This song really makes me relax and feel like I'm floating in a pool, drifting down a river, out to sea, etc. It's interesting the amount of water imagry in the lyrics, begining with "Dead in the Water" and "Sink or Swim" and then "Broken Mast" (which is a part of of a ship) and closing with "Soak up". Here's my breakdown of just the first stanza which I believe really sets up what the song is about:
Dead in the water
It's not a paid vacation
The sons and daughters of city officials
Attend demonstrations
It's hardly a sink or swim
When all is well if the ticket sells
"Dead in the water" is an expression that means something is going nowhere So if you're going nowhere, even if you're not having to work hard, it's just not enjoyable, wheras a paid vacation is very enjoyable because it is deserved as break from real accomplishment/work and of course, you're getting money while enjoying yourself.
Demonstrations are often made in oppostion of what elected City officials stand for and City officials wouldn't ever be caught at them so it's ironic that their children are often the ones that can be found at them objecting to the things that their parents stand for.
"Sink or Swim" is often a sales job training reference where a new person is given a rush course in what to do/how to sell and then they either "Sink" (fail to make the company money and get fired) or "Swim" (succeed at selling. meet their quota and keep their job) this is a very hard way to make a living because the pressure is immense and most people sink, thus the high-turnover in sales related jobs. So really as long as your successful at what your doing, what is there to worry about.
I take this to mean that MGMT is conflicted about getting boatloads of money if they aren't advancing in their music and making what they feel is better music, so eventhough they get paid one way or the other, they would like to make different music and then maybe they would feel more deserving of the praise and money their getting.
This probably doesn't make sense to us fans (since we prob love all their stuff)however, that's the difference between us and them. Just like City Officials and their children, they have the same issues - but they are opposing eachother on them.
They haven't had as much pressure on them to this point and maybe they even feel what they've done so far isn't nearly that hard because they've succeeded with most of what they've put out there even if they didn't think it was the best music. But really no one wants to hear a rich music artist complain when their tickets to shows are selling out - but that's exactly what MGMT feels like doing, so they're conflicted and really eveyone's telling them to just be happy and enjoy the "Congratulations" so they made a very sarcastic and cynical and awesome song about it. The hand clapping at the end really justifies it too, fantastic touch ;-)
This song really makes me relax and feel like I'm floating in a pool, drifting down a river, out to sea, etc. It's interesting the amount of water imagry in the lyrics, begining with "Dead in the Water" and "Sink or Swim" and then "Broken Mast" (which is a part of of a ship) and closing with "Soak up". Here's my breakdown of just the first stanza which I believe really sets up what the song is about:
Dead in the water
It's not a paid vacation
The sons and daughters of city officials Attend demonstrations
It's hardly a sink or swim When all is well if the ticket sells
"Dead in the water" is an expression that means something is going nowhere So if you're going nowhere, even if you're not having to work hard, it's just not enjoyable, wheras a paid vacation is very enjoyable because it is deserved as break from real accomplishment/work and of course, you're getting money while enjoying yourself.
Demonstrations are often made in oppostion of what elected City officials stand for and City officials wouldn't ever be caught at them so it's ironic that their children are often the ones that can be found at them objecting to the things that their parents stand for.
"Sink or Swim" is often a sales job training reference where a new person is given a rush course in what to do/how to sell and then they either "Sink" (fail to make the company money and get fired) or "Swim" (succeed at selling. meet their quota and keep their job) this is a very hard way to make a living because the pressure is immense and most people sink, thus the high-turnover in sales related jobs. So really as long as your successful at what your doing, what is there to worry about.
I take this to mean that MGMT is conflicted about getting boatloads of money if they aren't advancing in their music and making what they feel is better music, so eventhough they get paid one way or the other, they would like to make different music and then maybe they would feel more deserving of the praise and money their getting.
This probably doesn't make sense to us fans (since we prob love all their stuff)however, that's the difference between us and them. Just like City Officials and their children, they have the same issues - but they are opposing eachother on them.
They haven't had as much pressure on them to this point and maybe they even feel what they've done so far isn't nearly that hard because they've succeeded with most of what they've put out there even if they didn't think it was the best music. But really no one wants to hear a rich music artist complain when their tickets to shows are selling out - but that's exactly what MGMT feels like doing, so they're conflicted and really eveyone's telling them to just be happy and enjoy the "Congratulations" so they made a very sarcastic and cynical and awesome song about it. The hand clapping at the end really justifies it too, fantastic touch ;-)