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.
Goalkeeper
Animal Collective Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking just like he′s begging for change
Scooping your fate as you watch it go by
All the times he's been saving your hide
You′ve been supplying the thrill that he rides
And you have to be thankful tonight
He's got your string, you're the wandering kite
Strengthen the team and then watch it go wild
He can
Stand there
Do his
Thing while
He will
Wait till
The bell
Rings while
He can
Stand there
Do his
Thing while
He will
Wait till
The bell
Rings while
You can′t blame the goalie it′s not like he planned it
You can't blame the goalie he′s down on his knees
(Oh, the weight of the world)
That ball
Was lost
And he
Stood by
That ball
Was lost
And he
Stands by
I don't know if I can pass your test as goalie
But I′ll do my best 'cause I can be the only
I don′t wish that I could be the greatest goalie
Yet I'll do my best 'cause I care
They will
Cheer him
As he
Fights on
Shining
Even
From the
Sidelines
They will
Cheer him
As he
Fights on
Shining
Even
From the
Sidelines
You can′t blame the goalie it′s not like he planned it
You can't blame the goalie he′s down on his knees
(Oh, the weight of the world)
That ball
Was lost
And he
Stood by
That ball
Was lost
And he
Stands by
I don't know if I can pass your test as goalie
But I′ll do my best 'cause I can be the only
I don′t wish that I could be the greatest goalie
Yet I'll do my best 'cause I care
He can
Dive as he
Blocks as he
Kicks as he
Goes to the
Dive as he
Blocks as he
Kicks as he
Goes to the
Dive as he
Blocks as he
Kicks as he
Goes to the
Dive as he
Blocks as he
Kicks as he
Goes to the
Dive as he
Blocks as he
Kicks as he
Goes to the
Dive as he
Blocks as he
Kicks as he
Goes to the
Dive as he
Blocks as he
Kicks as he
Goes to the
Dive as he
Blocks as he
Kicks as he
Goes
The lyrics of Animal Collective's "Goalkeeper" bring to mind the image of a goalkeeper, working hard to protect the goalpost and his team's chances of winning. The lyrics speak to a sense of gratitude towards the goalkeeper, recognizing the important role he plays in the team's success. The song also describes the goalkeeper's perseverance in the face of challenges, including setbacks and failures.
The repeated refrain of "You can't blame the goalie" emphasizes the recognition that the goalkeeper is doing his best, even when things don't go as planned. The song seems to suggest that the goalkeeper is an important member of the team, even when his work often goes unnoticed.
Overall, "Goalkeeper" is a song that encourages us to appreciate the efforts of those who work behind the scenes to help us succeed, and to recognize that even those who may seem unimportant can play a vital role in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking just like he′s begging for change
The goalkeeper appears hopeless and desperate, like a person asking for money.
Scooping your fate as you watch it go by
The goalkeeper is trying to save your destiny while you watch it slip away.
All the times he's been saving your hide
The goalkeeper has protected you many times and prevented harm from coming to you.
You′ve been supplying the thrill that he rides
You've given the goalkeeper the chance to experience excitement and adrenaline by providing him with challenges to face.
And you have to be thankful tonight
You should be grateful to the goalkeeper for all the times he has saved you and your team tonight.
He's got your string, you're the wandering kite
The goalkeeper has control over you and your team; you're like a kite flying aimlessly because he's holding the string.
And he makes it so you do your things
The goalkeeper enables you to perform your tasks effectively because he's doing his job well.
Strengthen the team and then watch it go wild
When the team is strong, it becomes more capable and can surpass expectations, leaving everyone surprised and impressed.
That ball
Was lost
And he
Stood by
The goalkeeper watched helplessly as the ball went past him and into the goal.
I don't know if I can pass your test as goalie
But I′ll do my best 'cause I can be the only
I don′t wish that I could be the greatest goalie
Yet I'll do my best 'cause I care
The singer isn't confident in their ability to be a great goalkeeper, but they'll try their hardest because they're the only one available. They don't desire to be the best, but they'll still put in effort because they care about the team.
They will
Cheer him
As he
Fights on
Shining
Even
From the
Sidelines
Even when the goalkeeper is on the sidelines, the team will still support and encourage him because of his unwavering dedication and perseverance.
He can
Dive as he
Blocks as he
Kicks as he
Goes to the
The goalkeeper is skilled and versatile, capable of diving, blocking, and kicking the ball with precision and speed.
Writer(s): David Michael Portner, Noah Benjamin Lennox, Brian Weitz
Contributed by Arianna F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.