All tracks written by Meric Long of The Dodos.
1. "Trades and Tariffs" – 5:01
2. "Neighbors" – 4:16
3. "Men" – 3:59
4. "Horny Hippies" – 2:59
5. "Beards" – 3:24
6. "The Ball" – 5:38
7. "Chickens" – 3:04
8. "Bob" – 3:44
9. "Elves" – 3:58
10. "Nerds" – 5:40
11. "Lily" – 4:07
Trades And Tariffs
The Dodos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the stops we just go by
To the faces that we know
To the faces that we hide
Yeah we walk as if we're told
"Not a single head held high"
To the ones we've come to know
To the ones we'll lose in time
You give me yours, I give you mine
You never want it, you never want it
I gave you yours, now give me mine
I never want it, I never wanted it all
In past, a creation we defy
We're a group of undecideds
While the fate of nation slides
We just keep from getting high
And we stick to what we know
It's the things that get us by
We'll just sit and spin our woe
While the rest of earth just dies
You give me yours, I give you mine
You never want it, you never want it
I gave you yours, now give me mine
I never want it, I never wanted it all
Faith, all the giving world has died
This disease that gets us by
It's a plague in peoples' minds
It's a circle left untied
To the ones who drink their wine
While the rest of us just die
Yeah they raise their glasses high
To the ones they'll kill in time
You give me yours, I give you mine
You never want it, you never want it
I gave you yours, now give me mine
I never want it, I never wanted it all
The opening lines of "Trades and Tariffs" by The Dodos create a vivid image of a journey, with the singer pacing back and forth along a road, passing by familiar faces and hidden ones. The mood is somber and resigned, as the group of people seems to accept that they are walking with their heads down, unable or unwilling to lift them up. The choice of words, particularly "the ones we'll lose in time," indicates a sense of impending loss or separation. The repetitive pattern of "you give me yours, I give you mine" suggests a futile exchange of something that neither party truly wants, almost like a trade or a bargain.
The second verse continues the theme of uncertainty and indecision, with the group described as "undecideds" facing the uncertain fate of a nation. The sense of foreboding is echoed in the line "while the rest of earth just dies," implying that the group is not just grappling with their own problems but with larger, existential issues like environmental decay or social decline. The repeated refrain of "you give me yours, I give you mine" takes on a slightly different meaning here - it could suggest that the group is trapped in a cycle of exchanging ideas or beliefs that lead nowhere, or that they are trying to cling to something reliable in a world that seems to be falling apart.
The final verse introduces the idea of faith, or the lack thereof, as a disease that "gets us by." This could be interpreted in a few ways - faith as a source of comfort or guidance, faith as a way of coping with loss or uncertainty, faith as a social construct that is ultimately causing harm. The line "it's a circle left untied" could add to the sense that the group is going around in circles, unable to find a way out of their predicament. The final repetition of the refrain may be seen as a final admission of futility - "I never wanted it all" could be read as a statement of resignation, as the singer realizes that they have been striving for something that was ultimately unattainable or unworthy of their efforts.
Line by Line Meaning
Pace, back and forth along this road
We are walking back and forth along this same path without progress
All the stops we just go by
We are ignoring all opportunities for growth or change
To the faces that we know
We stick with what is familiar and comfortable
To the faces that we hide
We keep our true thoughts and feelings hidden from those we know
Yeah we walk as if we're told
We blindly follow without thinking for ourselves
"Not a single head held high"
We lack confidence and self-assurance
To the ones we've come to know
We form connections, but these relationships are shallow and lack meaning
To the ones we'll lose in time
These relationships are fleeting and will eventually fade away
You give me yours, I give you mine
We exchange things with each other
You never want it, you never want it
The things we exchange are unwanted by the other person
I gave you yours, now give me mine
We expect to receive in return for what we give
I never want it, I never wanted it all
The things we receive are not what we truly desire
In past, a creation we defy
We reject what has been created before us
We're a group of undecideds
We lack direction and purpose
While the fate of nation slides
The future of our country seems uncertain and out of our control
We just keep from getting high
We avoid getting too emotionally invested or hopeful
And we stick to what we know
We cling to what is familiar and safe
It's the things that get us by
We do what we can to survive
We'll just sit and spin our woe
We remain in our unhappiness without making changes
While the rest of earth just dies
The world around us is in decline and we do nothing to stop it
Faith, all the giving world has died
Generosity and selflessness no longer exist in society
This disease that gets us by
We have a distorted view of what is important and necessary for survival
It's a plague in peoples' minds
Our way of thinking is toxic and harmful
It's a circle left untied
Our actions continue without resolution or progress
To the ones who drink their wine
We envy those who are able to enjoy themselves without worry
While the rest of us just die
We suffer and struggle while others thrive
Yeah they raise their glasses high
Others lift themselves up, celebrating their own success
To the ones they'll kill in time
They do so at the expense of those who are oppressed and marginalized
Contributed by Nolan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.