Let’s go downtown and watch the modern kids
Let’s go downtown and talk to the modern kids
They will eat right out of your hand
Using great big words that they don’t understand

They’re singing
Rococo, Rococo, Rococo, Rococo…
Rococo, Rococo, Rococo, Rococo…

They build it up just to burn it back down
They build it up just to burn it back down
The wind is blowing all the ashes around
Oh my dear God what is that horrible song?

They’re singing
Rococo, Rococo, Rococo, Rococo…
Rococo, Rococo, Rococo, Rococo…

They seem wild but they are so tame
They seem wild but they are so tame
They’re moving towards you with their colors all the same
They want to own you but they don’t know what game
They’re playing

Rococo, Rococo, Rococo, Rococo
Rococo, Rococo, Rococo, Rococo



Lyrics submitted by Fatzers

Track duration: 03:56


Rococo song meanings
Add your thoughts

58 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment:I only want to interpret one line:

    "They build it up just to burn it back down."

    I think this refers to all the new technology of today: they are always coming out with something new. If something is broken, you fix it; you don't throw it away, you don't replace it, but that idea has faded away in this modern culture.
    Flag IsoldeGSon March 25, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:This is what I understand about Rococo and it’s probably not what AF was thinking when they wrote this song, but it’s just my opinion.
    So, IMO This song is basically about the kids that were born in the modern man’s way of thinking. It’s about how their personalities are so weak. They have so many insecurities and feel so empty because of the new methods of interacting with each other on the technology that they build up an emotional armor to defend themselves.
    {Let’s go downtown and watch the modern kids/ let’s go downtown and talk to the modern kids} So, obviously this new mentality comes from the big and civilized cities of the big western countries. {They will eat right out of your hand/ Using great big words that they don’t understand} The new kids are predictable and want others to know that they are more than just a stereotype with nothing more to give…Even if it’s exactly what they are.
    {They build it up just to burn t back down} Here another characteristic of this new mentality: The ‘’If is too difficult, I don’t want it. If it’s too old, I don’t want it’’ one. That’s why they think they have to discard a new thing so they get the newest one. These kids have an IPhone 4 today and tomorrow will cry out for an IPhone 5. This goes to the personal life too where they don’t valorize some feelings and find it easy to just get away from other people. {The wind is blowing all the ashes around} The consequences of those things above are already here. Our planet cannot hold back for us much longer and people are more closed to each other… They stay all day in their house with their virtual friends and their computers (as I am right now) instead of going out with friends or socializing or even discovering they own country with their own eyes. {Oh my dear God…} is related to the chorus ‘’they are singing Rococo’’ and I’ll talk about it later.
    {They seem wild but they are so tame} Again, they want seem something more but they just aren’t something more…Maybe they wanna feel they are different and special but ‘’they are so tame’’. {They’re moving towards you with their colors all the same/ they want to own you but they don’t know what game/ they’re playing} They are acting just like the modern man. But they were born in it… unlike older people, they don’t understand how life was before the modern man got in our society – that’s why they don’t understand the game neither. They do not see a change because they were raised after it…So it’s strange to talk about the time before… They just understand the time of the present.

    The rococo chorus: I don’t know if it refers to the artist movement or if it refers to nothing at all. I think the important thing here is: that’s meaningless… They are this new generation that wants something to fight for but they are too dependent on others… So they yell and they break down things for the ‘’Rococo cause’’…The thing is: they have no cause at all.

    Sorry for my bad English, not my native language.
    And as I said… Only my opinion. When I hear the full album I think my explanation fits right in it.
    Read more at
    Flag alepdcjon March 24, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This is what I understand about Rococo and it’s probably not what AF was thinking when they wrote this song, but it’s just my opinion.
    So, IMO This song is basically about the kids that were born in the modern man’s way of thinking. It’s about how their personalities are so weak. They have so many insecurities and feel so empty because of the new methods of interacting with each other on the technology that they build up an emotional armor to defend themselves.
    {Let’s go downtown and watch the modern kids/ let’s go downtown and talk to the modern kids} So, obviously this new mentality comes from the big and civilized cities of the big western countries. {They will eat right out of your hand/ Using great big words that they don’t understand} The new kids are predictable and want others to know that they are more than just a stereotype with nothing more to give…Even if it’s exactly what they are.
    {They build it up just to burn t back down} Here another characteristic of this new mentality: The ‘’If is too difficult, I don’t want it. If it’s too old, I don’t want it’’ one. That’s why they think they have to discard a new thing so they get the newest one. These kids have an IPhone 4 today and tomorrow will cry out for an IPhone 5. This goes to the personal life too where they don’t valorize some feelings and find it easy to just get away from other people. {The wind is blowing all the ashes around} The consequences of those things above are already here. Our planet cannot hold back for us much longer and people are more closed to each other… They stay all day in their house with their virtual friends and their computers (as I am right now) instead of going out with friends or socializing or even discovering they own country with their own eyes. {Oh my dear God…} is related to the chorus ‘’they are singing Rococo’’ and I’ll talk about it later.
    {They seem wild but they are so tame} Again, they want seem something more but they just aren’t something more…Maybe they wanna feel they are different and special but ‘’they are so tame’’. {They’re moving towards you with their colors all the same/ they want to own you but they don’t know what game/ they’re playing} They are acting just like the modern man. But they were born in it… unlike older people, they don’t understand how life was before the modern man got in our society – that’s why they don’t understand the game neither. They do not see a change because they were raised after it…So it’s strange to talk about the time before… They just understand the time of the present.

    The rococo chorus: I don’t know if it refers to the artist movement or if it refers to nothing at all. I think the important thing here is: that’s meaningless… They are this new generation that wants something to fight for but they are too dependent on others… So they yell and they break down things for the ‘’Rococo cause’’…

    Sorry for my bad English, not my native language.
    And as I said… Only my opinion. When I hear the full album I think my explanation fits right in it.
    Flag alepdcjon March 24, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:It's a criticism the next generation of hipster kids and their pretentiousness. Their (the "modern kids'") use of a word like "rococo" is a symbol of this.
    Flag dairyking887on August 20, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:
    Flag Alexiouon August 01, 2012   Link
  • -1
    My Interpretation:52 comments for one song on this album is a pretty amazing commentary on how interpetations regarding art are concerned. Some ideas about New World Order messages and Aristocracy taking over during troubled period in our economic and global history albeit poignant and true is your song not Arcade fires.
    No where in this album are comments about political entities ever mentioned or conspiratory theories ever discussed. It would be safe to say that there are defined and clear attitudes towards what we presently react to in society. What Rococo represents and parallels with that and current "hipster" or the "sophisticated yuppy" emergence may be closer to the truth. Where this new enclave of "art" or "music" enthusiast came from is uncertain. I think the song distills the idea of how these people sound and act and offensive they are to those around them. Coming from a time where there were equal amounts of Goth , Punk, Metal , Hip Hop, Indy Rock and Pop or New Wave enthusiasts I am not certain where the "Hipster" came from. Self appointed critic of all things cool they try to merge several historical attitudes and post punk cultural awareness that they borrow from other peoples internet blogs and Ebook of the week qotations. They are not unlike the "society kids"
    Flag Alexiouon August 01, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The word Rococo refers to an art movement of the 1700s when the aristocracy began to gain power in Europe. The idle rich put their money and power into works of art that portrayed other idle rich people. Rococo art has been criticized for being frivolous and unserious. Search Fragonard's "The Swing" for an example. I think by making a comparison between the poor taste of today's upper middle class teens and the overly pampered kids of 1712.
    Flagged ibantoineon July 13, 2012   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:Arcade Fire is talking about how our corrupt government, with the help of false flag operations and financing from a privatized force, is slowly taking away our rights under our noses while we are distracted by superficialities society has conditioned us to embrace---so we more easily accept their New World Order (generally speaking). The song's meaning needs to be critiqued as a part of a whole--the whole being the entire album. It makes more sense if you look at all the songs' lyrics together. Also, carefully watch their music videos, you see NWO undertones of police states, revolutions, and totalitarian rulers....
    Arcade Fire is not the only band to esoterically pride themselves of these undertones...take Manchester Orchestra and even Lady Gaga...

    To find out more visit vigilantcitizen.com
    and remember,
    Once you take the red pill, there is no turning back.
    Flagged OPENyourMINDorELSEon February 12, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Arcade Fire is talking about how our corrupt government, with the help of false flag operations and financing from a privatized force, is slowly taking away our rights under our noses while we are distracted by superficialities society has conditioned us to embrace---so we more easily accept their New World Order (generally speaking). The song's meaning needs to be critiqued as a part of a whole--the whole being the entire album. It makes more sense if you look at all the songs' lyrics together. Also, carefully watch their music videos, you see NWO undertones of police states, revolutions, and totalitarian rulers....
    Arcade Fire is not the only band to esoterically pride themselves of these undertones...take Manchester Orchestra and even Lady Gaga...

    To find out more visit vigilantcitizen.com
    and remember,
    Once you take the red pill, there is no turning back.
    Flagged OPENyourMINDorELSEon February 12, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I disagree with the whole hipster criticism theory for 2 reasons. Firstly, hipsters wouldn't be able to find a reason to label Arcade Fire "mainstream" (if they even could) until this album came out, because it debuted at #1 on a few charts. So how could Arcade Fire know that hipsters would turn on them? Secondly, why would Arcade Fire want to diss the people that (arguably) made them famous? If anything, they should be thanking them. Besides, as far as I can tell, this song is sung from the point of view of an adult who is criticizing the youth of today as a whole.
    Flag Undecided38on January 05, 2012   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain