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there's a guy I'd like to thank
he signs the checks and leaves them blank
he's the one
he says you don't have to walk a plank
the game is rigged, go fig your
slide show tanked, and your flagship sank
so we're taking all our myths to the bank
so just don't, don't forget to thank
we're taking our myths to the
drinking a fifth to the
we're taking all our myths to the bank, oh no
if you could just do him this favor
although it might involve child labor
join his entourage, give him a foot massage
from Star Search to the Philharmonic
he'll get you there with Hooked on Phonics
he's the one to know, doesn't matter if you blow
no, no, no, no, fact it's just the thing
he thinks we're needing
it's a lukewarm liquid diet they're force feeding
when the words we use have lost their bite
now they hit you like an imaginary pillow fight
oh, but it's all right, yea, cause you're inside,
and you're in tight
deals in commodities of the abstract sort
buys them in bulk but then he sells it short
talent, genius, love, even signs of affection
he floods the market, there's no price protection
and when his master plan is unfurled
there stands a handsome bid
on the weather systems, of the world
he signs the checks and leaves them blank
he's the one
he says you don't have to walk a plank
the game is rigged, go fig your
slide show tanked, and your flagship sank
so we're taking all our myths to the bank
so just don't, don't forget to thank
we're taking our myths to the
drinking a fifth to the
we're taking all our myths to the bank, oh no
if you could just do him this favor
although it might involve child labor
join his entourage, give him a foot massage
from Star Search to the Philharmonic
he'll get you there with Hooked on Phonics
he's the one to know, doesn't matter if you blow
no, no, no, no, fact it's just the thing
he thinks we're needing
it's a lukewarm liquid diet they're force feeding
when the words we use have lost their bite
now they hit you like an imaginary pillow fight
oh, but it's all right, yea, cause you're inside,
and you're in tight
deals in commodities of the abstract sort
buys them in bulk but then he sells it short
talent, genius, love, even signs of affection
he floods the market, there's no price protection
and when his master plan is unfurled
there stands a handsome bid
on the weather systems, of the world
Lyrics submitted by hemptimes
Track duration: 04:28
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However, I also think that many / most of his songs can be taken as addressing more than one thing at a time. This song was released 2004 / 2005 so it's not about the financial crisis of a few years ago, though it stil could refer to the fiat monetary system / IMF / The Fed...
However I hear something far, far more hopeful in this song, and it's so different than the (excellent) interpretations on here that I thought at first maybe I'm way off base. But I think Bird has a very strong spiritual bent and he may be talking about his own relationship with God, or the Muses, or whatever feeds / sustains his soul. A deep topic discussed in playful language – like most of his songs. He never hits you over the head with things.
By the way, I think the lyric is “When the words we use have lost their banter” rather than “lost their bite”. It's not really his style to bite. Tap you on the shoulder maybe, or give you a puzzle to get your attention, but he's pretty gentle about it, he's a writer, not a biter.
“The game is rigged / go fig your slideshow tanked and your flagship sank” - The first couple of verses sound like a father encouraging a son after initial failures or disappointments in pursuing a creative career. “Taking all our myths to the bank” refers to having resolute faith – walking the walk and keeping on going even though it's sometimes discouraging (“drinking a fifth to the [bank]”). “Though it might involve child labor” might refer to the concept that we're children of God. “Join his entourage” - don't lose hope, stay close to your Source. “You're inside, you're in tight” again I see this as encouraging, a pep talk of sorts. Illegitimi non carborundum. “It doesn't matter if you blow” - again, this is encouragement after some bad disappointments (clearly Bird doesn't “blow” but anyone can have doubts about themselves after a string of bad luck / unresponsive audiences / projects that didn't pan out). I just think when in doubt, he seems to nearly always have a playful tone. What's more playful than a “pillowfight”?
Or...maybe I'm just trying to ride the concept of a horse. Who knows?
no, no, no, no, fact it's just the thing
he thinks we're needing
it's a lukewarm liquid diet they're force feeding"
I don't know if I'm just being thick, but to me this is plainly about fellatio
Banks and stock market to be more specific. but their are other references in the song that i notice.
Their is no gold standard. The value of the US Dollar(and any other) is measured in the worlds FAITH in it.
According to the Board of Governors, the Federal Reserve is independent within government in that "its decisions do not have to be ratified by the President or anyone else in the executive or legislative branch of government." However, its authority is derived from the U.S. Congress and is subject to congressional oversight. Additionally, the members of the Board of Governors, including its chairman and vice-chairman, are chosen by the President and confirmed by Congress
Then once you start to understand how banks operate, this song becomes clear, aswell as most of the problems in our economy.
The FED buys $10,000 in government securities from an authorized dealer and instructs the designated bank to credit $10,000 to the dealer's account in exchange for an increase of $10,000 in the bank's federal reserve balance. With a ten percent reserve ratio, $1,000 is isolated and the other $9,000 is made available as the basis for new loans.
2. This $9,000 is loaned out to business A, who immediately deposits it back into the bank. This $9,000 is another addition to the bank's reserve balance. Ten percent, or $900, is isolated and $8100 remains as the basis for new loans.
3. The process continues until all excess reserves are loaned out. With a ten percent requirement, $10,000 can support $90,000 in expansion of bank credit and $100,000 of deposit expansion.
The above is admittedly a simplification, but it is one contained in the FED's own publication (pg 6-8) and believed by the FED to be an accurate representation of the current system. In effect the FED has the power to create money through nothing more than an electronic bookkeeping entry. Whether the initial injection stays with the same bank, as is assumed above, or whether it changes hands, is irrelevant;
our banking system is almost the same as the templar knights and cause the french king to be in much debt so he accused them of certain actions and slaughter. wether they did certain actions or not. he was still in a great deal of debt and was not happy. XD
We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt.
THOMAS JEFFERSON, letter to Samuel Kerchevel, Jul. 12, 1816
I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.
Thomas Jefferson, (Attributed)
3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)
banks cause us to be in constant debt and dictate the world.
"deals in commodities of the abstract sort
buys them in bulk but then he sells it short
talent, genius, love, even signs of affection
he floods the market, there's no price protection"
So, in the nature of Bird talking about the end of the world in most his songs, this is about him and the rest of the world trusting this person and their mythical "master plan" with the present and future. Hence, "banking on a myth". A myth could be true, might not be. It's mythical. No-one knows, until,
"... his master plan is unfurled
there stands a handsome bid
on the weather systems, of the world"
...Reminds me of a WHY? song.
"Or will I spit empty threats until all that's left is a million zeros printed on a roll of ticker-tape?"
I believe "the one" is referring to a universal man-behind-the-curtain situation. The guy at the top of the ladder, the puller of strings, with contacts everywhere. The "Man", if you will.
Taking a "myth to the bank" is referring to the grand illusion that we live in a real world. To most people, buying a pair of shoes is a fairly mundane experience. Go in, find what fits, buy it and walk out. The genius in this scheme is how cheaply they can mass-produce excellent shoes via sweat-shops using foreign child labor, and because they're a great deal when they make it to the supermarket we buy them without concern for what it took to make them, assuming they must have genetically engineered a shoe tree of some sort. Lord knows they can do anything with technology these days. Corporations are cashing in on America's short-sightedness, or banking on the myth, if you will.
The next part of the song sounds like it is somewhat talking about the media culture, or politics. It doesn't matter what you have to offer the world, as long as you can follow orders and keep your mouth shut you can go anywhere. Everything that we get to see on the television machine has gone through so many hands that it is stripped of it's organic roots and made to fit the mold. Oh, yes, there is rebellion, there are truth speakers, because wave-makers make a lot of money. Rebellion is in fashion, and in the end, all of the money you invested in what seemed so real goes back into the hands of the top executives. Independent business people don't stand much of a chance, 'cause those guys can undersell anyone.
Next line... "Deals in commodities of the abstract sort. Buys them in bulk but then he sells it short. talent, genius, love, even signs of affection. He floods the market, there's no price protection." I love this line, because it talks about creating a monopoly on human emotion. Everything has a price on it, the market for art is huge. I've always wondered how much real feeling can be extrapolated from something that has wriggled millions upon millions of dollars from people and put in back into corporate hands. This can apply to religion, too, "he" has cashed in big on that pony. It's not really a shot at religion in itself, but rather at how even the most personal and abstract principles can be bought and sold. Nothing is greater than, bigger than, more powerful than the machine. Not genius, not love, nothing. I believe that is the meaning of this line.
And finally, when he has gotten his fingers into every other facet of modern culture, he will go for the laws of the environment. Eventually maybe even the laws of physics. Maybe after the money storm gets aggressive enough, the rain will fall up and trees will turn color in springtime. Hey, we're damn close with global warming, and you can't say there wasn't a market for that.
Ultimately, I believe this song is about how modern culture will watch the shadows on the wall for as long as the puppeteers can pick it's pockets. It's a beautiful message, and in parts it reminds me of John Lennon's song Working Class Hero. Another song called False Advertising, by Bright Eyes, also has a similar message in places. I recommend looking up the lyrics to both, because they are beautiful, as is this song. Naturally, however, I'm skeptical of the facet of media from which they came. Whenever I hear a song like this it seems a little bit hypocritical to me, but at some point you just have to stop running, I guess.
Ouch! That's an unfortunate point to end my post on. It's a great song, though, and I do believe Andrew Bird's music is one of the good things in life. I'm not going to compromise him to my paranoia. :)
I hope you liked my first song interpretation.
The guy he'd like to thank --> God
Who says you don't have to walk the plank --> Death
Myths to the bank --> Religions are myths that people bank on
Child labor --> Religions use children in their services
Liquid diet their force feeding --> Forcing children into religions before they have the mental capabilities to decide for themselves
Word's have lost their bite --> The Bible's morals are now outdated
etc...
All the words seem to fit perfectly under this interpretation for me, but use your own sense.