The Real Meaning Behind Viral Song: “Pen Pineapple Apple Pen”

ThinkingJew.com: DJ Piko Taro, thank you so much for giving me this interview.

DJ Piko Taro: Are you kidding. It is an honour for me to be on your blog!

ThinkingJew.com: 😊 So everywhere I go I hear your very catchy song “Pen Pineapple Apple Pen”

DJ Piko Taro: Yes, it is getting pretty popular.

ThinkingJew.com: I’d like to share your lyrics with the ThinkingJew.com readers in case they haven’t heard them yet and then ask you the question that everyone wants to know.

DJ Piko Taro: Sure.

ThinkingJew.com: Here are the lyrics:

[Verse 1] – I have a pen, I have an apple. Uh! Apple-Pen!

[Verse 2] – I have a pen, I have pineapple. Uh! Pineapple-Pen!

[Verse 3] – Apple-pen, pineapple-pen. Uh! Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen!

ThinkingJew.com: Amazing! So here’s the question… Your song is so catchy and so inspired. What does it mean?

DJ Piko Taro: Ahhh! So let me explain… Well there is a reason why I released this song right before the Jewish new year Rosh Hashanah. The ‘apple’ in the song represents the Jewish new year… you know… you dip the apple in the honey for a sweet new year… The ‘pen’ conveys the idea that on Rosh Hashanah one’s judgement for the year ahead is written. So when I say “Apple-pen!” I am wishing all Jews around the world that they should be signed and sealed in the book of life for sweet new year.

ThinkingJew.com: Wow! That’s beautiful! I didn’t realise how deep your lyrics were! So where does the pineapple fit in?

DJ Piko Taro: Ahhh! The pineapple! So… When you look at an apple, you see a fruit that is smooth and good looking and crispy and juicy… You see a fruit you kind of want to take a nice big, juicy bite out of…

ThinkingJew.com: Yup. I hear that…

DJ Piko Taro: But when you look at a pineapple… Do you think the same thing? I don’t! I see something that’s a bit scary looking… a bit rough and prickly… Not the kind of thing I even want to pick up.

ThinkingJew.com: I hear that…

DJ Piko Taro: So what I’m trying to convey by including the ‘pineapple’ lyric in my song is that sometimes we can feel that way about ourselves.

ThinkingJew.com: What do you mean?

DJ Piko Taro: I mean that sometimes when we take a look at ourselves and our lives, just like a pineapple, we can see flaws and imperfections… It can be a bit scary. It can sometimes be depressing…

ThinkingJew.com: How true! (sigh)

DJ Piko Taro: But whereas pineapples do have external flaws, this isn’t their essence. Their essence is bright and sweet. And it’s the same with us. Our essence is bright and sweet. We sometimes make mistakes, true, but that’s not who we are! The true us, our true essence is beautiful.

ThinkingJew.com: Wow!

DJ Piko Taro: And we need to know this as we approach Rosh Hashanah! If we approach Rosh Hashanah thinking “Who am I?” “I’m a loser” what kind of a year are we going to shoot for?

ThinkingJew.com: Probably not too awesome a year I would imagine.

DJ Piko Taro: Exactly. I want people to go into the new year knowing that they are beautiful and their essence is good. Yes we have our flaws, but if we believe in ourselves, if we can see the truth that our essence is beautiful, we will be more motivated to strive to bring more of it out in the year ahead.

ThinkingJew.com: Wow! That’s a beautiful message. You have a really deep and meaningful song!

DJ Piko Taro: Thank you! 😊 May you and your readers have a sweet and meaningful year ahead… A year that you really are able to release your inner beauty and sweetness into your own life and into the lives of those around you! 

ThinkingJew.com: Amen! 

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