the song says that O is the one that is real - not the dealer, or the tele-thon... ha ha. I know it sounds silly. That's just what I'm thinking in my rickety ol' head. Who else has an idea? It can't be worse than mine!!!

[thebigbang]

I always assumed it had something to do with a word that began with "O" rhymed with "colleges", but now that you ask the question I'm thinking maybe not. Things are not as they always appear to be at first blush.