What does "Bohemian Trapsody" by Logic mean?
“Bohemian Trapsody” Lyrics Meaning
In an interview with Strahan and Sara, Logic said of his new album “Supermarket”, “I wanted to give the fans something with this book, and something special because I've always loved singing and producing and making all kinds of just different sonics. But it's something that the world has never really heard because all they're used to is just me rapping. And I felt like this was a really good cheat code to be able to be like, ‘yeah I'm gonna make a soundtrack for a book.’” The album is a soundtrack to his debut novel of the same name (a dark psychological thriller, that lyrically doesn’t have much bearing on this particular song as it does on some of the other tracks). However, it is important to note that a driving motivation for this album was sound and not lyrics.
“I grab a little piece of earth and make it ignite”
Unfortunately, this line doesn’t truly represent the lyrics as the topics change from pre-chorus to chorus and chorus to bridge and bridge to outro. Logic is a well-respected artist who has created some beautiful songs. He is talented and writing a soundtrack for his debut novel is a beautiful idea that blends two art-forms that both take a lot of creative energy. But despite all of this, the lyrics of “Bohemian Trapsody” fall short of a deeper meaning, even if it does have a beautiful sound.
Pre-Chorus
Every night
I grab a little piece of earth and make it ignite
I'm a satellite
Drifting through your nova at the speed of light
I guess I, I guess I, I guess I, I guess I should know
I guess I, I guess I, I guess I, I guess I should know
Yes, I said, yes, I said, yes, I said, yes, I should know, oh
As of the time of this posting Logic has not confirmed the meaning behind Bohemian Trapsody, but it can be reasonably assumed that these lyrics jump into a romanticization of weed usage, based off of the line “I grab a little piece of the earth” (weed) “and make it ignite” (smoking). The phrase “every night” indicates that this is a frequent user. He enjoys the feeling of getting high and feeling like “a satellite” because of his metaphorical distance to the earth. The metaphor of “Drifting through your nova at the speed of light” is almost reminiscent of Panic! At the Disco’s “King of the Clouds”, and a use of typical “getting high” imagery. Like many songs about drug usage, the story told here can be difficult to follow or feel disjointed. This begins with the vagueness of the line, “I guess I should know”. Know what? Logic leaves us with the unclear statement, though it is likely connected to the theme of the chorus, or else it is possible is attempting to be vague in order to fit with the theme of a mind under the influence of drugs.
Chorus
And when I fall for you
That's when I'll break down my wall for you
Promise that I’d risk it all for you
Promise to reveal my all for you
The chorus feels lyrically disconnected from the pre-chorus in meaning, and shifts from the topic of weed to a potential romantic relationship. He sings that when he “falls for [her]” he will “break down [his] wall” for her, that he has built up because of past pain. (This statement also rings true to the tone of the main character, Flynn, in Logic’s novel “Supermarket” as he is suffering from a bitter heartbreak.) He is clearly serious about this relationship and promises to “risk it all” and “reveal [his] all” for her. He is comfortable being honest with her about his struggles, and would sacrifice himself in order to keep her safe. (It is also possible he is continuing his previous romanticization of weed and personifying it as a lover, but the line “That’s when I’ll bring down my wall for you” implies trust and emotional intimacy between himself and a woman, making this unlikely.)
Bridge
Hold up, pour up
Break it down and we roll up, sho 'nough
Break it down for me, shawty
Break it down for me
Break it down for
Switching gears again, the topic of the bridge is partying. There is alcohol present (“pour up”) and girls (“shawty” is typically used to refer to a young attractive woman), setting the stage for a typical club scene. The lyrical substance of the bridge is not much to speak of as the primary focus for the majority of the tracks on the “Supermarket” soundtrack is musical, and not lyrical, as some of Logic’s more popular works are, such as "1-800-273-8255".
Outro
Elevated, feelin' elevated, took a hit of weed and s**t escalated
Feeling innovative, I'ma integrate it, yeah, that's why I made it
Keep it classic, yo' s**t is dated
We poppin', you ain't poppin', we ain't related, never hesitated
Pass the weed like a legislator
Circling back to the topic of weed, the narrator still feels the impact of the drug in his system, saying “Feeling elevated, took a hit of weed and s**t escalated”. He believes the weed helps him to focus his creative energy and makes him feel “innovative”. This fits with Logic’s views of the drug, as he believes it can help with anxiety, which can stifle creativity. He wants to “integrate” the ideas he has come up with during his time on the drug. He disses a new character, another rapper, saying that their material is “dated”, whereas his music is “classic” and therefore timeless. After a few more insults towards the competition’s ability to be cool or “poppin’”, he nonchalantly brushes it off by saying, “Pass the weed like a legislator”.
Deeper Meaning of “Bohemian Trapsody” by Logic
The lyrics of “Bohemian Trapsody” aren’t so much telling a story as giving a vibe to accompany the instruments on the track. As a result, there isn’t much substance to them. It’s too bad, because we have heard deep songs from Logic that also had a good sound. So, does that make this song bad? It depends on what we mean by “bad”. A lot of people have been quick to criticize the songs on this album, and I don’t want to be another person behind a screen needlessly bashing Logic’s latest project. Logic has said himself that he wanted to write a soundtrack for his debut novel partly because there was a very non-rap sound he wanted to explore. It makes sense then, that in the excitement to experiment with sound, lyrics might become a bit of an afterthought. If the lyrics were only meant to give a general feel to a casual listener and not be analyzed for their quality, he has succeeded. When heard with the track, they have a floaty atmosphere and a distinct, nostalgic vibe. However, this could have been accomplished with lyrics that told a story. They could have focused on a specific topic and taken up a unique perspective on an element of his novel and made both the manuscript and the song so much more memorable and perhaps even impactful. We know Logic is capable of it, and hopefully, his next album will contain some of the deeper content many of his fans love.
