The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
There was a time when my world was filled with darkness, darkness, darkness
And I stopped dreaming now
I'm supposed to fill it up with something, something , something
In your eyes I see the eyes of somebody I knew before long long long ago
But I'm still trying to make my mind up
Am I free or am I tied up
I change shapes just to hide in this place but I'm still, I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip yeah I slip
I'm still an animal
There is a hole and I tried to fill up with money, money , money
But it gets bigger 'til your hopes is always
Running, running, running
In your eyes I see the eyes of somebody of who could be strong
Tell me if I'm wrong
And now I'm pulling your disguise up
Are you free or are you tied up
I change shapes just to hide in this place but I'm still I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip
I'm still an animal
I change shapes just to hide in this place
But I'm still, I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip, yeah I slip
I'm still an animal
I change shapes just to hide in this place
But I'm still, I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip, yeah I slip
I'm still an animal
I change shapes just to hide in this place
But I'm still, I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip, yeah I slip
I'm still an animal
And I stopped dreaming now
I'm supposed to fill it up with something, something , something
In your eyes I see the eyes of somebody I knew before long long long ago
But I'm still trying to make my mind up
Am I free or am I tied up
I change shapes just to hide in this place but I'm still, I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip yeah I slip
I'm still an animal
There is a hole and I tried to fill up with money, money , money
But it gets bigger 'til your hopes is always
Running, running, running
In your eyes I see the eyes of somebody of who could be strong
Tell me if I'm wrong
And now I'm pulling your disguise up
Are you free or are you tied up
I change shapes just to hide in this place but I'm still I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip
I'm still an animal
I change shapes just to hide in this place
But I'm still, I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip, yeah I slip
I'm still an animal
I change shapes just to hide in this place
But I'm still, I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip, yeah I slip
I'm still an animal
I change shapes just to hide in this place
But I'm still, I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip, yeah I slip
I'm still an animal
Lyrics submitted by heathereve, edited by pfffffac
Animal Lyrics as written by Christian Karlsson Andrew Wyatt Blakemore
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song is about someone who can't decide what to do with his life. He had dreams of becoming something great when he was younger, but now he's contemplating whether he needs to let go and accept the normal course of life that he's currently living. He's not sure if he's free or if he's tied up, in other words, he doesn't know if he's actually still working toward accomplishing his dreams or if he's already given-in to being an average person.
He refers to himself as an animal, because, no matter what he tries to become, he always slips back to his instinctual nature. He tries to change shapes by pretending to accept the place that he's in, but, underneath it all, he's still the same unsatisfied person. He always needs more, so he will always be chasing some unattainable fantasy.
May I say Jon that's a fantastically articulate and accurate interpretation. Great song.
Haha I feel like that was a perfect explanation.
Bravo, jonrules! I couldn't have said it better myself! You are obviously a man who cares about what he writes, unlike people who say "dis sng r cool good song"
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.
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.
Basically a song for all of the square pegs out there trying to fit into the round holes that society provide us with striving for the balance between being true to ones inner self and the primal need to be accepted brilliant song!!
the song for me is about shedding social camouflage and embracing our true nature in order to find true happiness with in us, we all might strive to keep attain material things to try to be cool and gain image in hope of finding acceptance and happiness but in reality we only become slaves to our egos in the long run....
so he feels the answer is in the simple joys of life and never giving up the dream
he then realizes how sad it is to go on living in pretense after having found the light
and he is trying to show his friends still left in darkness the joys in the simplicity of just being your self and living life the way that makes you happy free of social and self inflicted slavery to image and materialism
sounds right?
THis is a very simple , yet philosophical song about being an animal in this bioshpere. animals come in different shapes, but more importantly we try to avert ourselves with holes of money.
this song means that we are animals, and the question posed is: is this an inhibiting or enhancing factor?
be an animal!
i love him and his songs because they have deep deep meaning to them that you really have to look for which i love he is a great artist and should be more known and his music should have more play time then it does.
You do realize Miike Snow isn't just one person right?<br /> "He" is actually Andrew Wyatt and Bloodshy & Avant (the guys who made Britney Spears' only Grammy, Toxic).<br /> <br /> Anyway, back to the song, it's definitely one of my favs from 2009.
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
i LOOOOOOVE this song. oh my god. best summer song ever. i agree with jonrules. i think the song is kind of the oppoiste of the meaning though, cause it has a really happy feeling to it, but then it's about never being able to attain something you're looking for.
I love how he says it like "an-a-moo", instead of an-a-MAL. This song rox, thanx ALTNation!
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.....