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.
Dragon Slayer
Animal Collective Lyrics
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And become all the water
I watch the red fire breathe
How many days will it buy, buy?
I saw a red kite fly
Was it held by an anchor?
I saw a red kite burn
Enemies change their minds
Don't think you're above an
Infinite blasts of light on wooded cares
Elements in the mine are tipping the public
Focusing on design from burning stairs
Hold them, let them bleed, let them bleed
Find the main road
Hold them, hard to see, hard to see
Hear the seagulls
Hold them, let them bleed, let them bleed
Find the main road
Hold them hard to see, hard to see
Hear the sea
Slayers
Soul stars
I heard the red fire whine
And simmer in the water
Where the red fire wanders
I'll walk in its veins, veins
Enemies change their minds
Don't think you're above an
Infinite blasts of light on wooded cares
Elements in the mine are tipping the public
Focusing on design from burning stairs
Hold them, let them bleed, let them bleed
Find the main road
Hold them, hard to see, hard to see
Hear the seagulls
Hold them, let them bleed, let them bleed
Find the main road
Hold them, hard to see, hard to see
Hear the seagulls
Hold them, let them bleed, let them bleed
Find the main road
Hold them, hard to see, hard to see
Hear the seagulls
Hold them, let them bleed, let them bleed
Find the main road
Hold them, hard to see, hard to see
Hear the seagulls
The lyrics of Animal Collective's "Dragon Slayer" are poetic and open to interpretation. The imagery evokes natural forces, such as fire, water, and wind, that seem to merge and transform into each other, blurring the boundaries between them. The first stanza describes the magical transmutation of fire into water, and the mesmerizing effect this process has on the singer. The question "How many days will it buy, buy?" suggests that the singer is aware of the fleeting nature of this phenomenon and its limited duration.
The second stanza introduces a different image, that of a red kite, a type of bird of prey that is also a toy that can be flown from a string. However, the kite in this context may have a more symbolic meaning, perhaps representing a dream or an aspiration that is fleeting and fragile, easily lost or destroyed. The line "I saw a string gone astray" reinforces this interpretation, as it suggests that the kite has lost its mooring and is no longer under control.
The rest of the song repeats the same two stanzas, adding the refrain "Hold them, let them bleed, let them bleed / Find the main road / Hold them hard to see, hard to see / Hear the seagulls" at regular intervals. The refrain appears to have a hypnotic effect, emphasizing the idea of holding on to something that is precious but elusive, like a dragon that needs to be slayed. The song ends with the enigmatic lines "Slayers / Soul stars", which suggest that the dragon slayer may have achieved some kind of transcendence or enlightenment.
Line by Line Meaning
I watch the red fire rise
I observe the flames of a fire grow taller
And become all the water
Until the fire transforms into nothing but water
I watch the red fire breathe
I watch as the fire rises and falls, as if it is alive
How many days will it buy, buy?
How much time will this fire be able to sustain us?
I saw a red kite fly
I witnessed a red kite soaring high in the sky
Was it held by an anchor?
I wonder if the kite was being held down by a weight on the ground
I saw a red kite burn
I saw the beautiful red kite catch fire and disintegrate
I saw a string gone astray
The string meant to hold the kite had come undone, leading to its destruction
Enemies change their minds
Those who are against us are fickle and may switch sides
Don't think you're above an
Do not underestimate the power of
Infinite blasts of light on wooded cares
An endless barrage of light shining down on the tress in the forest
Elements in the mine are tipping the public
The natural resources being depleted are beginning to affect the people
Focusing on design from burning stairs
We are searching for new ideas by starting from scratch and rebuilding from the ground up
Hold them, let them bleed, let them bleed
Capture them and allow them to suffer and feel the consequences of their actions
Find the main road
Focus on the most important route or goal to achieve
Hard to see, hard to see
Unclear and difficult to comprehend
Hear the seagulls
Listen to the sounds of the seagulls as a reminder of the beauty of nature
Slayers
Those who defeat their enemies
Soul stars
Those with powerful inner spirits
I heard the red fire whine
The fire began to make a high-pitched noise
And simmer in the water
Becoming calm and slowly coming to a stop
Where the red fire wanders
The path the fire takes
I'll walk in its veins, veins
I will follow the path of the fire closely, as if tracing the veins in a leaf
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: David Portner, Noah Lennox, Brian Weitz, Joshua Dibb
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind