Miike Snow – Animal

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  Song Meaning:This song is about someone who is looking for fulfillment. Over time, he became less idealistic and more of a 'realist,' but found that wasn't satisfying ("I stopped dreaming, now I'm supposed to fill it up with somethin'").
  
  When he looks himself in the eye or falls asleep, he sees somebody he used to know - an animal that isn't constrained. In the song, our narrator limits his own thinking / potential to fit in / not seem like an absurd idealist (ie- going after money... I change shapes just to hide in this place), only to find these pursuits unfulfilling.
  
  Everyone's trying to get back to their original state of mind - young, idealistic, filled with potential (but i'm still, im still an animal).
  
  Don't lose your animal! Stay hungry, stay foolish.

  Flag trecool02on August 18, 2012   Link

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    I agree with this interpretation then the one that got 15 or more pluses because when he sings about being an animal he doesn't see it in a bad way but its what it is, he will always be in his primal state of craving, wanting, and no matter what happens he will be what he is, a human being with needs and wants. I think he sees his animal state as not being such a bad thing neither do I. It almost sounds like he wants to remember his animal state of understanding all the add ons to life of cars, status, jobs, etc are a mask of his needs and wants for fulfillment.

    Flag GrungyBeatleon March 17, 2013  
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  General Comment:please listen to this when your drunk yak thanks gusy

  Flagged chemolimoon March 26, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:But it gets bigger 'til your horse is always running, running, running. FFS.

  Flag Nicole85on October 25, 2011   Link

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  Lyric Correction:Nobody knows it but me when I slip yeah I slip
  I'm still an animal
  
  He says "sleep", but its pronounced slip because of his swedish accent

  Flag Jellyfishofdoomon September 03, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:Yeah, i think it's about a man with a some kind of addiction. his instincts want him to do what feels good (the drugs) and he sometimes "slips" and uses again. But, as he tries to fight his addiction he attempts to fit into normal society, pretending he isn't a addict... As for the "eyes" i think he is looking in a mirror and talking to himself.

  Flag mylesjon May 03, 2011   Link

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  Song Meaning:This song, at least to me, was about a man trying to escape his past, which was "Filled with darkness", obviously drugs/vices, and when he finally quit, and tried to fill up the hole it left in his life with money, until he finally realizes that this is futile, "your hopes is always Running", and so he is now trying to lead a normal life but is also trying not to fall back on his old life of darkness. I guess he would use the term "animal" because an animal will always revert back to its instincts or whatever feels good, and when he says "I'm still an animal" he's referring to the fact that we're all humans and all humans are still animals. he is also trying to hide his past life, and to do this he has to change his personality and become a different person ("I change shapes just to hide in this place") but he never truly stops being the person he was before.

  Flag Buenhombreon January 12, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:
  
  Man search for self definition. The movement of the soul never satisfied with money. Author Questions are the actions that I do are they of my own freewill or habit/compulsion/fear etc? He takes on mental forms to shape and hide his perception but reminds himself that he is an Animal. A Mammal with some latent potential. ("someone who could be strong")

  Flag musicaleuphoriaon December 29, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:This song means that no matter what we become, what we do for a living. We all eat, sleep, shit, fuck just like an animal. i change shapes just to hide in this place, but i'm still, i'm still an animal.... so we're just human being make the same fuckin mistakes no matter if we are a bum or the president of the usa...that's what we are in the end.....
  
  

  Flag fromdirooton September 07, 2010   Link

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  My Interpretation:I thought the lyrics came to him from a reptilian being about it's plite to live within the confines of it's weak/frail "human" body.
  This reptilian slips up and sometimes shifts in front of others or on TV as a reporter/actor etc...and feels very inadequate because it can't hold it's human form and exposes it's true nature to it's inferior human subordinates.
  
  The beginning reference to darkness and seeing the eyes somebody it knew long ago (YHWH or God) describes this fallen angel's feelings of the glorified state it shed to join forces with the light bearer (Lucifer). Feeling pulled in both directions, it's fear of Lucifer dominates it and this reptilian being goes about it's daily business of carrying out the mission it's been assigned to.
  
  The last non-chorus lyrics then expounds on this being's suspicions that the sacraficed Christ's presence in a believer's life could be strong but it's been so deceived that it's having a hard time wrapping it's mind around the redemptive work of the Christ in the life person these lyrics are geared to. It wants to tempt the believe with a revelation of its true self to see how this person would react and to verify for itself if this person could be true to their belief in the face of something other-worldly.

  Flag bahouda2000on August 02, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:I interpret this song as dealing with infidelities. He faces many uncertainties in life and like most people; he looks at life’s different angles to full those voids (big dreams, money, sex) he feels within himself. He tries to be faithful to the person he is with, but he can’t contain his animalistic urges. He isn’t tied to any single person; he is free, like an animal.

  Flag lally123on May 02, 2010   Link

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