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Camera Talk
Local Natives Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

We're running through the aisles
Of the churches still in style
Does this city have a curfew?
Don't you know it's good to see you too

The riders on the Champs Elyses
We are the tourists in the cafes
We drank our wine along the river
Not believing where we were at all

It's alright, the camera's talking
Oh
And even though I can't be sure
Memory tells me that these times are worth working for

The buffalo in Catalina
The colored stones and troop leaders
The voices of the canopy singers
Ensured that we wouldn't sleep for long

I knew this would be the part
My plane's arrival catches me off guard
We'll all be leaving with a broken heart
Wallets empty and we're back at start

It's alright, the camera is talking
Oh
And even though i can't be sure
Memory tells me that these times are worth working for

The cistern is not even full
The cistern is not e-the cistern is not even full

Overall Meaning

The song Camera Talk by Local Natives begins with a high-energy guitar riff and fast-paced drums that set the tone for the lyrics that follow, which depict the excitement and wonder that come with traveling. The first verse has the lead singer running through the aisles of churches that are still in style in an unknown city, questioning if there is a curfew in place. He also greets someone, indicating that this travel experience is being shared with another person.


The chorus of the song centers around the camera as the lead singer declares that "it's alright, the camera's talking," alluding to the importance of capturing memories on film. He acknowledges that he cannot be sure of what lies ahead, but the memories he is making are worth the effort it takes to create them.


The second verse of the song describes the singer and his travel companion as tourists in Paris, sipping on wine along the river Seine and marveling at their surroundings in disbelief. The lyrics then shift to a different location, possibly Catalina Island, where they encounter buffalo and colored stones. The song ends with the singer realizing that his departure is imminent, and he is saddened by the thought of leaving behind these cherished memories.


Overall, the song Camera Talk celebrates the experiences we have in life that become etched in our memories forever. It also acknowledges the importance of capturing those moments through the lens of a camera, so we can revisit them even when time has passed.


Line by Line Meaning

We're running through the aisles
We're excitedly exploring every corner of this place


Of the churches still in style
Even the old churches are still fashionable here


Does this city have a curfew?
Is there a time we need to leave and go home in this city?


Don't you know it's good to see you too
I'm happy to see you too, let's make the most of this trip


The riders on the Champs Elyses
We're like those travellers we saw earlier in Champs Elyses


We are the tourists in the cafes
Just like all the other tourists, we're enjoying ourselves at this cafe


We drank our wine along the river
We had a great time drinking wine by the river


Not believing where we were at all
It felt like we were living in a dream, it was too perfect to be real


It's alright, the camera's talking
Even though we're speechless, the camera is capturing our emotions


Oh
interjection, expressing excitement or surprise


And even though I can't be sure
I'm not completely certain about this, but


Memory tells me that these times are worth working for
I know that these moments and memories are truly valuable and worth striving for


The buffalo in Catalina
I remember seeing buffalo in Catalina, it was memorable


The colored stones and troop leaders
The colorful stones and leaders of the group made it an unforgettable experience


The voices of the canopy singers
The singing group in the nature reserve was a unique experience


Ensured that we wouldn't sleep for long
The experience was so thrilling, we couldn't sleep for very long afterwards


I knew this would be the part
I already anticipated that this stage of the trip would be difficult


My plane's arrival catches me off guard
I'm taken by surprise by the arrival time of my flight


We'll all be leaving with a broken heart
We'll be heartbroken to leave this place and the memories we made here


Wallets empty and we're back at start
We'll be broke after this trip and will need to start saving from scratch


The cistern is not even full
The cistern is not completely full, symbolizing that we're not completely satisfied with what we've experienced


The cistern is not e-the cistern is not even full
repetition of the previous line




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW JEFFREY HAMM, KELCEY PAUL AYER, MATTHEW JAMES FRAZIER, RYAN CLINTON HAHN, TAYLOR DAVID RICE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Yellow Towels

We're running through the aisles
Of the churches still in style
Does this city have a curfew?
Don't you know it's good to see you too

The riders on the Champs Elyses
We are the tourists in the cafes
We drank our wine along the river
Not believing where we were at all

It's alright, the camera's talking
Oh
And even though I can't be sure
Memory tells me that these times are worth working for

The buffalo in Catalina
The colored stones and troop leaders
The voices of the canopy singers
Ensured that we wouldn't sleep for long

I knew this would be the part
My plane's arrival catches me off guard
We'll all be leaving with a broken heart
Wallets empty and we're back at start

It's alright, the camera is talking
Oh
And even though i can't be sure
Memory tells me that these times are worth working for

The cistern is not even full
The cistern is not e-the cistern is not even full



All comments from YouTube:

Yellow Towels

We're running through the aisles
Of the churches still in style
Does this city have a curfew?
Don't you know it's good to see you too

The riders on the Champs Elyses
We are the tourists in the cafes
We drank our wine along the river
Not believing where we were at all

It's alright, the camera's talking
Oh
And even though I can't be sure
Memory tells me that these times are worth working for

The buffalo in Catalina
The colored stones and troop leaders
The voices of the canopy singers
Ensured that we wouldn't sleep for long

I knew this would be the part
My plane's arrival catches me off guard
We'll all be leaving with a broken heart
Wallets empty and we're back at start

It's alright, the camera is talking
Oh
And even though i can't be sure
Memory tells me that these times are worth working for

The cistern is not even full
The cistern is not e-the cistern is not even full

kimmi white

such brilliant harmonies and melodies...

alyssaudiii

amazing live...just saw them at lollapalooza

Dylan K.

so cool, i love this band

NegaTheImpmon9508

this video is amazing and i love it so much

Donald

I think everyone does

Liz H

Amazing 😉

Fred Kiesel

this is great art

natashaburch11

Its so weird. I first heard the acoustic version of this song on Aurgasm.us and now I can't get that one out of my head so when I listen to this one it's like... a whole new world to me. I still love it though!

Freddy89

I like this version alot. =)

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