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.
Did You See The Words?
Animal Collective Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The words cut open your poor intestines
Can't deny when the inky periods drip from your mailbox and blood flies dip and glide reach down
Inside
There's something living in these lines.
And when your newest kisser is peeking
You dress yourself up tonight get all tangled up in arms and legs it's cramped up and someone grabs a hold do you go
Should you go home?
There's something starting don't know why.
And in a house so cozy few words are spoken
Let's take our shoes off and unwind when there's minuets off in the background drowning out eyes off ears off test the kiss
Goodnight
A kiss goodnight
Don't keep my loving on my mind.
Because it's messy, yes, this mess is mine
Though mine is messy yours is maybe nine
Look we've had similar stitches
Look we have similar frowns
Do the elderly couples still kiss and hug and grab their big wrinkly skin so tough wrinkly wrink wrink wrinkly rough…?
Did you see the words you know?
(Give me rabies bring you babies at the hospital)
Violent ends with friends that go
(I kissed a few in sticky shoes our cartoon show is broken)
Doo, doo, doo, doo...
Oh, oh, oh, oh...
The lyrics of "Did You See The Words?" by Animal Collective are filled with abstract and cryptic imagery, yet there is still a formidable meaning that can be discerned. The song is about introspection and self-discovery in the context of romantic relationships. The opening lines describe the feeling of being vulnerable and exposed by someone's words - perhaps a lover's sharp or critical remarks. The "inky periods" that "drip from your mailbox" refer to written communication; the dripping ink symbolic of blood representing how hurtful words can feel. But within these words there are hidden revelations, conveying the importance of reading between the lines.
The second verse describes the beginning of a new relationship, with the nervous excitement and confusion that can come with it. The singer finds themselves in a cramped space, embraced by a lover, and asks if they should go home or if they should give in to this growing attraction. It's a moment of indecision that many people can relate to when faced with the daunting uncertainty of a new connection. The closing lines of the song revert back to more ambiguous themes and phrasings, leaving room for personal interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you seen them?
Have you ever read something so powerful that it made you feel physically sick?
The words cut open your poor intestines
The words are so impactful, they hurt you deep within.
Can't deny when the inky periods drip from your mailbox and blood flies dip and glide reach down
The words are so powerful, they make you feel like you are bleeding.
Inside There's something living in these lines.
The words possess a life and power that is beyond their written form.
And when your newest kisser is peeking
When you are caught up in the moment with a new lover,
You dress yourself up tonight get all tangled up in arms and legs it's cramped up and someone grabs a hold do you go
You find yourself tangled in the heat of passion, but should you go home before things get too intense?
Ohhhhh Should you go home?
Do you leave the moment of passion behind, and retreat to the safety of your own home?
There's something starting don't know why.
There is a certain sense of excitement and curiosity at the beginning of a new relationship.
And in a house so cozy few words are spoken
In this home with comfortable silence, there is no need for words.
Let's take our shoes off and unwind when there's minuets off in the background drowning out eyes off ears off test the kiss
As we enjoy soft classical music, let's get closer and disconnect from the stimuli around us.
Goodnight A kiss goodnight
We kiss each other goodnight, and part ways till morning.
Don't keep my loving on my mind.
Let's not let our love consume us or cloud our judgment.
Because it's messy, yes, this mess is mine
Love is always confusing and never quite clear, but it is my mess to sort out.
Though mine is messy yours is maybe nine
While my love life may seem complicated, yours is probably more simple and straightforward.
Look we've had similar stitches
We have both gone through some painful experiences.
Look we have similar frowns
Our expressions reflect our mutual inner pain.
Do the elderly couples still kiss and hug and grab their big wrinkly skin so tough wrinkly wrink wrink wrinkly rough…?
Do couples in love grow old together, and still find each other physically attractive despite the inevitable effects of aging?
Did you see the words you know?
Did you hear the unspoken message conveyed by the words?
(Give me rabies bring you babies at the hospital)
The words are nonsensical and seem to be random phrases that hold no significance.
Violent ends with friends that go
Sometimes relationships with friends may end badly, and partings can be painful.
(I kissed a few in sticky shoes our cartoon show is broken)
Memories may be imperfectly recollected, but they still hold some meaning.
Doo, doo, doo, doo...
A meaningless musical phrase, signifying the end of the song.
Oh, oh, oh, oh...
A meaningless vocalization, signifying the end of the song.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Matt_Dylan
Have you seen them? The words cut open
Your poor intestines can't deny
When the inky periods drip from your mailbox and
Blood flies dip and glide reach down inside
There's something living in these lines
And when your newest kisser is peeking
You dress yourself up tonight
Get all tangled up in arms and legs it's cramped up and
Someone grabs a hold do you go ohhhhhh?
Should you go home?
There's something starting dont know why
And in a house so cozy few words are spoken
Let's take our shoes off and unwind
When there's minuets off in the background drowning out
Eyes off ears off test the kiss goodnight
A kiss goodnight
Don't keep my loving on my mind
Because it's messy yes this mess is mine
Though mine is messy yours is maybe nine
Look we have similar stitches
Look we have similar frowns
Do the elderly couples still kiss and hug and
Grab their big wrinkly skin so tough wrinkly wrink wrink wrinkly rough
Did you see the words you know
Give me rabies bring you babies at the hospital
Violent ends with friends that go
I kissed a few in sticky shoes our cartoon show is broken
Did you see the words you know
Give me rabies bring you babies at the hospital
Violent ends with friends that go
thisizmyname1
You know a song's great when you literally can't stop listening to it. You turn it off, and you still hear it in your head, and you can't wait to play it again. Wonderful music.
Anthony Cheek
this is the greatest band of all time
Thecookj
Really weird and cool band
ChaoticKreg
No other band hits the "Life's a trip and we're all on it" theme like Animal Collective does. This music makes me want to weap in dispair and cry out with jubilant love at the same time.
Mango
I like what you say, but you may be wrong.
Obdeisib Cirrus
Idk if I’d say best but I do think they are up there with the most inventive, innovative, and forward thinking groups with some of the most interesting soundscapes and experimentation.
Niggato
@Henry HerGo exactly
Gabriel Is Dead
This song contains the most joy in any song I've ever had the privilege to experience, it's so potent it's palpable
hippiecheezburger
It’s an incredible sound that has aged well
Winston Donahee
Man this album and song will always remind me of summers in high school when me and my friends would board around town, smoke at parks, trip at our friends houses and walk around, or when I first heard them and would listen to this song at parks skipping a class or two and feel this amazing high just sitting under a tree. I don't get that high I used to feel listening to this album but I feel a strong nostoligia beyond words. A simpler time