Lyrics for Australia as interpreted by heyheyhey111

Australia Lyrics
La la la la

Born to multiply or
Born to gaze into night skies
When all you want’s one more Saturday
Well look here until then
They gonna buy your life's time
So keep your wick in the air
And your feet in the fetters 'till the day...
We come in doing cartwheels
We all crawl out by ourselves
And your shape on the dance floor
Will have me thinking such filth
I'll gouge my eyes

You’ll be damned to be one of us girl
Faced with a dodo’s conundrum
I felt like I could just fly
But nothing happend every time I tried

Oh duotone on the wall
The selfless fool who hoped he’d save us all
He never dreamt of such sterile hands
You keep them folded in your lap
Or raise them up to beg for scraps
You know he's holding you down
With the tips of his fingers just the same

Will you be pulled from the ocean
But just a minute too late
Or changed by a potion
And find a handsome young mate for you to love

You'll be damned to pining through the windowpanes
You know you'd trade your life for any ordinary Joe's
Well do it now or grow old
'Cause your nightmares only need a year or two to unfold

Been alone since you were 21
You haven't laughed since January
You try and make like this is so much fun
But we know it to be quite contrary

La la la la la la la

Dare to be one of us girl
Facing the android's conundrum
You see I felt like I should just cry
But nothing happens every time I take one on the chin
Yeah Himmler in your coat
You don't know how long I have been watching
The lantern dim starved of oxygen
So give me your hand and let's jump out the window

la la la la la

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G-Farbulous
12-28-2006

Rated 0 
Definitely agree that this is the most catchy of the tunes off the new album. Love the melody and rhythm to this one.

To me it kind of speaks to the state of attention deficit modern society in the first verse. It speaks of forgetting our essential nature: "Born to multiply...", but he emphasizes trying to remember to be happy and vital. I think "All you want's one more Saturday" is evidence of this. We all want to put off responsibility, and just have fun. "They're gonna buy your nice time" is about selling yourself to the system, having a job. Mercer lends his advice on how to stay happy, and if you can "keep your wick in the air and your feet in the fetters" then you will eventually "come in doing cartwheels". At that point you will be so free that the sight of a gorgeous girl on the dancefloor will be overwhelming.

By telling the girl she would be damned to join their ranks, he is advising against overthinking things, like him and his crew do. He wants his mind to be able to fly free and clear, and unfettered, but nothing happens whenever he tries to let go.

The lyrics in the next verse are very interesting to me. I think they again reflect our situation in society as part of the masses. The selfless person thinks that they can fight the system and save the people. The "man" is holding you down so all you can do is keep your hands folded and wait to beg for scraps.

"But you'll be pulled from the ocean, but just a little too late..." meaning even if you do break free it won't matter, life will never be as normal as you'd like it to be. Thus the teasing last line: "You’ll find a handsome young mate for you to love."

Another set of great lyrics in the bridge. The "windowpanes you know" are your own limitations, and you will be damned to continue suffering by them. But at the same time he says you may just as easily "trade your life for any ordinary Joe", get married, settle down and forget all your idealistic behavior. I think he might be saying basically you're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't.

In the last verse he is appealing to his partner, but this time he's daring her to jump into this world of doubt and constant questioning. His ultimate solution is for her to just "give me your hand and let's jump out the window".

I'm not saying this is what Mercer meant by it, but rather my take on things. The Shins continue to amaze me. Some of the most amazing lyrics I've ever heard, up there with the likes of Morrissey and Belle & Sebastian. On Chutes Too Narrow every song has a unique feel to it, but the music on this album took a few listens to grow on me, especially because whatever effect they are using on his voice seems to be used on most of the songs, giving the songs more coherence as a whole piece than previous albums. Basically, it didn't sound very "Shinzy" to me on the first listen. But oh how it grows. Best band in America right now!!!

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musiclover2223
12-30-2006

Rated 0 
Wow, after reading what some other people have thought, especially G-Farb, I have a much different take than I did before. I originally had a more shallow view of the song, thinking that the speaker was pleading to a girl to stop letting a man hold her down and to free herself, but now instead of it being "a" man, I think it's about "THE" man. This song is a plea to all of us to be true to ourselves.

The song starts out by reminding us how we're social animals and dreamers by nature, but many of us sell out. Life might actually be easier, simpler, and seemingly more carefree for those who don't worry about "selling out" and that type of thing and are able to just live and conform, but this song is pleading with us to dare and not take that easy route.

The song goes on to describe a benevolent "fool" who sort of forgoes her ideals and takes the easy, "ordinary" route in life and tries to convince herself that all is well; the song then again, telling her it has seen all the life sucked out of her, pleads to its target to forget the "ordinary" life and live the way she has always wanted.

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mit.
01-13-2007

Rated 0 
maybe small fractions of it could be in protest of our (australia's) involvment in giving bush a lapdance by joining in with the Iraqui war? "They’re gonna buy your nice time"

"You’d be damned to be one of us girl" perhaps warning about turning into the "democratic" system that bush presides over

"A dual-tone under wall
Selfish fool and hoped he’d save us all
Never dreamt of such sterile hands
You keep 'em folded in your lap
And raise them up to beg for scraps
You know he's holding you down
With the tips of his fingers just the same" -bush?!

"Your nightmares only need a year or two to unfold"

just thoughts. brilliant album!

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fursoftasfur
01-14-2007

Rated 0 
sorry evapor8d, the rest of the album is solid, but those songs are the ones that really do it. still does not stand up to oiw or ctn. and sea legs is just awful.

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ENEP
01-23-2007

Rated 0 
I laugh everytime at the "TIME TO PUT ZE EARPHONES ON!!" part.

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sam99foster
01-25-2007

Rated 0 
I'm absolutely convinced beyond all doubt that the line "you're humor in your coat" is "you hear me in the cold". That's what it sounds like, and it finally makes sense with the following line "you don't know how long I have been".

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sam99foster
01-25-2007

Rated 0 
I'm absolutely convinced beyond all doubt that the line "you're humor in your coat" is "you hear me in the cold". That's what it sounds like, and it finally makes sense with the following line "you don't know how long I have been".

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mean mr. mustard
01-27-2007

Rated 0 
the lyrics booklet actually says "you're Himmler in your coat"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Himmler

hope that helps you with your analysis... and i was pretty sure it was "iss tyme too poot zee ear-cohvars ohn!'

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Sweet Doo
01-28-2007

Rated 0 
So, anyone got a clue why it's called "Australia"?

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Rezzone
02-03-2007

Rated 0 
To me this song seems very specific in a vague way. Most of the lyrics are very specifically worded to say pretty much anything you can think of. But here is my take...

"Born to multiply" easily sets up the tone for the song. It is about sex. It goes on to describe young love. "Born to gaze into night sky...." It continues about virginity, "All you want is one more Saturday." A nervous girl trying to hang on to it. Then speaker is then awed by this girl and REALLY wants to have sex...but her hands a sterile and held back. "Faced with the dodo's conundrum, I felt like I could just fly, but nothing happens...." The dodo was a flightless bird and the speaker is explaining how he wants to break the boundaries, but can't.

The next stanza explains how this perfect girl is taken by someone. Some nobody who is only handsome. "Pulled from the ocean" refers to 'Fish in the sea'. Indicating that she is no longer available. Most likely is stolen from him by sexual pleasure.

"Pining out the windowpane" refers to being stuck in a relationship, wanting out. Only a few years after commitment does she realize that she has made a huge mistake, created a personal "Nightmare".

Being "Alone" means she doesn't like her partner and is not satisfied. Of course, the girl feigns happiness. "you try to think of this as so much fun"

"Android's conundrum" refers to not being able to have emotions for one another. Being in a relationship, the girl and speaker aren't allowed to feel for each other. So the speaker takes hits on his ego, his "chin", but to no avail. Watching the lantern is watching the passion in her relationship. Watching the passion fade and dissapear so they can break the relationship by "jumping out the window"

Very amazing song. Cleverly crafted lyrics and fantastic ideas for their meaning. Great job Shins!

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nathjones
02-06-2007

Rated 0 
basically, its about a guy on tour with his band ('one of us'). this refers to the last few tour dates the Shins played in Australia before recording 'wincing the night away'.
anyway, he has feelings for this girl but the song is the pro/against arguement for whether she should go with them. In the first verse he argues that she'd be 'damned to be one of us girl' and that he feels for her 'dodo's conundrum' that she wants to leave home and fly but can't.
In the second verse he describes the opposite side of the arguement, that she is sitting at home 'watching the lantern dim, starved of oxygen' when she could be with them. The chorus changes to 'DARE to be one of us girl' which gives it a positive spin. and he asks her to 'give me your hand and jump out the window' in an act of rebellion.
a song about the pros and cons of leaving home for a stranger.

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fursoftasfur
02-09-2007

Rated 0 
no one likes menomena anyways....

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TshirtLadez
02-10-2007

Rated 0 
the dodo is extinct, and an android is a robot (no soul, but made of some flesh/ desire?)
you're faced with the question of death and the soul.
this is the real question we're all faced with - so should you live for yourself or for something more important...
and what is more important?... why were you created?

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ElectRonald
02-14-2007

Rated 0 
fgevilmonkey and meanmr.mustard are right about the Himmler-thing. Here is a part from an interview found in the dutch music magazine 'Oor':

Wie heeft er de twijfelachtige eer om in Australia met Himmler te worden vergeleken?
“Dat nummer is grotendeels gebaseerd op een vrouw van middelbare leeftijd die ooit een collega van me was. Ze was een hele bittere vrouw vol spijt en schuldgevoelens. Ze had het gevoel dat ze haar leven had verprutst en dat had ze ook. Niet de juiste keuzes gemaakt, niet genoeg energie om de uitdagingen die het leven biedt aan te gaan. Ze haatte haar werk en was nooit getrouwd. Het maakte haar tot een enorm wreed en hardvochtig mens. Vandaar die aanduiding Himmler in your coat. Het was zo erg dat het weer lachwekkend was. Wat ik grappig vond, was dat ze in Jezus geloofde. Ik stelde me haar jeugddromen voor, alles wat nooit was uitgekomen. Ik ben ervan overtuigd dat ze nog steeds op hetzelfde kantoor werkt, ze zal er altijd blijven. En ze zal sterven aan een verschrikkelijke vorm van kanker. Zo’n persoon. Arme drommel.”

I’ll try to translate it:
Who has the [dubious?] credit to be compared to Himmler in Australia?
Mercer: “That song is mainly based on a middle-aged woman who used to be a colleague of mine. She was a very bitter woman, full of regret and guilt. She felt like she ruined her own life, and she had. Never made the right choices, not enough energy to face life’s challenges. She hated her job and never got married. It turned her into a very harsh and cruel person. Hence the denomination Himmler in your coat. [It was so terrible that it was absurd/hilarious/laughable.] (this whole sentence is difficult to translate :S). What I thought was funny, was that she believed in Jesus. I imagined the dreams she had when she was young, everything that never came true. I’m convinced she is still an employee at that same office, she will stay there forever. And she will die of some terrible form of cancer. Poor devil."

So all speculations about the human race and modern society turn out to be incorrect. Well, at least it's not what James Mercer intended to write about. Imho we may all interpret the lyrics (and any form of art!) the way we want to.

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joel! at the disco
02-15-2007

Rated 0 
the beginning reminds me of BEERFEST!

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Amdreaming
02-23-2007

Rated 0 
"Cause your nightmares only need a year or two to unfold" - love these lyrics, love this song.

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musiclover2223
02-23-2007

Rated 0 
ElectRonald:
I think that interview snippet definitely backs up my interpretation from 12-30. Mercer confirms that the song is about a girl who used to have dreams but opted to go the safe and "ordinary" route and has become a dreadful person because of it. I think the subject of the song is any person like that girl and the form of the song is a plea to us not become like her. Truly brilliant wordplay at work too.

Thanks for providing (and translating!) the interview snippet!!!!

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chyeah
03-08-2007

Rated 0 
i love how upbeat and happy this song is! i have been singing it all over the place lately, but mostly in the shower (haha). my favorite line is the one about the dodo's conundrum. yay!

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sarasimonne
03-12-2007

Rated 0 
wow. how are the shins able to affect me like this? i think the lyrical meaning is completed by electronald and musiclover. thanks for helping a slightly deaf girl be better influenced by this song. you are saint simons.

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mirandaetc
03-12-2007

Rated 0 
I'm pretty sure if this song doesn't make you dance around in your seat every time you listen to it, you have no soul.

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calmingdeepblue
03-16-2007

Rated 0 
I somehow doubt he is saying 'Time to put the earphones' on at the start. Call me crazy but I sounds like he says time to put the eargoggles on... even though there is no such thing as eargoggles. I just hear the word goggles in there

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tasticfulrific
03-19-2007

Rated 0 
the song of course has multiple meanings. i like the political one. i really like the sex one. but that Himmler reference is clear cut. Himmler helped design the gas chambers in the Holocaust. he's calling SOMEone (the girl? "the man"?) the evil nazi just watching and looking threatening in his coat while our speaker is trapped, slowly dying, and with nothing he can do to save himself. the lantern is starved of oxygen, as well as he, but when the gassing process is slow it might be hard to notice exactly how low the oxygen level is getting; it all jut feels like a bad headache. so as the lantern burns dimmer and dimmer he sees his fate approaching. so he sees the cause of all his misery, the silhouette of Himmler, and he says to him, "yeah, you. you dont know how LONG ive been in here waiting to die." right? makes some sense. a really epic metaphor for feeling doomed. knowing your punisher has no clue who you are and doesnt care; and who isnt so much a person as a name in a coat. and then he sees an opportunity in our subject this girl (whom he may or may not have just referred to as the right hand man of hitler) and says, "you can help. lets get the duce out of this death trap." it is ironic because his oxygen level is depleting so he wants air, but jumping out of a window might as well be a plummet into eternity. i guess he's saying that he would rather die by his own means and in freedom instead of being tortured and suffering in a metaphorical gas chamber. and he's also saying that the girl is in there with him and she's trapped and he wants her to escape with him and get that free air and that unknown (what story are we on? how far of a fall is it?) that our speaker desires after watching his fate slowly approach. you know that decemberists song 'we both go down together'? same story. its shakespearean tragedy. he would rather move from certain death alone to lessthancertain death while holding her hand.

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joejane19
03-20-2007

Rated 0 
knowing of Mercer's feelings of displacement in high school, i think australia has some ties to the experience of being out of place and waiting to escape, being smothered by other's ideas for you, and feeling that something important is waiting. i believe this is done through a loose story of a man tryin to help a confused girl. but that's just what i think.

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joejane19
03-20-2007

Rated 0 
and i hear earfocals, not earphones.

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Nossarella
03-30-2007

Rated 0 
love this freakin song...every word

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