Band members:
Andrew VanWyngarden (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, drums)
Ben Goldwasser (keyboards, vocals, guitar)
Matthew Asti (bass, keyboards)
James Richardson (guitar, vocals)
Hank Sullivant (guitar, keyboards)
Will Berman (drums)
You can learn more about MGMT, browse photos, and see the tour schedule at the Official Website.
Of Moons Birds & Monsters
MGMT Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't you know about the temperature change
In the cold black shadow?
Are you mad at your walls
Or hoping that an unknown force can repair things for you?
Pardon all the time that you've thrown into your pale grey garden?
If the ship will never come you've got to move along
The prick of a feather could make a kingdom burn and the bloodshed start
The falling apart
Made me a shadow in the shape of wonder
The waves of black
If she's going under I can hold my breath till the sky comes back
Or drown like a rat, rat, rat
He's a rat!
To catch a monster
We make a movie
Set the tempo
And cut and cut its brains out
It will inspire on the burning pyre
Half the distance
Half the motion
Communication
It's easy as the ocean
Of Moons Birds & Monsters by MGMT seems to be a song about the search for something that is elusive, perhaps even mythical. The first verse speaks of cutting holes in the face of the moon base, possibly a metaphor for searching for something in the dark, cold, unknown. The lyrics suggest that the singer is frustrated with the current state of their environment, hoping for an unknown force to repair things for them, but realizing that they must take action themselves if they want to move forward. The second verse adds more depth to the metaphor, suggesting that even the smallest of creatures, such as a bird, can be tempted by the unknown and by things they do not understand.
The chorus seems to reference the idea of catching a monster, possibly through filming, and the process of dissecting and analyzing it in order to understand it better. The line "it will inspire on the burning pyre" suggests that this process of understanding can also lead to destruction. The final lines emphasize the importance of communication in this process, comparing it to the vastness of the ocean. Overall, the lyrics of Of Moons Birds & Monsters suggest a quest for knowledge and understanding that leads us to venture into the unknown, even if it means risking destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Why'd you cut holes in the face of the moon base?
Why did you make holes in the structure of the moon base?
Don't you know about the temperature change
Aren't you aware of the temperature difference?
In the cold black shadow?
In the darkness deprived of light?
Are you mad at your walls
Do you feel angry towards your walls?
Or hoping that an unknown force can repair things for you?
Or do you wish for some supernatural power to restore things for you?
Pardon all the time that you've thrown into your pale grey garden?
Can you forgive all the time that you've wasted in your dull, lifeless garden?
If the ship will never come you've got to move along
If the vessel isn't going to reach you, you must carry on with your journey
Even a bird would want a taste of dirt from abyssal dark
Even a bird would desire to experience the dirt from the depths of the darkness
The prick of a feather could make a kingdom burn and the bloodshed start
A seemingly small action can cause devastating consequences
The falling apart
The disintegration or breaking down
Made me a shadow in the shape of wonder
The destruction left me awestruck yet invisible
The waves of black
The waves of darkness
If she's going under I can hold my breath till the sky comes back
I can endure until things get better
Or drown like a rat, rat, rat
Or perish like a helpless animal
He's a rat!
Calling someone a rat is not a compliment
To catch a monster
In order to apprehend a terrifying being
We make a movie
We create an illusion
Set the tempo
Establish the pace
And cut and cut its brains out
And dismantle its core
It will inspire on the burning pyre
Its disposal will ignite memories of greatness
Half the distance
Half of the journey
Half the motion
Half of the effort
Communication
The exchange of thoughts and ideas
It's easy as the ocean
It's as easy as the ocean seems to be
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW WELLS VANWYNGARDEN, BENJAMIN NICHOLAS HUNER GOLDWASSER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind