Pinocchio Story from Kanye West’s fourth studio album is a live recording of a freestyle. This is also the last track on the album. There is an intro to the song but I’m going to skip it and start on the first verse. Mid-verse Kanye says “Do you think I’d sacrifice real life, for all the fame and flashing lights, do you think I’d sacrifice a real life, for all the fame and flashing lights?” Kanye is commenting on all the luxuries that normal people have that he has had taken away from him due to his fame. For example, going to a restaurant is a hassle for him but it is something that most people don’t even think twice about. He goes on to say “there is no Gucci I can buy, there is no Louis Vuitton to put on, there is no YSL that they could sell, to get my heart out of this hell and my mind out of this jail” Despite seemingly having everything and being able to afford anything Kanye is still sad because money can’t him true happiness. To end the verse Kanye says “Real life, what does it feel like? I ask you tonight, I ask you tonight. What does it feel like? I ask you tonight. To live a real life” The song is called Pinocchio Story and Kanye relates to the way Pinocchio feels. Pinocchio wants to be a real boy just like Kanye wants to live a normal life. He is comparing himself to a puppet because he feels like one. He continues this them into the chorus where he says “I just want to be a real boy”.
Kanye starts the second verse saying “It’s funny, Pinocchio lied and that’s what kept him from it, I tell the truth and I keep running” Kanye is addressing the irony between him and Pinocchio, because Pinocchio can’t be a real boy because he lies, but Kanye feels like he can’t be a real boy because he tells the truth. He is almost saying that being his true self feels like he’s playing a character. He goes on to say “Do you really have stamina? For everybody that sees you say: ‘where’s my camera’. For everybody that sees you say: ‘sign an autograph’. For everybody that see you cryin’ that you say you oughta laugh. You oughta laugh.” Kanye is speaking to himself here. He is asking himself if he has the stamina to handle these situations everyday. A lot of people want fame, but they don’t understand the scrutiny that comes with it.
Kanye returns to the Pinocchio reference in the third verse saying “there is no Gepetto to guid
e me. No one here beside me. The only one was behind me. I can’t find her no more, I can’t call her no more. I can’t-” This Album was released following the death of Kanye’s mother who was his ”Gepetto”. She guided him through life much like Gepetto did to Pinocchio. “The only one that come out on the tour and screams. Back when I was living at home, and this was all a big dream, and the fame will be get-got.” Kanye is evaluating the amount of time he has spent with his family, specifically his mother. He is trying to understand his inability to connect with his mother because of his busy life pursuing a career. He continues “the day I moved to L.A, Maybe that was all my fault. All my fault to be a real boy, chasin’ the American dream. Chasing everything we seen up on a TV screen.” He is pondering if he would be happier without fame and fortune. “And when, uh, the Benz left. And when the clothes was left, and the hoes was left. You talk the hoes to death thinkin’ the money that the- you spend the dough to death.” He is yet again talking about his mom and how the material items that gave him the “good life” can’t fill the space in his life that he is missing now. He ends the song saying “Perspective, and wise man say. One day you’ll find your way. The wise man say you’ll find your way. Wise man say” he is referring to the intro in which the wise man tells him he is never going to figure it out, but he is also choosing to end the song on a semi-hopeful note.
I think this is without a doubt one of my favorite Kanye West songs. It is just the fact that this is freestyle, recorded live at a concert. It is extremely impressive that he was able to think of the reference and continue the theme throughout while thinking on the spot. He manages to make it personal while still holding the theme. The song overall feels like a big venting session for him and I think it is without a doubt one of his most underrated songs.
West, Kanye, Pinocchio Story, Roc-A-Fella Records, 2008
West, Kanye 808’s and Heartbreak, November 24 2008