Touch-Tone Telephone
Neil Cicierega’s rise to fame began with his content creation on Newgrounds, where he posted under various pseudonyms, including Lemon Demon. One of his most notable songs, “Touch-Tone Telephone,” tells the story of a conspiracy theorist attempting to convince a paranormal radio show host of the validity of his beliefs. Fans of Lemon Demon have come up with numerous theories and interpretations of the story within the lyrics, specifically the relationship between the radio host and the conspiracy theorist. An award-winning music video of the song directed by Chris Spargo depicts an obsessive, insane man who is entirely consumed by his ‘Unified Theory’ that explains everything. He imagines himself winning awards and being recognized for his work, but in the end, he continues to sit in his basement, daydreaming instead of proving his theories. This track is part of Cicierega’s album Spirit Phone, which I personally like more for its melodies and instrumentals because to be honest a lot of the lyrics can be nonsense.
Lemon Demon’s musical style is difficult to pinpoint, as it seems to be just an amalgamation of internet culture. From Harry Potter parody songs to “The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny,” which humorously tells the tale of iconic pop culture characters engaging in a battle for supremacy, Cicierega’s work reflects a diverse range of influences from the early days of the internet. Cicierega’s work may not be the best representation of internet culture, but it does reflect the influence of the internet on someone who was there in its infancy, also known as Millennials.
