The boy/man speaking in this rap paints a kind of picture of himself. College English majors can compare "Im Bo Yo" to Robert Browning's "That's My Last Dutchess." Bo Burnham is giving us a picture of a certain kind of person. We are supposed to judge that person by his remarks. For example, do you think the rapper is sexist? If so, what does he say to give you this opinion? After saluting g** boy scouts who can marry in 50+ ways, he turns his attention to his girl: "And you can spell and smell my stink / B.O. lingers and it makes you think." Bo Burnham is talented. Those who majored in English will recognise this fact. I do think he slipped-up by naming the song after himself, as if it really describes him. Bright and talented people like Bo don't really think or act like the rapper he portrays.

This must surely be Bo Burnham's masterpiece. He wrote it at age 16 and has been changing the lyrics ever since. The version presented above is his last revision to date. Only in this one has he changed the phrase "even my boyfriend thinks I'm gay...I'm kidding" to "even my boyfriend thinks I'm gay...Mother fucker!" What makes this song so good is that it really does mean something--unlike his raps which are just clever word associations with certain literary elements thrown in. In "My Whole Family," Bo accurately--if humourously--describes the world of a g** boy who discovers that he is now too old to dodge the ultimate question! And note this: whether Bo Burnham himself is g** or not, the boy in the song most certainly is. (Or God strike him dead! Ha-ha!) I was a boy like the one Bo describes, and I've known plenty of others. I hope Bo writes more songs like this--pieces that describe a real part of the human condition. If he does, he will stand in the company of Jacques Brel, Charles Aznavour, and the masters of French Chanson. Go Bo!