I think this song is about how his mother dealt with his father dying, and I'm surprised that no-one has really mentioned it. The focus seems to have been on prescription medicine. The first verse is quite muted, with his singing almost obscured, and describes the grief his mother felt (my mom's ripping off her hands/one flake at a time) and the advice she gave him when he was young and she was still strong.
The second verse is then suddenly happier and bouncier, as Panda Bear recites back to his mother the advice she gave him. He's suddenly the man in his family, and can't rely on his mother for strength - this strength and positivity has to come from within himself. Strength, positivity, and the growing up he had to do after his father died again appears on 'My Girls'. He's older now, he has a wife and kids, and these are his only concerns. He's had to grow up, and his father's death ('on my father's grave') is a major cause of this. 'Take Pills' is the start of this process. He has his period of grief, but then comes out of it stronger.
I think this song is about how his mother dealt with his father dying, and I'm surprised that no-one has really mentioned it. The focus seems to have been on prescription medicine. The first verse is quite muted, with his singing almost obscured, and describes the grief his mother felt (my mom's ripping off her hands/one flake at a time) and the advice she gave him when he was young and she was still strong.
The second verse is then suddenly happier and bouncier, as Panda Bear recites back to his mother the advice she gave him. He's suddenly the man in his family, and can't rely on his mother for strength - this strength and positivity has to come from within himself. Strength, positivity, and the growing up he had to do after his father died again appears on 'My Girls'. He's older now, he has a wife and kids, and these are his only concerns. He's had to grow up, and his father's death ('on my father's grave') is a major cause of this. 'Take Pills' is the start of this process. He has his period of grief, but then comes out of it stronger.