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.
Water Curses
Animal Collective Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To be the motion actor,
Two broken strings, attracted,
To groom my face in life and doom
Hesitate to throw a coin in,
A wish could be a bad thing,
Standing on the bridge I
Wink at you from up high
A talking fish comes as she moves
I want to be like water
And never need a doctor
And carve the earth without my tools
Do it all
All the things that I relate to well,
Like authors and painters
Transparent paper wings
That float above me while I sleep
To make the room more natural
So we could die in it and die in it and die
The color after sunset
You?d do anything to jinx it,
It?ll crush your sculpture just like a willow,
He doesn?t need a house
His shoes will walk for miles
That drips the bugs parts on my pillow.
I want to be like water and slip into your throat
And make you feel alive and good
I want to be like water and never have a doubt and
Reflect what is around my pool
Do it all
All the things that I relate to them
Like authors and painters,
Transparent paper wings
That float above me while I sleep
To make the room more natural
So we could die in it and die in it and die.
And all the dreams that I awake to read like ghostly paintings
And all the things I hate, I wish I didn?t have to hate
To find a room that's natural
To live and die in it, live and die, live and die.
I don?t think you know just what you?re doing
You pretend to know exactly all the things you keep on moving
Said I don?t think I know exactly what I?m doing
But I tend to know exactly all the things you keep on moving
When you wake up from your snoozin?
I?ll tell you how to do it my way
I?ll tell you what I?m doin?
There?s a knife up in the drawer
Anybody try to stop it
And I?ll find out where you?re stompin?
And it?s all about the days you spend
Well, I?ll be at our home
I don?t think you know just what you?re doing
You pretend to know exactly all the things you keep on moving
Said I don?t think I know exactly what I?m doing
But I tend to know exactly all the things you keep on moving
When you wake up from your snoozin?
I?ll tell you how to do it my way
I?ll tell you what I?m doin?
There?s a knife up in the drawer
Anybody try to stop it
And I?ll find out where you?re stompin?
And it?s all about the days you spend
Well, I?ll be at our home
When you wake up from your snoozin?
I?ll tell you how to do it my way
I?ll tell you what I?m doin?
There?s a knife up in the drawer
Anybody try to stop it
And I?ll find out where you?re stompin?
And it?s all about the days you spend
Well, I?ll be at our home
Water Curses by Animal Collective is a dreamlike, introspective song that uses surrealistic imagery to convey the sense of wanting to be fluid, adaptable, and free. The lyrics seem to be exploring the idea of transformation and metamorphosis - being able to change oneself like water changes its shape or flow. The first verse begins with the line "To be the motion actor," which suggests a desire to control one's own movement and destiny. The singer then mentions "Two broken strings, attracted," which could be interpreted as a reference to the two opposing but complementary forces of attraction and repulsion that drive all movement.
The second verse describes a scene in which the singer is standing on a bridge and winking at someone from up high. A "talking fish" appears as the person moves, adding to the surreal, dreamlike quality of the lyrics. The chorus repeats the idea of wanting to be like water - never needing a doctor, carving the earth effortlessly, and reflecting what is around one's pool. The third verse introduces darker imagery, with references to insects and a knife in a drawer, hinting at the idea that transformation can also be destructive.
Overall, the lyrics of Water Curses are open to interpretation and seem to encourage the listener to engage with the song in a personal and introspective way, making it a quintessential Animal Collective track.
Line by Line Meaning
To be the motion actor,
I desire to be a force of movement and change.
Two broken strings, attracted,
Two flawed, incomplete things have been drawn together.
To groom my face in life and doom
I seek to shape my appearance and destiny.
Hesitate to throw a coin in,
I'm cautious about making a wish, fearing it may backfire.
A wish could be a bad thing,
The act of wishing has an unpredictable outcome.
My mouth is just a ocean of drool
My speech is meaningless and uncontrolled.
Standing on the bridge I
I am suspended between different parts of my life.
Wink at you from up high
I signal to someone from a superior vantage point.
A talking fish comes as she moves
A surreal creature appears as a woman walks by.
I want to be like water
I aspire to embody fluidity and adaptability.
And never need a doctor
I hope to be self-sufficient and self-healing.
And carve the earth without my tools
I seek to shape my environment through my own natural ability.
Do it all
I want to achieve everything I've set out to do.
All the things that I relate to well,
I connect deeply with certain concepts, like art and creativity.
Like authors and painters
I appreciate the work of those who express themselves through art.
Transparent paper wings
Fragile and ethereal objects float above me.
That float above me while I sleep
These objects appear in my dreams, influencing my subconscious.
To make the room more natural
I strive to create a sense of organic harmony in my surroundings.
So we could die in it and die in it and die.
I want a living space that is both comfortable and timeless.
The color after sunset
The hue that appears in the sky after the sun goes down.
You?d do anything to jinx it,
I fear that my actions may disrupt the beauty of nature.
It?ll crush your sculpture just like a willow,
The fragility of my artistic expression is susceptible to natural forces.
He doesn?t need a house
A person who is unattached to material possessions.
His shoes will walk for miles
This person is constantly on the move, with no fixed abode.
That drips the bugs parts on my pillow.
The discomforts of nature intrude upon my sleep and my life.
And slip into your throat
I want to be taken into someone's essence or being.
And make you feel alive and good
I desire to bring vitality and positivity to others.
And never have a doubt and
I want to achieve a state of utter confidence.
Reflect what is around my pool
I seek to absorb and mirror my environment.
And all the dreams that I awake to read like ghostly paintings
My waking life is infused with mystical and surreal imagery.
And all the things I hate, I wish I didn?t have to hate
I wish I could find a way to love or accept what repulses me.
To find a room that's natural
I am looking for a place that feels like it belongs to me.
To live and die in it, live and die, live and die.
I envision a space where I can experience the fullness of life.
You pretend to know exactly all the things you keep on moving
Some people act as though they have complete control over their lives and surroundings.
Said I don?t think I know exactly what I?m doing
I admit that I don't have all the answers.
But I tend to know exactly all the things you keep on moving
I have a deep sense of intuition and insight about others' motivations and intentions.
When you wake up from your snoozin?
I will be here when you need me.
I?ll tell you how to do it my way
I have a specific way of doing things that I would like to share.
There?s a knife up in the drawer
I am prepared to take action if necessary.
Anybody try to stop it
I will not tolerate anyone who tries to interfere with my plans.
And I?ll find out where you?re stompin?
I will be vigilant and observant, and know where you are and what you're up to.
And it?s all about the days you spend
The key to life is how you choose to use your time.
Well, I?ll be at our home
I will always be here, waiting for you.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: EUGENE MICHAEL MCGUINNESS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mike Denby
I wish I could listen to Water Curses (the song) for the first 10 times again... I've never heard anything like it before or since... so chaotically perfect
AbeEstosRuinsAGeneration
I feel this way with 75% of Animal Collective.
Kay S
Somehow this was the first song I heard by them over a decade ago and I've been obsessed ever since.
Matt
Mike Denby so very tru
daniel
Some of their most overlooked work.
kingofspades
Right now this album is the only thing getting me through life
ChaoticKreg
I hope many other things are helping you live now.
kingofspades
@Bleh Bleh thank you!
Bleh Bleh
Here’s a friendly reminder to listen to it again
Renan Marinho
Water Curses: 0:00
Street Flash: 3:25
Cobwebs: 10:14
Seal Eyeing: 14:27