JANSPORTS Lyrics – Hobo Johnson

I just put them in the boxes
I’d nod to every small suggestion from my bosses
I used to pick
Motherboard chunks out the garbage
48 hours a week, just felt nauseous
When I’d wash dishes in the back of a La Bou
I tore my meniscus, there’s nothing I could do

I’d cry on my lunch break
For a moment or two I felt strongly and staunchly
As sometimes you
Find yourself to be treated like an ox in a field
Work until you’re exhausted for a roof and a meal
Taken from nature
Given a task just
To move our hands more fast

Everything and anything is great as they are
They are nothing with a deep dark hole in our heart
We were taken from nature and given a task
Just to move our hands more fast

I used to pack Jansports
And when I put them in the boxes
My score out of a hundred was beautifully charted
I saw my self-worth as a tasks I was offered
But your self-worth is much different than your market

Everything and anything is great as they are
They are nothing with a deep dark hole in our heart
We were taken from nature and given a task
Just, to fu*king do as you’re asked

I used to pack Jansports
Someday I’ll do it again (I’m sure)
I used to pack Jansports
Someday I’ll do it again (I’m sure)

And everything and anything is great as they are
They are nothing with a deep dark hole in our heart
We were taken from nature, given a task
Just, move your hands more fast

I used to pack Jansports
I put them in the boxes
I used to pack Jansports
I just put them in the boxes

In the first paragraph, the lyrics paint a picture of mundane labor, where the narrator mindlessly puts items into boxes, likely as part of a job. Despite the lack of fulfillment, the narrator obediently follows every small suggestion from their bosses, highlighting a sense of subservience and powerlessness in their work environment. The mention of picking motherboard chunks out of the garbage further emphasizes the menial nature of the tasks performed. The repetition of “I just put them in the boxes” underscores the monotony and soul-crushing routine of the narrator’s job.

The second paragraph delves into the emotional toll of this labor. The narrator admits to feeling nauseous from working long hours, perhaps indicating a sense of physical and mental exhaustion. Crying on their lunch break suggests a moment of vulnerability and despair amidst the monotony. The analogy of being treated like an ox in a field evokes imagery of being exploited for labor, with little regard for personal well-being. The mention of being taken from nature and given tasks emphasizes the disconnect between human beings and their natural inclinations, reduced to mere cogs in the machinery of society.

The third paragraph reflects on the idea of self-worth and the futility of material pursuits. Despite the narrator’s efforts to find value in their work, they recognize the emptiness within, symbolized by the “deep dark hole in our heart.” This suggests a longing for something more meaningful beyond the superficial tasks assigned to them. The repetition of “move our hands more fast” underscores the relentless pressure to meet productivity demands, regardless of personal fulfillment.

Overall, “JANSPORTS” by Hobo Johnson explores themes of labor, obedience, emotional exhaustion, and the search for meaning in a monotonous and dehumanizing work environment.