While it is believed that the genre was born in the late 1990s, examples being The Notwist's esteemed album Shrink (1998), and The Rentals Return of The Rentals (1996), it is the 2002 compilation titled ''Indietronica Vol. 1'' by Sรณnar Music Festival that solidified and popularized the term.
Recently, the genre has been further expanded by several crossover projects between indietronica and Alternative hip hop artists, specifically between the Morr Music and Anticon labels.
Kids
MGMT Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You were a child
Crawling on your knees toward it
Making mama so proud
But your voice is too loud
We like to watch you laughing
You pick the insects off plants
No time to think of consequences
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanted to be haunted
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanted to be haunted
The water is warm
But it's sending me shivers
A baby is born
Crying out for attention
The memories fade
Like looking through a fogged mirror
Decision to decisions are made and not bought
But I thought this wouldn't hurt a lot
I guess not
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanted to be haunted
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanted to be haunted
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanted to be haunted
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanted to be haunted
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanted to be haunted
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees
"Kids" by MGMT is a song about the youthful desire for excitement and adventure, and the consequences of indulging in those desires without self-control or consideration for the future.
The song begins by addressing the listener as a child, crawling on their knees towards something they desire. The imagery conveys a sense of innocence and vulnerability, while the mention of the child's voice being too loud suggests an eagerness to be heard and noticed. The chorus highlights the theme of control, with the repetition of the phrase "Control yourself, take only what you need from it" emphasizing the importance of self-restraint and consideration for the consequences of one's actions.
The second verse shifts to a more abstract and introspective tone, with the water being warm but sending shivers down the singer's spine, suggesting a mix of pleasure and unease. The metaphor of a baby crying out for attention highlights the need for validation and recognition, while the memories fading like a fogged mirror suggest a lack of clarity and purpose in one's past experiences. The final lines acknowledge the inevitability of making decisions, but express a sense of surprise at the unexpected pain that comes with them.
Overall, "Kids" explores the tension between the desire for excitement and the need for self-control, emphasizing the importance of taking only what is necessary and avoiding the temptation to indulge recklessly in one's impulses.
Line by Line Meaning
You were a child
The song starts off by bringing attention to the idea of being a child.
Crawling on your knees toward it
The child is crawling towards something they want.
Making mama so proud
The child is making their mother happy.
But your voice is too loud
The child is making too much noise.
We like to watch you laughing
People enjoy seeing the child happy.
You pick the insects off plants
The child is curious about their surroundings.
No time to think of consequences
The child is not yet aware of the consequences of their actions.
Control yourself
The song then shifts to the idea of self control.
Take only what you need from it
The idea of taking only what you need is emphasized.
A family of trees wanted to be haunted
The family of trees is personified to want to be haunted.
The water is warm
The song then brings up the idea of water being warm.
But it's sending me shivers
This situation is strange and unsettling.
A baby is born
The song then introduces the idea of birth and new life.
Crying out for attention
The baby is in need of attention.
The memories fade
Memories can disappear over time.
Like looking through a fogged mirror
Memories can become unclear as time passes.
Decision to decisions are made and not bought
Decisions are not something that can be purchased.
But I thought this wouldn't hurt a lot
Sometimes we make decisions we think won't hurt us.
I guess not
But in reality, they do.
Control yourself
The song repeats the idea of self control.
Take only what you need from it
Again, taking only what you need is emphasized.
A family of trees wanted to be haunted
The idea of the family of trees wanting to be haunted is repeated multiple times.
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Benjamin Nicholas Huner Goldwasser, Andrew Wells Vanwyngarden
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@2dcrazy80
Today I feel the want to go back to being a kid. Getting to see my friends everyday at school is something I cherished but it still feels like I took it for granted.
@_LilDash
Yuuup everyday I dreaded going to school, yet if I couldโฆ. Iโd go back ๐ญ
@a.d.janson
I was looking for someone who could capture what I was feeling in their comments. Good job you match perfectly :/
@ssj4gogeta130
@@_LilDashI wouldnโt! Stop giving us homework and being a horrible ass teacher and Iโll gladly go back to school!
@hafsasalman2489
I'm a Sophomore and take that for granted now I won't anymore
@iwakura42
i'm a freshman and i do think about that. i've been appreciating my school life more than ever nowadays
@youraverageheerreenactor6330
Well thats it ladies and gents, we are never getting our childhoods back, but dont be sad because its gone, be happy because it was so much fun
@nyelo7217
Who ever said it was so much fun?
@youraverageheerreenactor6330
@@nyelo7217speak for yourself homie ๐
@FireTheNuclearMissiles
Mine wasn't