Animal Collective – April and the Phantom

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When April passes by, she thinks of saying bye
She tells her mother, I am not afraid
Of dying in the bath, or swinging from up here
She asks her mother if she slept with strangers
Phantom was the bright way out
Of all the things her mother said
A whisper to her scream
An autumn in my green
December, hello frost
Her mother would say "Dad,
I don't know where April went"

She ran out in nature!
She ran out in nature!
She ran out in nature!
She ran out in nature!
She ran out in nature...

I found the Phantom would go
Across the river and hide from suffering
Like the shades of trees
Take off my dress and flow into the stuff we're in
She ran out in nature
What'd she find?
She ran out in nature
Where'd she go?
She ran out in nature
Phantom light
She ran out in nature
Take her home

Everybody wants it!
Aaah! Can't you see me wastin'?
She ran out in nature...

We've gotta buy land
When they go out and take all the stuff we're in
We've got neither, reachin' for the stars
And beg and keep us sufferin'
She ran out in nature
What'd she find?
She ran out in nature
Where'd she go?
She ran out in nature
Can't somebody
She ran out in nature
Take her home?

Everybody wants it!
Aaah! Can't you see me wastin'!

I finally see a baby girl,
I'm sorry April, but you'll be fine 'til then,
I'm the Phantom,
I'm the Phantom,
I'm the Phantom,
And I sneak around, and you're on top,
A frenzy April, let me write it down
I'm the Phantom,
I'm the Phantom,
I'm the Phantom,
And in the end, your mother knows,
I'm sorry April, but a child grows
I'm the Phantom,
I'm the Phantom,
I'm the Phantom,
I am...
Watch me as I lead the way
From infancy to grown up babies

-Phantom, please put on my make-up!
I am breathin', I'll keep callin'
-Phantom, you're all white and naked!
Have your baby, I'll keep callin'
-I'm not right, I'm not fakin'!
I am burnin', and I'm shakin'
-April, no, it's just a spirit!
I am there, end is nearin'

April and the Phantom
They were just like lovers
Always sneakin' kisses for the weekend
Everything's just okay with me
Everything's just alright with...
April and the Phantom spoke in secret code
Until they buried Phantom by the road
Everything's just alright with me...
Everything's just alright with Phantom...

Kiddy has got no friends...
Kiddy has got no friends at all

Send "April and the Phantom" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by langdon, edited by McCull96

Track duration: 05:53


April and the Phantom song meanings
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17 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I think that this song is about three people: April, Avey, and the phantom. April and the phantom weren't together, but they saw each other and had to sneak around April's parents. So right here, there's something holding these two people apart, so they can only talk in "secret code," which means that they weren't communicating very well, so neither of them were sure about their feelings. The phantom i think is a metaphor for how the guy was kind of in and out of April's life "until they buried phantom by the road," which is when phantom dies and the male character (most likely Avey) decides to take over and be with April. In the end, "everything's just alright with me" Avey tare being the one who says that, "everything's just alright with phantom" because the phantom is dead, like it should be, and "everything's just alright with April" because she's with Avey :)

    Flag cartpackon March 07, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:how can you not just love the emotional overload when he screams in this song?!?!
    Flag enjoyyourrootson December 25, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:does no one else see avey as the possible phantom? maybe he has been seeing a young niave girl but was blinded by lust and took her from her innocence. when he realises (through the aid of the people around him) what he has been doing with 'april' is wrong maybe he realises he is the phantom 'finally see a baby girl sorry april' (bearing in mind the girls name is even april)

    avey is clearly a good being, he probably realised phantom was a dark side of him, a part he was ashamed of?. so phantom was burried by the road. (this could be him ending april and hes relationship, which happened to take place beside the road)

    i quite like not knowing the definate story though.

    Flag Elliotswon June 26, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I also think this song is about a girl being molested. creepy.

    this girl runs away, telling her mom goodbye and she's not afraid, angry about her mom sleeping with other guys or something

    This guy Phantom shows up and is at the least a good distraction from her asshole mother.

    They'd go across the river and "take off my dress"

    "everybody wants it/see me wastin it" -- virginity? or, from the point of view of the phantom, the girl's virginity?

    The phantom then speaks "I'm the phantom, I'm the phantom" (although he sounds like he's saying panther), speaking directly to the girl it seems, telling her that she'll be fine with him.

    "you're on top/ride again"

    Then I'm they find out about phantom raping this girl, apparently, and kill ("bury") him. The girl, possibly named katy, grows up traumatized.

    Does anyone else see this, or am I just baked on resin?

    It's even more creepy considering how nice and fuzzy most of the melodies in the song are.

    Flag srosson February 20, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This is one of my alltime favs for sure.
    I always thought he was saying

    "she ran out to meet ya"
    saying it like 'meetcha'

    I recall one lsd trip I had I listened to this song, became entranced (after the hysteric laughter subsided from the beginning of the song) and I thought I was speaking to Avey tare in code or something, haha. good times... Truly beautiful song with a tinge of psychosis underlying in there somewhere.
    Flag johnnybagelson April 23, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:At first i did think this song was about an imaginary friend but there are very direct sexual references.

    "Phantom ride
    April's hole"
    "I sneak around
    you're on top
    a frenzy April
    then we ride again"

    the part about the mother knowing is interesting too..not really sure..she say's she sorry. Maybe April regrets her sexual experience/encounter but it's too late to take it back..she's grown up now whether or not she wants to be. The part with the screaming is desperate sounding and could easily be a teenage girl freaking out...
    Flag slaorenzon January 16, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I will always think this song is about a child being molested and in the end her mother knows , im sorry april but a child grows (telling her that shes going to have to live with it and shes sorry.)

    kinda like me.
    Flag lemonjunkieon July 19, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Most under-rated song by Animal Collective!

    I'M NOT RIGHT! I'M NOT FAKING!

    The screams are just so desperate sounding, and even though it's not 100% coherent and vague, it's an interesting story to try to understand. I think it's about a secret relationship or an imaginary friend or something.
    Flag Jimonthewallon June 23, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:creepy pretty
    Flag slippion January 02, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:When i first herd this song i knew everytime i made a mixtape for a girl from that point out I would put this song on it because this song is sex.
    And I agree with difonderbof
    Flag dongdongon June 09, 2007   Link

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