The band has released fourteen albums: "Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished" (2000), "Danse Manatee" (2001), "Campfire Songs" (2003), "Here Comes the Indian" (2003), "Sung Tongs" (2004), "Feels" (2005), "Strawberry Jam" (2007), "Merriweather Post Pavilion" (2009), "Centipede Hz" (2012), "Painting With" (2016), "Tangerine Reef" (2018), "Crestone" (2021), "Time Skiffs" (2022), and "Isn't It Now?" (2023). They also composed and performed the soundtrack for the 2022 film, The Inspection, directed by Elegance Bratton and produced by A24.
Prior to "Here Comes the Indian", the group's albums were not credited to the band name "Animal Collective" but instead to "Avey Tare & Panda Bear" (for "Spirit"), "Avey Tare, Panda Bear & Geologist" (for "Danse") and "Campfire Songs" (for "Campfire Songs").
The band members met in school and started recording together in various forms of collaboration from a young age. Although the band is often classified as psych folk or noise rock, it is hard to define the Animal Collective sound as they often experiment with diverse styles and ideas from album to album. The group also runs the record label Paw Tracks on which they have released their own material as well as material by artists such as Ariel Pink, Terrestrial Tones, and The Peppermints. Paw Tracks' latest signee is Tickley Feather, with whom the band recently toured.
1
Animal Collective Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I caught you in the eye
That disconnected trouble
Respect the hive
It seems like days since you rejected
Your mom and I
We'll hope you dance to your bad weather
Young love is fine
The candles as they line
Panda Bear: I won't waste a cry
I know that we'll decide
You wonder why it can't stay simple
Your mom and I
To pet your head
And dress your letters
Don't worry about why
And split your head
And sleep unmolded
Young love is blind
Just please respect the candles in a line
The lyrics of Animal Collective's song #1 are ambiguous, covering a range of themes from love to anxiety, from independence to the inevitability of change. The main focus of the song seems to be a message to a child, urging them to respect the power structures around them, while at the same time encouraging them to take risks and embrace the future. The line "respect the hive" can be interpreted as both a warning to the child to be careful not to upset authority figures, and also as a positive injunction to respect the collective power of a community, and to see oneself as part of something larger.
The lyrics also contrast the relative simplicity of childhood and young love with the complexity and uncertainty of adulthood. The line "You wonder why it can't stay simple" reflects the singer's own nostalgia for a time when things felt more straightforward and less fraught with ambiguity. "Young love is fine," however, acknowledges the importance of pursuing love and passion even in the face of such uncertainty.
One interpretation of the song is that it reflects the parent's struggle to let go of their child and allow them to explore the world on their own terms, even as they try to protect and guide them. The repetition of the line "respect the candles as they line" can be seen as reflecting a desire to maintain order and structure even as things change and evolve.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to cry
I am feeling emotional and overwhelmed
I caught you in the eye
I have your attention and focus
That disconnected trouble
The issue is not easily solvable or understood
Respect the hive
Acknowledge and appreciate the collective and interconnected nature of society
It seems like days since you rejected
I am still reeling from your rejection
Your mom and I
We, as parents, are concerned for you
We'll hope you dance to your bad weather
We hope you can still find joy and happiness amidst difficulties
Young love is fine
Being in love at a young age is acceptable and valid
Just please respect
Please treat others with kindness and consideration
The candles as they line
The small moments and details in life are important and deserving of recognition
I won't waste a cry
I won't let myself succumb to negative emotions
I know that we'll decide
I am confident that we will come up with a solution
You wonder why it can't stay simple
You are questioning why life is so complicated
To pet your head
To comfort and soothe you
And dress your letters
To carefully craft and express your thoughts and emotions
Don't worry about why
Don't overanalyze or stress about the small details
And split your head
To explore and expand your mind
And sleep unmolded
To rest deeply and peacefully
Young love is blind
Being in love at a young age can sometimes make us unaware of potential issues
Just please respect the candles in a line
Please appreciate and value the small yet significant moments in life
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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