While you may not have recognized Karlsson and Winberg by their full names, you may have heard their work as production duo Bloodshy & Avant. The duo has written and produced for Kylie Minogue, Madonna and Britney Spears and claimed a Grammy for their work on Britney Spears’ Toxic. Wyatt is fresh off co-production duties with Mark Ronson on Daniel Merriweather’s April release, Love And War.
Animal
Miike Snow Lyrics
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And I stopped dreaming now
I'm supposed to fill it up with something, something , something
In your eyes I see the eyes of somebody I knew before long long long ago
But I'm still trying to make my mind up
Am I free or am I tied up
I change shapes just to hide in this place but I'm still, I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip yeah I slip
I'm still an animal
There is a hole and I tried to fill up with money, money , money
But it gets bigger 'til your hopes is always
Running, running, running
In your eyes I see the eyes of somebody of who could be strong
Tell me if I'm wrong
And now I'm pulling your disguise up
Are you free or are you tied up
I change shapes just to hide in this place but I'm still I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip
I'm still an animal
I change shapes just to hide in this place
But I'm still, I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip, yeah I slip
I'm still an animal
I change shapes just to hide in this place
But I'm still, I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip, yeah I slip
I'm still an animal
I change shapes just to hide in this place
But I'm still, I'm still an animal
Nobody knows it but me when I slip, yeah I slip
I'm still an animal
The lyrics to Miike Snow's "Animal" appear to be about the struggle to reconcile our animalistic instincts with our desire to be something more. The song speaks to a time in the singer's life when they were lost and searching for something to fill the void. The repetition of "darkness, darkness, darkness" in the opening lines emphasizes the feeling of emptiness and the inability to find something to cling to. The singer tries to fill this void with things like money, but it only makes the hole bigger. The imagery of constantly running away and changing shapes just to hide suggests that the singer is trying to escape their own animalistic tendencies.
The chorus, "I'm still an animal" is repeated throughout the song, perhaps as a reminder to the singer that they are not perfect and that they will always struggle with their base desires. The line "nobody knows it but me when I slip" suggests that despite the singer's attempts to hide their wild side, it is always there bubbling under the surface. The final question of "are you free or are you tied up" may be directed at the listener, asking them to examine their own lives and see if they are living up to their full potential or if they are being held back by their own instincts.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a time when my world was filled with darkness, darkness, darkness
My life was once full of sorrow and pain
And I stopped dreaming now
I have lost all motivation and ambition to pursue my goals
I'm supposed to fill it up with something, something, something
I feel pressure to find meaning and purpose in my life
In your eyes I see the eyes of somebody I knew before long long long ago
I see familiarity and nostalgia in your gaze
But I'm still trying to make my mind up
I am still undecided about my feelings and thoughts
Am I free or am I tied up
Do I have autonomy or am I constrained?
I change shapes just to hide in this place but I'm still, I'm still an animal
I try to conform to fit in, but at the core, I am still primal and instinctual
Nobody knows it but me when I slip yeah I slip
I struggle to maintain my facade of civility, but occasionally my animalistic nature takes over
There is a hole and I tried to fill up with money, money, money
I try to fill my emptiness with material possessions and wealth
But it gets bigger 'til your hopes is always running, running, running
However, the more I try to fill the void with money, the more it grows and becomes insatiable
In your eyes I see the eyes of somebody of who could be strong
You give off an aura of inner strength and resilience
Tell me if I'm wrong
Please correct me if my perception is mistaken
And now I'm pulling your disguise up
I am trying to reveal your true self and intentions
Are you free or are you tied up
Do you have free will or are you being controlled by someone or something?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: ANDREW WYATT BLAKEMORE, CHRISTIAN KARLSSON, PONTUS WINNBERG, HENRIK JONBACK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind