Rococo

This is a brilliant examination of the hipster identity, a real truncheon to the egg-shell thin ego skull of this vapid, insipid 'culture'. Those who proclaim fashion and music trends to be their defining characteristics, yet shun them at the first sign of widespread appeal. Always trying to stay one step ahead of popular culture has lead to an exhausting race in which there are no winners, only the realization that you have become an utterly shameful poseur.

The line that carries perhaps the most weight is "They build it up just to burn it back down" which succinctly sums up the perverted, self-consuming identity matrix that defines so many hip young adults. That which is loved by one group first must be immolated later on to preserve that ever so important sanctity of "first to the party." We are in the age of disposable bands, identities, and integrity.

Overall I would rate this song a 7.953 out of a possible 10.

for anyone who doesn't know, rococo was an 18th century artistic movement. it was light, airy and disgustingly ornate and most of the subject matter of the painting and sculpture was the nobility enjoying themselves in the countryside. it's widely criticized because for all its style and detail, there was no substance underneath. it was empty of true meaning.

obviously this connects right into the idea of the "modern kids" who use "great big words that they don't understand." if you look a lot of the popular styles with the young kids (especially hipsters), you see this same thing. they obsessive over perfecting their appearance with, expensive clothes and vintage accessories, spout words like "immolation" and "poseur," but don't really have any idea what their saying.

essentially, they're modern rococo. what's incredibly clever is that the example of these "great big words" we're given is the word rococo itself.

Seems fairly obvious to me that this is a hipster takedown.

I love Arcade Fire. First off, he could be chanting gibberish and it would still sound unbelievable.

This song is brilliant- right down to the vague target of ridicule. I tend to think there's a little bit of all of us being projected in this tune. We can all be ignorant and we can all be pretentious. Exhibit A: Palindromic. (Thanks for spitting out all those generalizations with such outright disregard for the vernacular. You've really helped in making a point, I think.)
Honestly, who here knew what "Rococo" meant before using that divine Google search? Not me, but I sang along anyway. Even without a definition, I'd still be singing. And in doing so, I'd be unwittingly proclaiming my own idiocy. Now I get to do it knowingly :) Ba-rilliant.

So, in my opinion, it's about the ignorant. It's about teenagers. It's about adults. It's about humanity and our constant desire to look like something special. Rococo.

I beleive this songs interprets into the youth now-a-days using their art in a way that they dont understand. They beleive they are making a statement but to others it seems the youth does not even know the whole story and are trying to express on a topic they dont even understand.

Agree with Sticka. Reminds me of Nirvana's "In Bloom". Not the style of music obviously but the meaning of the song. Singing along to songs they don't understand.

It's probably about Arcade Fire fans, loving them when they were relatively unknown and as soon as they become more mainstream, declaring they aren't cool anymore! "They build it up just to burn it back down"

epic song is epic.

"They seem wild but they are so tame They're moving towards you with their colors all the same"

metalheads, emos. (<- "Oh my dear God what is that horrible song?")

this is what i think. Additionally it reminds of hypocrits....

gives me the chills every time i hear it.....epic