A reference to the anti-French sentiment widely expressed after France’s refusal to endorse the U.S. war in Iraq. The most common example of this bias was some Americans replacing anything “French” with “freedom,” e.g. freedom fries, freedom bread, etc.

Sage plays on the sound of a kiss being the same word as the French first-person pronoun, “moi” and a french kiss is an English term for kissing with tongues.

A perfect summary of Sage’s music: rapping with a country twist. This is seen in the very next track, Sea Lion, Jah Didn’t Kill Johnny, as well as Got Up This Morning from Human the Death Dance, most of Li(f)e, and many other songs throughout his career.

A reference to The Wizard of Oz, Sage casts himself as the wizard here, and his sweetheart as the only one he’ll take to his secret lair, which is both his bedroom and his heart. “Pushin' buttons and playin' with levers” is about havin' some sex with his new honey. He’s not straightedge in all regards.

Playing on the term “urban myth,” Sage has discovered that suicide is hardly limited to suburban white kids. This plays on the idea that suicide is only practiced in the suburbs by overprivileged white kids who have few real problems and have to invent problems to upset themselves about. These suburbanites are the ones who make and are targeted by extremely self-pitying emo music.

Sage is often misidentified as an emo rapper (mostly for Personal Journals) and he distances himself from that tag.

A list of alcoholic drinks popular among the rappers Sage grew up listening to. With the first line, he sets himself up as the buzzkill. As discussed in several of his songs, Sage is not a drinker nor a drug taker.

The mention of “Brass Monkey” refers to the Beastie Boys song of the same name.

St. Ides and Olde English are both malt liquor brands.

Here he’s taking on a new weapon–his shoes, which are going to carry him away from the conflict (guns and war) and the problems those cause (depression, economic and otherwise).

Some weren’t happy with Millie’s efforts to sabotage the track “Blue Christmas” by providing unconventional backing vocals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pPiy3CA_ds

References within references!

The first of three De La Soul references in this song, the line references Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa, on De La Soul Is Dead.

Mildred “Millie” Kirkham was an American singer who was part of the backing vocals for Elvis' Blue Christmas.

This also mimics the breeze lines just above as Millie uses the “heat” (gun) to “break the ice” (start to talk) with Santa Claus.

This is both a play on “lucid dreams” sounding like “LCDs” and a set-up to the next line, where he discusses pretentious conversations, which take place most often on computer screens.

Some lucid dreams are a lot like computer screen wallpapers.

Sage is probably saying lucid dreams are pretentious bullshit. He may be referring specifically to the film Waking Life, the bible of pretentious college kids jabbering about lucid dreams.