Lennox grew up in the Roland Park section of Baltimore, Maryland. As a child, he played sports, and studied piano and cello. He later sang tenor in his high school chamber choir. After graduation, he attended Boston University but dropped out in 2000 and moved to New York where he dedicated himself to his music.
His first solo release was the self titled Panda Bear in 1998, which was released under Soccer Star Records, a label founded by fellow Animal Collective member, Deakin.
After its creation, Lennox focused on Animal Collective, putting his solo project aside. He picked it back up in 2004 and released Young Prayer that year. In 2007 he followed up with the critically acclaimed Person Pitch.
In Animal Collective, Noah was primarily responsible for percussion, although he has recently transitioned to working with samples in addition to contributing vocals and playing a variety of other instruments. He adopted the name Panda Bear from an early tape of his material, on which he drew a panda.
His more recent albums are Person Pitch (2007), Tomboy (2011), Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper (2015), Buoys (2019) and Reset (2022), a collaborative album with the producer Peter Kember (as known as Sonic Boom). This album is formally credited to Panda Bear & Sonic Boom.
Comfy in Nautica
Panda Bear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Try to tell me how to do it
Only because I'm new to it
Coolness is having courage
Courage to do what's right
I'll try to remember always
Just to have a good time
Try to show me that you know me
Do you know what coolness really is?
Winning is what you want to
But you're scared to go forth
You try to remember always
Always to have a good time
Good time (x9)
Try and have a softer inside
Shut up boy and be a soldier
Coolness is having courage
Courage to do what's right
Try to remember always
Just to have a good time
Winning is what you want to
Winning but you're scared to go forth
Try to remember always
Always to have a good time
Good time
The lyrics to Panda Bear's song Comfy In Nautica explore the concept of what it means to be cool, both in terms of having the courage to do what is right and also in terms of simply having a good time. The repetition of the word "try" throughout the song suggests that the singer is still learning and trying to figure out what coolness really means. He is being told how to act, but he wants to find his own path and have the courage to do what feels right to him.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of winning and being successful, but being held back by fear. The singer is encouraged to push through that fear and always try to have a good time, even if he doesn't always come out on top. The line "Try and have a softer inside, shut up boy and be a soldier" suggests that there is a tension between being strong and stoic on the outside, while still allowing oneself to be vulnerable and open on the inside.
Line by Line Meaning
Try try try try try try (repeated)
Keep trying and never give up - this is the key to success
Try to tell me how to do it
You're not the boss of me, so stop trying to control me
Only because I'm new to it
I may be inexperienced, but I'm capable of learning and growing
Coolness is having courage
Being cool is not about being popular, it's about being brave in the face of adversity
Courage to do what's right
True bravery is in doing what is morally or ethically the right thing to do
I'll try to remember always
I'm committed to keeping these values in mind
Just to have a good time
Ultimately, life should be enjoyed and celebrated
Try to show me that you know me
If you want to impress me, try understanding who I really am
Do you know what coolness really is?
Being cool is not about conforming to social norms or chasing popularity
Winning is what you want to
Success is a goal that most of us strive for
But you're scared to go forth
Fear can sometimes prevent us from taking risks and pursuing our goals
You try to remember always
Even if fear gets in the way, we must make an effort to keep moving forward
Always to have a good time
Even in the face of adversity, we should always strive to have an enjoyable life
Good time (x9)
Life should be about celebrating the good times as often as possible
Try and have a softer inside
It's important to have a compassionate and empathetic perspective on life
Shut up boy and be a soldier
Sometimes we need to be tough to get through difficult times
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind