"Art Is Dead" lyrics - BO BURNHAM

BO BURNHAM
"Art Is Dead"

[Spoken Intro]
This next song, honestly, is not funny at all, but, uh, it helps me sleep at night

[Chorus:]
Art is dead
Art is dead
Art is dead
Art is dead

Entertainers like to seem complicated
But we're not complicated
I can explain it pretty easily
Have you ever been to a birthday party for children?
And one of the children won't stop screaming?
'Cause he's just a little attention-attractor
When he grows up to be a comic or actor
He'll be rewarded for never maturing
For never understanding or learning
That every day can't be about him
"There's other people, you selfish asshole!"
I must be psychotic, I must be demented
To think that I'm worthy of all this attention
Of all of this money you worked really hard for
I slept in late while you worked at the drug store
My drug's attention, I am an addict
But I get paid to indulge in my habit
It's all an illusion, I'm wearing makeup
I'm wearing makeup, makeup, makeup

[Chorus:]
Art is dead
So, people think you're funny
How do we get those people's money?
I said, art is dead
We're rolling in dough while Carlin rolls in his grave
His grave
His grave

The show has got a budget
The show has got a budget
And all the poor people way more deserving
Of the money won't budge it
'Cause I wanted my name in lights
When I could have fed a family of four
For forty fucking fortnights
Forty fucking fortnights

[Refrain:]
I am an artist; please, God, forgive me
I am an artist; please, don't revere me
I am an artist; please, don't respect me
I am an artist; feel free to correct me
A self-centered artist, self-obsessed artist
I am an artist, I am an artist
But I'm just a kid, I'm just a kid
I'm just a kid, kid
And maybe I'll grow out of it