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Why CLC’s PEPE is a pop-funk-jazz-soul-edm-rnb-trap-hip hop master piece, and how CLC are advocates for health and hygiene: a thread.
An analysis by a professional music listener for over a decade.
An analysis by a professional music listener for over a decade.
Firstly, let’s dig into my theory on why PEPE is a song about eliminating viruses, therefore showing CLC as health advocates against disease even since debut!
1. The Hook
“hubirue pepepe utgyeo”
This has MANY layers to it. 후비루 can be used as another word for “post nasal drip”. The symptoms of post nasal drip — listed below — could refer to how CLC are trapping PEPE and getting rid of him, much like post nasal drip eliminates virus.
“hubirue pepepe utgyeo”
This has MANY layers to it. 후비루 can be used as another word for “post nasal drip”. The symptoms of post nasal drip — listed below — could refer to how CLC are trapping PEPE and getting rid of him, much like post nasal drip eliminates virus.
cont. “Utgyeo”
This means they’re laughing. CLC are laughing because they’re eliminating Pepe, before he “infects” them! PEPE is the virus. This theory is further supported by the pre-chorus...
This means they’re laughing. CLC are laughing because they’re eliminating Pepe, before he “infects” them! PEPE is the virus. This theory is further supported by the pre-chorus...
ALSO, PEPE could be an anagram for PPE. PPE means personal protective equipment, used to defend nurses/doctors from viruses. Very interesting...
2/Prechorus
‘Are you a patient? Talk to a doctor
Stop pretending to be sick’
There are references to disease and illness throughout the song. These lines show how CLC support going to a modern day doctors when ill, showing how they’re health advocates!
‘Are you a patient? Talk to a doctor
Stop pretending to be sick’
There are references to disease and illness throughout the song. These lines show how CLC support going to a modern day doctors when ill, showing how they’re health advocates!
3/Intro
The intro is only 1 bar long, then straight into the first verse, which is very short.
This could represent how QUICKLY viruses can infect you, PEPE is attempting to infect them but they won’t make it happen! More on the intro ->
The intro is only 1 bar long, then straight into the first verse, which is very short.
This could represent how QUICKLY viruses can infect you, PEPE is attempting to infect them but they won’t make it happen! More on the intro ->
3.1/The first lyrics are ‘What can you give to me? This is your limit’.
“What can you give to me” refers to the VIRUS. “This is your limit” refers to how CLC will not let themselves be infected!
They are showing how much they advocate for health and wellness, even in debut!
“What can you give to me” refers to the VIRUS. “This is your limit” refers to how CLC will not let themselves be infected!
They are showing how much they advocate for health and wellness, even in debut!
“Limit” could also be alluding to viral load. CLC are saying that the viral load exchanged between PEPE and them is too little and therefore cannot be infected. CLC are strong for this one...
4/The chorus
“Why are you provoking me, shaking me up?”
“Shaking me up” alludes to the symptoms of a virus. CLC are wondering why is PEPE shaking them, then sing about eliminating PEPE in the hook.
Thus, showing how much they advocate for health and wellness.
“Why are you provoking me, shaking me up?”
“Shaking me up” alludes to the symptoms of a virus. CLC are wondering why is PEPE shaking them, then sing about eliminating PEPE in the hook.
Thus, showing how much they advocate for health and wellness.
The name CLC itself could also allude to health and wellness.
“Crystal Clear” alluding to how one must be honest and transparent to themselves in order to stay healthy...
“Crystal Clear” alluding to how one must be honest and transparent to themselves in order to stay healthy...
Now onto why PEPE is a pop-funk-jazz-soul-edm-rnb-trap-hip hop masterpiece.
1/Chorus
Sounds from pop/funk/jazz/soul/edm/rnb/trap/HH are all present!
—Soulful Voice
—Sax
—1/16 ClosedHighHats
—Descending TomDrums
—Ascending violin in Staccato Pizzacatto Legato Forte
—Simple Piano chords every 1/4 note
Sounds from pop/funk/jazz/soul/edm/rnb/trap/HH are all present!
—Soulful Voice
—Sax
—1/16 ClosedHighHats
—Descending TomDrums
—Ascending violin in Staccato Pizzacatto Legato Forte
—Simple Piano chords every 1/4 note
2/ PEPE means pepper in italian, pepper is spicy meaning it is fire. It is common for hip hop tracks to be described as “fire”, PEPE is fire.
3/The girls sing. In all above listed genres, singing is a conventional method of communicating with the audience through a composed piece of sound called music!
4/The ascending violin in staccato legato pizzacatto forte is also used in many fantasy OSTs, which could allude to the many references in the MV to Alice In Wonderland.
5/Seunghee
6/This same violin sound could also allude to alien existence, because of its links to fantasy. Aliens are thought to be fantasy or fiction by many. Could CLC be alluding to the extraterrestrial life?
7/Seunghee’s vocals in this song are also “Out of this world”, much like extraterrestrial life... Very interesting.
There are many more things to unpack in this song but this thread is getting too long. But yes, PEPE is a musical melting pot and discusses themes no song has ever done, therefore labeling it as a masterpiece.
