Why am I so scared
That the shadows on the wall from yesterday...
I turn and tell my dad
I saw ghosts in the park wooing girls with cakes
And their moms are scared
'Cause they haven't been home in two or three days
Wind blows trees through the tops of my hair
I saw wolves in the fog, I can see through the rain

Oh, man and things have changed
In the snow filled lakes where there used to be waves
I feel deranged
They're building beaches inside so it's sunny on me
I don't know, I think it's strange
'Cause I know we met before but I cannot place it
I don't know if there's any real danger
But the creatures all know that it's safer in the dark

Why am I so scared
Of explosions going off just any old way
I turn, ask is it really that bad
They say we've much bigger problems, we got wolves on the plain
And they left their den 'cause of cracks in the pipes through the murky graves
They're running just as fast as the hares
They say you shouldn't leave a place if you can eat there
Oh, man, and things have changed
In the snow filled lakes where there used to be waves
I feel deranged
They're building beaches inside so it's sunny on me
I don't know, I think it's strange
'Cause I know we met before but I cannot place it
I don't know if there's any real danger
But I'm alright if you're alright
I'm alright if you're alright, man

She cuts her diamonds so they
Look like a decoy lover
Many have fine costumes but they're not like mine
He said I'd kiss you, sometimes I
Don't wanna kiss you, don't mean I
Don't like to kiss you, just means these lips are mine
He just don't jerk and he just don't work and
He got wrapped up in loving but
We opened him just in time
He said don't make your problems my funny problems
Because I've got problems but I'll cover them up in time
Don't make your troubles my funny troubles
Because I've got troubles
Why we talk about 'em all the time
Like crocodiles sometimes I wanna eat him
Sometimes I just wanna meet him for a
Good meal, think he'd be better with salt and lime
Like crocodiles sometimes he just wanna basement
Sometimes, man, he can never take it when he
Do not look at you but deep inside it's fine, thinking about

Torture
Don't let it get you down
There's other ways to fight
Torture
I hope it gets you 'round
Shaking it off with me

Man, now don't get too freaky on me



Lyrics submitted by SphagnumEsplanade, edited by skro

Track duration: 09:15


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29 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Could this be about mental health? Me personally, it sounds like my depression and personality disorder. I'm not well read on the personal history of the members of Animal Collective, but if it is about losing his dad, this could be resulting depression (which I know for me, comes with a bit of psychosis and making up fairy tale visions) "I don't know if there's any real danger But I'm alright if you're alright I'm alright if you're alright, man" Sounds like anxiety.
    "He got wrapped up in loving but
    We opened him just in time
    He said don't make your problems my funny problems
    Because I've got problems but I'll cover them up in time
    Don't make your troubles my funny troubles
    Because I've got troubles"
    Sounds like someone with mental problems that got exacerbated after a break up.
    And the last 9 lines really sound like someone recovering in a psych ward or someone getting help for psychopathy.
    Flag IntiCharmson April 23, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This is definitely one of my favorite songs. Period. It always reminds me of how my mind works. I've always had racing thoughts, high anxiety, overwhelming fear of all sorts of things. The way the song is structured really reminds me of a panic attack, or a state of upset, and how you feel once you get over it.

    Coarse piano, sharp, and very dark at its start, it reaches its peak (I'm alright if you're alright) ; then leaves with a soft, 'Shh, Everything's Ok now..' sort of lullaby. Even the piano sample is toned way down during the outro. It's freaking amazing how much fear I leave behind every time I listen to it, and reminds me of how no matter how freaked out you get about something, you can find solace-- whether though a friend, a family member, or even yourself.
    Flag Cuntasticon August 01, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I see this a little differently than the tripping scenario. I guess it's all in how you can relate to the song but I definitely feel a strong connection to psychosis and past traumas. Torture, don't let it get you down says it all.
    Flag sarabuckinghamon May 03, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:My friend's interpretation of this song is that it's political. We think it's about terrorism and the aftermath of 9/11. Read it with this context, and it makes sense.

    P.S. I'm sick of people describing every AC song as a drug trip.
    Sure, they make trippy music, but it's not necessarily all about drugs, they can write about other things too!
    Flag BlueMonday90on May 03, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song was inspired by the death of his father (i turn and tell my dad...) and i believe the last part involves his wife in some. the thing about kissing you sometimes suggests as much. it's all very beautiful no matter what it's about.
    Flag hum0nice0drumon January 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this is my favorite song
    Flag chadsmyslavenameon January 10, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Interesting lyrics. But, seriously, this band's music could be used by the U.S. military to torture Al Qaeda captives during interrogations.
    Flagged befuddledon October 12, 2009   Link
  • +4
    General Comment:I don't think it's really "about a bad trip"... for animal collective to write something that cryptic and just making it about drugs seems unlikely. Just because we can't make sense out of some of these lyrics doesn't mean that they don't mean something to Dave. Furthermore, this song was responsible for bringing a bad trip to a good trip for me. There's something undeniably joyous about it that I can't put my finger on exactly. Something to do with the melody and the repetition of "don't let it get you down" in the second half, and the shouting of "I'm alright" always convinces me that I am in fact alright.
    Flag TomPowers724on August 19, 2009   Link
  • -2
    General Comment:@previous

    I agree it's definitely about tripping. I mean...look at the lyrical logic. That's trip logic. Wouldn't make sense any other way. I fucking love this song. But it induced a bad trip on shrooms, mostly from the imagery at the beginning what with ghosts and wolves. lol..
    Flag thealecon June 23, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Just my opinion i think this song is about a bad trip like cuckoo cuckoo. I think it's about all of his fears. He then realized that he doesn't know if there's any real danger and decides that he's alright if the person he trips with is alright too. When people trip the person they are tripping with's mood/state can affect there's alot and to know that they are okay is reassuring. Then his trip kinda changes and gets brighter mid song.

    Then i think the person he's with is telling him his problems but he doesn't want to hear them because he's got enough of his own. then i think that person he is with or maybe himself starts getting all freaked out about torture and so he reassures him/himself that there's other ways to die

    Feel free to disagree with me
    Flag tonycollectiveon May 23, 2009   Link

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