This is a freaking brilliant song/video (ht: Eric). The way the song is couched in a transition from naive and innocent childhood to corrupt evil is just superb. The child starts off bragging about all the things that he/she can do . . . riding their bikes with no handlebars, seeing a platypus, making a comic book . . . then to guiding missiles by satellite and hitting targets through a telescope. That’s a great juxtaposition of the first half of the song against the back half of the song. And the video makes it perfect. Enjoy.
Here are the lyrics . . .
I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars
No handlebars
I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars
No handlebars
Look at me, look at me
hands in the air like it’s good to be
ALIVE
and I’m a famous rapper
even when the paths’re all crookedy
I can show you how to do-si-do
I can show you how to scratch a record
I can take apart the remote control
And I can almost put it back together
I can tie a knot in a cherry stem
I can tell you about Leif Ericson
I know all the words to “De Colores”
And “I’m Proud to be an American”
Me and my friend saw a platypus
Me and my friend made a comic book
And guess how long it took
I can do anything that I want cuz, look:
I can keep rhythm with no metronome
No metronome
No metronome
I can see your face on the telephone
On the telephone
On the telephone
Look at me
Look at me
Just called to say that it’s good to be
ALIVE
In such a small world
All curled up with a book to read
I can make money open up a thrift store
I can make a living off a magazine
I can design an engine sixty four
Miles to a gallon of gasoline
I can make new antibiotics
I can make computers survive aquatic conditions
I know how to run a business
And I can make you wanna buy a product
Movers shakers and producers
Me and my friends understand the future
I see the strings that control the systems
I can do anything with no assistance
I can lead a nation with a microphone
With a microphone
With a microphone
I can split the atoms of a molecule
Of a molecule
Of a molecule
Look at me
Look at me
Driving and I won’t stop
And it feels so good to be
Alive and on top
My reach is global
My tower secure
My cause is noble
My power is pure
I can hand out a million vaccinations
Or let’em all die in exasperation
Have’em all grilled leavin lacerations
Have’em all killed by assassination
I can make anybody go to prison
Just because I don’t like’em and
I can do anything with no permission
I have it all under my command
I can guide a missile by satellite
By satellite
By satellite
and I can hit a target through a telescope
Through a telescope
Through a telescope
and I can end the planet in a holocaust
In a holocaust
In a holocaust
In a holocaust
In a holocaust
In a holocaust
In a holocaust
I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handle bars
No handlebars
I can ride my bike with no handlebars
No handlebars
No handlebars
on 
on 
on 
on 
on
6 Comments
I bought the flobots album a couple of days ago, reminds me of RATM. But only more poetic.
found this blog post from a google search for the lyrics. Heard this on the radio and wanted to find out the band. I’m struck by the depth of the lyrics and the sound reminds me of the band Sublime, with the element of the ska brass horn and the sense of violence brewing just below the surface.
The video you’ve posted in the blog is not the official video. The official video is even better, IMO, and makes the point of the song even more powerful. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuK2A1ZqoWs
(Warning: There are some violent cartoon images in the official video. Watch with care around coworkers and/or children.)
Heard the song while i was at work, was extremely awesome. my first interpretation of the lyrics was better before i read them, but theyre excellent nonetheless.
and yes, the “officiaL” video is better, sound wise and concept wise but as a computer animator i find the actual animations to be HORRIBLE. based only in comparison to the actual idea of the video and the strong styles. But, good stuff nonetheless.
may i suggest Chronic Future to anyone who likes Flobots, same rhythmic style vocals with full band backups. slightly different themes however.
Actually not only is about catstrphe but its about hitler and facism, think about the little boy then about the lyrics the atom- nuclear bomb, the guiding a missle-vahn brahn/balistics, make any one go to prison, holocust
heard this song on the radio and thought it was AWESOME.
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