A-U-T-I-S-M

2021-02-25T03:34:48Z

Arjen: /* Cadence */

{{quote| "You know, because a brain condition '''totally''' makes you want to get up and Par-tay on down."| RobotwarsKing, [[YouTube]]}}
[[File:AutismSpeaks.jpg|thumb|250px]]"'''A-U-T-I-S-M'''" is the third track from ''[[Christian and the Hedgehog Boys (album)|Christian and the Hedgehog Boys]]''. It is sung over "Larger Than Life" by Backstreet Boys.

The song is most notable as a view into [[Christian Weston Chandler|Chris]]'s personal definition of [[autism]]: a condition that makes him quiet and has rendered him [[Chris and his Ego|so especially intelligent and different]] that he can't make friends. It is strange that he refers to fellow autistics as "us", given the fact that he always tries to disassociate with "[[slow-in-the-minds]]".

==Interpretations==
Students of the [[Chris and English|English language]] have been especially puzzled by the phrase "I look at you all, and I see a [[rainbow]]". Various explanations of this include:

*Chris looks at us all and sees a motley crew of [[homos]]exuals.
*It's a mangling of the concept of the [[Wikipedia:autistic spectrum|autistic spectrum]].
*His [[trolls|fans]] are comprised of many different races.

But since Chris can't use figurative language (let alone [[Chris and English|plain English]]), a simpler and more plausible explanation is that Chris is drawing from the rainbow puzzle logo used by some autism charities, and the line is being said by someone looking at Chris, with an abrupt, sudden change in point of view. Another examples of his tenuous grasp of symbolism and syntactic constructs comes from the line "friends unseen", which to Chris apparently means nobody ever sees him with friends (because he has none), but to anybody else implies that his friends are invisible or hallucinatory.

==Cadence==

----

In one of the last repeats of the chorus, Chris begins singing the second line with an especially upbeat tone (Silence and friends UN-SEEEEN!!), from then on Chris finishes the song with an unusually cheery cadence. This could be explained by the pop-y nature of the original song being infectious and making Chris forget that the subject matter is autobiographical as well as tragic. While not unexpected, this shows Chris has little understanding of tone, or that he holds little legitimate emotional stock in the song.

==Listen==
{{Infobox/video
| name = "A-U-T-I-S-M"
| video = {{#ev:youtube|LMrc-oLjKGE}}
| stardate = [[2003#August|August 2003]]
| subject = {{Music|text}}, {{Autism|text}}, {{Homos|[[Rainbow|A rainbow]]}}, {{Tragedy|[[Saddest Heart in the World|Loneliness]]}}
| style = {{Crazy|text}}
| other = {{Audio|text}}
| saga =
| shirt =
| previous = [[Sonichu Zip]]
| next = [[BFF's (Best Friends Forever)]]
}}

===Lyrics===

<poem>
[''sung over [[Homos|The Backstreet Boys]]' "[[Wikipedia:Larger Than Life (song)|Larger Than Life]]"'']

Are you ready to pa-a-a-rty?

[[Yawning Squirtle|I've been high]] and feelin' like an outcast, alright?
But let me tell you: I need some [[Gal pal|friends]] now, alright?
(’Cause) all of this time I’m livin’ alo-awo-awo-awo-o-one!

[[Autism|A-U-T-I-S-M]], what does it mean?
Silence and friends unseen!
A few brains as well: that is autism!
And that makes us seem [[Slow-in-the-minds|special]] to you!

I'm lookin' at you all, and I see a [[rainbow]], come on!
You think I'm [[Reldnahc Notsew Naitsirhc|different in every way]], come on!
All of the times that I've earned [[honor roll|honor ro-awo-awo-oh-o-o-oll]]!

A-U-T-I-S-M, what does it mean?
Silence and friends unseen!
A few brains as well: that is autism!
(And) that makes us seem special to you!

Oooh, oooh! Oooh, oooh!

All of the time that I've been alooo-oooo-ooooo-oooooone.

A-U-T-I-S-M: what does it mean?
Silence and friends unseen!
A few brains as well: that is autism!
And that makes us seem special to you!

A-U-T-I-S-M: what does it mean?
Silence and friends unseen!
A few brains as well: that is autism!
(And) that makes us seem special!
That makes us seem special!
That makes us seem special to you!
</poem>

==Covers==
<center>{{Infobox/Fanvideo
| name = A-U-T-I-S-M cover
| video = {{#ev:youtube|taWHyRSwRKA}}
| stardate = 4 [[January 2012]]
| maker = [http://guwange.bandcamp.com GUWANGE]
| subject = A-U-T-I-S-M
| type = Song Cover
| info = From the album ''[[Trollsta's Paradise: A True and Honest Tribute to Christian & The Hedgehog Boys]]''
}}</center>

{{Hedgehog Boys}}

[[Category:Christian and the Hedgehog Boys (album)]]
[[Category:Music]]

CWCki - User contributions [en]

A-U-T-I-S-M