Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: power-pop
Song Meaning of “Class Clown Spots a UFO” by Guided By Voices
This song speaks to the feeling of alienation that is common amongst teenagers. The ‘class clown’ who is the protagonist of the song is looking out into the sky and wonders what else might exist out there in the vast universe, and how this would be different than his life of being a ‘misfit in a playground’. He simply wonders if any kind of UFO might spot him, as a way to escape his mundane life and be rescued from the feelings of alienation.
The opening lines, “The lunch bell’s ringing in a strange tone/Searching again all alone” are indicative of the loneliness that the protagonist feels. He spends his days in search of meaning, out in the playground with no real connection to his peers. The chorus “Class clown spots a UFO/Reaches out for rescue/Waiting there patiently/Hopeful for deliverance” shows the protagonist’s desire to be taken away to some kind of otherworldly place, where he would be accepted and not a misfit.
The ending of the song is hopeful, as he states, “Deep in the night, time passes by/Maybe I’m caught in a lullaby”. This indicates that he might eventually have a way of escaping his loneliness. He hopes that something or someone will rescue him, and take him away like a ‘lullaby’ to a better place. This song speaks to the universal experience of teenage alienation, and the hope that there exists something better.