And all at once I existed
With this feeling in my chest that I don′t know how to sit with
Eyes are open
Don't know where I′m going
Upside down clouds over mountains, unfolding

Deep in the forest you are planting seeds
Singing flowers only grow when no one else is looking
So come along, love, we're going to the ocean
Her water is always cold

But her arms are always open

You never so much as hesitate
You were holding all the tickets for the impulse getaway
You barely knew me
I saw you seeing through me
The shadow of our love
You didn't even know that you were chasing

I′m floating further and further from myself
I wish the moon would settle down
And kiss me through the evening
So come along, babe
We′re gonna steal a sea plane
I'd like to see them catch me

We′ll stay on top of this slow apocalypse
We'll stay on top of this slow apocalypse

You′re made of angel and space dust
You're the only kind of smoke I ever want inside of my lungs
It′s a riot
Police car side-flip
Burning in the streets in a Molotov fire pit

Yeah, we can dance in the orange glow
Until the military comes telling everyone to go home
But if I know us
We're gonna find a rooftop
Put the city underneath us

We'll stay on top of this slow apocalypse
We′ll stay on top of this slow apocalypse
We′ll stay on top of this slow apocalypse
We'll stay on top of this slow apocalypse

Overall Meaning

In Sleepy Gonzales's song Slow Apocalypse, the lyrics paint a picture of someone feeling lost and unsure of their direction in life. The opening lines express a sudden awareness of one's own existence, accompanied by a feeling of discomfort or unease. The singer seems to be adrift in the world, with no clear idea of where they're headed or how to find their way. The image of "upside-down clouds over mountains, unfolding" only adds to the sense of disorientation and uncertainty.

The lyrics then shift to a different perspective, as the singer encounters someone who seems to embody a sense of purpose and direction. This person is described as planting seeds in the forest and singing to encourage their growth, seemingly without any need for external validation or attention. The singer is drawn to this person's energy and decides to join them on a journey to the ocean. Despite the coldness of the water, the ocean is depicted as a welcoming and comforting presence, with "arms always open."

As the song progresses, the two characters seem to become more connected, with the singer feeling seen and understood by the other person. There is a sense of mutual trust and affection, even though their relationship is still new and uncertain. The lyrics suggest a certain recklessness or disregard for authority and convention, with the idea of stealing a sea plane and dancing in the orange glow of a riot. Yet despite the chaos and uncertainty of the world around them, the two characters are determined to stay "on top of this slow apocalypse."

Line by Line Meaning

And all at once I existed
Suddenly, I became aware of my own existence.

With this feeling in my chest that I don′t know how to sit with
I have an indescribable emotion that I am unsure of how to handle.

Eyes are open
I am awake and alert.

Don't know where I′m going
I am uncertain of my destination.

Upside down clouds over mountains, unfolding
The clouds appear to be upside down as they move over the mountains.

Deep in the forest you are planting seeds
You are planting seeds in the depths of the forest.

Singing flowers only grow when no one else is looking
Flowers bloom only when no one is observing them.

So come along, love, we're going to the ocean
Let's go to the ocean, my dear.

Her water is always cold
The ocean's water is perpetually chilly.

But her arms are always open
However, the ocean's embrace is always welcoming.

You never so much as hesitate
You do not even pause for a moment.

You were holding all the tickets for the impulse getaway
You had all of the tickets for our sudden and unplanned escape.

You barely knew me
We did not know each other well.

I saw you seeing through me
I noticed you could see right through me.

The shadow of our love
The outline of our affection.

You didn't even know that you were chasing
You were unaware that you were pursuing something.

I′m floating further and further from myself
I am increasingly distancing myself from who I have been.

I wish the moon would settle down
I hope the moon will stop moving erratically.

And kiss me through the evening
I would like the moon to caress me as the night wears on.

So come along, babe
Let's go together, my dear.

We′re gonna steal a sea plane
We intend to unlawfully take possession of an airplane that can operate on water.

I'd like to see them catch me
I doubt anyone would be able to apprehend me.

You′re made of angel and space dust
You consist of both angelic qualities and cosmic particles.

You're the only kind of smoke I ever want inside of my lungs
You are the only smoke that I desire to inhale.

It′s a riot
This is chaotic and frenzied.

Police car side-flip
A police car has overturned onto its side.

Burning in the streets in a Molotov fire pit
The roads are ablaze in a makeshift fire made out of a bottle filled with flammable liquid.

Yeah, we can dance in the orange glow
We can move rhythmically in the orange light.

Until the military comes telling everyone to go home
Until the military arrives and instructs everyone to leave the area.

But if I know us
But I am confident in our abilities.

We're gonna find a rooftop
We will locate a flat rooftop.

Put the city underneath us
Then we will have the city beneath us.

We'll stay on top of this slow apocalypse
We will prevail and come out on top during this gradual destruction of the world.

We′ll stay on top of this slow apocalypse
We will remain victorious throughout this slow apocalypse.

We′ll stay on top of this slow apocalypse
Our defeat will not come throughout this slow apocalypse because we will persevere.

We'll stay on top of this slow apocalypse
We will outlast and overcome the damage caused by this slow apocalypse.

Writer(s): Allyson Lowry, Benito Hobson-dimas, Cristian Hobson-dimas, Nicholas Moniz

Contributed by Dominic M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.