The National People's Scare
Wolf Parade Lyrics
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Hearts drowned in the hollow light
And saved them where rotten bears stood
Down there, there…
Dollar keeps me up at night
Cars sound like a ruined choir
And all the songs on God’s radio
Oh, why always
Thousand people scare was a lie
Birds called the country bears over
There, bear! Bear there!
Bear there, bear there, bear there, bear there,
Bear there, bear……
Dollar, we stayed up all night
Hearts drowned in the hollow skies
Saying down by the rotten bears
Bear there then
Daughter keeps me up at night
Cars sound like a ruined choir
The sounds of God’s radio, why?
Thousand people scare was a lie
Birds caught the country bears over there, there, there, there.
Bear there, bear there. Bear there, bear there.
Bear there! Bear there…
The first stanza of Wolf Parade's song The National People's Scare uses metaphors to paint a picture of a deeply emotional and possibly turbulent night, spent likely between two people. The image of hearts "drowned in the hollow light" suggests the melancholic and empty feeling within as they navigate their way through a dark situation. The reference to "rotten bears" could be a nod to the dark, bleak times they find themselves in or the potential danger lurking beneath the surface, seemingly waiting to consume them.
The second stanza appears to be a reflection on the anxieties, fears, and concerns that keep the singer up at night, accompanied by the background noise of the city, which sounds like "a ruined choir." The mention of "God's radio" could be a reference to a higher power or the news or media, constantly broadcasting information that may keep one up at night worrying.
The final stanza repeats similar imagery from the first, once again juxtaposing strong emotions with a sense of danger. The repeated phrase "thousand people scare was a lie" is perhaps a denial or an attempt to push away external pressures, arising from society or the public or simply a commentary on how much of what we hear is fabricated or false. The references to birds and bears may be symbolic, but the exact meaning is up for interpretation.
Overall, the lyrics of The National People's Scare conjure up vivid and imaginative scenes, tangled with strong emotions and mysterious, nuanced meanings.
Line by Line Meaning
Daughter, we stayed up all night.
The persona addresses his daughter and they stayed up all night.
Hearts drowned in the hollow light
They were overwhelmed with emotion.
And saved them where rotten bears stood
They saved their hearts where the decayed bears stood.
Down there, there…
It is unclear what 'down there' refers to.
Dollar keeps me up at night
Money troubles are causing the persona insomnia.
Cars sound like a ruined choir
The sound of cars is unpleasant and cacophonous.
And all the songs on God’s radio
Even religious music brings no solace to the persona.
Oh, why always
The persona is questioning the unfairness they perceive in their situation.
Thousand people scare was a lie
The news of a thousand-person scare was unfounded.
Birds called the country bears over
The birds called the wild animals to come nearer.
There, bear! Bear there!
Someone is calling out to a bear.
Bear there, bear there, bear there, bear there, Bear there, bear……
The repeated cries to the bear continue, it is unclear what happens next.
Dollar, we stayed up all night
The same financial anxiety is affecting both the persona and their daughter.
Hearts drowned in the hollow skies
They feel as if their hearts are lost in the vast emptiness of the sky.
Saying down by the rotten bears
They keep repeating the phrase, it is unclear why or what it means.
Bear there then
They repeat the call to the bear.
Daughter keeps me up at night
The persona's daughter is still causing them to stay awake.
Cars sound like a ruined choir
The unpleasant noise of cars continues to grate on them.
The sounds of God’s radio, why?
Even spiritual comfort is elusive to the persona.
Thousand people scare was a lie
The persona repeats the idea that the thousand-person scare was a false alarm.
Birds caught the country bears over there, there, there, there.
The birds have trapped the bears, or perhaps the bears have been found by people.
Bear there, bear there. Bear there, bear there.
The call to the bears continues.
Bear there! Bear there…
The fate of the bears is unknown, and the song ends on this ambiguous note.
Contributed by Gavin T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.