the king of carrot flowers no. 1
Neutral Milk Hotel Lyrics


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When you were young
You were the king of carrot flowers
And how you built a tower tumbling through the trees
In holy rattlesnakes that fell all around your feet

And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder
And dad would throw the garbage all across the floor
As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for

And this is the room
One afternoon I knew I could love you
And from above you how I sank into your soul
Into that secret place where no one dares to go

And your mom would drink until she was no longer speaking




And dad would dream of all the different ways to die
Each one a little more than he could dare to try

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1" by Neutral Milk Hotel are a haunting and enigmatic exploration of childhood innocence, family dysfunction, and the secrets that lurk in the hidden corners of our souls. The song begins with a nostalgic remembrance of childhood, when the singer and his friend were "the king of carrot flowers" - a playful, imaginative title that suggests a carefree existence full of joy and wonder. They built towers and played in the trees, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the danger of "holy rattlesnakes".


But beneath this idyllic veneer lies a darker reality. The singer's parents are fighting, with his mom attacking his dad with a fork and his dad throwing garbage on the floor. The young narrator and his friend are left to discover their own bodies and desires, in a world of chaos and confusion. And yet, there is a sense of powerful connection between the singer and his friend, a moment of transcendence when they sink into each other's souls.


Throughout the song, there is a sense of danger and darkness lurking just beneath the surface, masked by the innocence and playfulness of childhood. The parents are struggling with addiction and depression, dreaming of death and oblivion. And yet, the singer and his friend are able to find a hidden, secret place of love and connection, where no one else dares to go.


Line by Line Meaning

When you were young
When you were a child


You were the king of carrot flowers
You felt powerful and important


And how you built a tower tumbling through the trees
You had a vivid imagination and spent time playing outside


In holy rattlesnakes that fell all around your feet
You encountered dangerous creatures that made a lasting impression


And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder
Your parents had a volatile and violent relationship


And dad would throw the garbage all across the floor
Your father acted out destructively during arguments


As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for
As young people, we explored our sexuality and discovered each other physically


And this is the room
I remember a moment in time and place


One afternoon I knew I could love you
When I reflected on our time together, I realized my strong feelings for you


And from above you how I sank into your soul
I felt a deep, almost mystical connection with you


Into that secret place where no one dares to go
We shared a private bond that was difficult to express or describe


And your mom would drink until she was no longer speaking
Your mother had a problematic relationship with alcohol


And dad would dream of all the different ways to die
Your father had suicidal ideations and struggled with his mental health


Each one a little more than he could dare to try
His thoughts were alarming and disturbing, but he never acted on them




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEFF MANGUM

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@ariel9776

1. King of Carrot Flowers Pt 1.
When you were young
You were the king of carrot flowers
And how you built a tower tumbling through the trees
In holy rattlesnakes that fell all around your feet

And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder
And dad would throw the garbage all across the floor
As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for

And this is the room
One afternoon I knew I could love you
And from above you, how I sank into your soul
Into that secret place where no one dares to go

And your mom would drink until she was no longer speaking
And dad would dream of all the different ways to die
Each one a little more than he could dare to try



@ariel9776

The King of Carrot Flowers Pt 2-3
I love you Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ I love you
Yes I do

I love you Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ I love you
Yes I do

And on the lazy days
The dogs dissolve and drain away
The world it goes
And all awaits
The day we are awaiting

Up and over
We go through the wave and undertow
I will float until I learn how to swim
Inside my mother in a garbage bin
Until I find myself again again

Up and over we go
Mouths open wide and spitting still
And I will spit until I learn how to speak
Up through the doorway as the sideboards creek
With them ever proclaiming me me oh

Up and over
We go the weight it sits on down and I don't know
I will shout until they know what I mean
I mean the marriage of a dead dog sing
And a synthetic flying machine machine
Oh-oohh-oh-oh
Oh-oohh-oh-oh
Oh-oohh-oh-oh
Oh-oohh-oh-oh
(Okay)



@josephiscancelled2732

When you were young you were the king of carrot flowers
And how you built a tower tumbling through the trees
In holy rattlesnakes that fell all around your feet

And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder
And dad would throw the garbage all across the floor
As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for

And this is the room one afternoon I knew I could love you
And from above you how I sank into your soul
Into that secret place where no one dares to go

And your mom would drink until she was no longer speaking
And dad would dream of all the different ways to die
Each one a little more than he could dare to try


I love you Jesus Christ (Churiiiiisst)
Jesus Christ, I love you, yes I do (oooo)
I love you Jesus Christ (Churiiiiisst)
Jesus Christ, I love you, yes I do (ooooo)

And on the lazy days
The dogs dissolve and drain away
The world it goes and always waits
The day we are awaiting


Up and over, we go through the wave and undertow
I will float until I learn how to swim
Inside my mother in a garbage bin
Until I find myself again, again
(oh oh oh oh oh)
Up and over we go with mouths open wide and spitting still
I will spit until I learn how to speak
Up through the doorway as the sideboards creak
With them ever proclaiming me, me
(oh oh)
Up and over we go, the weight it sits on down and I don't know
I will shout until they know what I mean
I mean the marriage of a dead dog sing
And a synthetic flying machine, machine
(oh oh oh oh oh
oh oh oh oh oh
oh oh oh oh oh
oh oh oh oh oh
okay)



@jasonleon857

When you were young
You were the king of carrot flowers
And how you built a tower tumbling through the trees
In holy rattlesnakes that fell all around your feet
And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder
And dad would throw the garbage all across the floor
As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for
And this is the room
One afternoon I knew I could love you
And from above you how I sank into your soul
Into that secret place where no one dares to go
And your mom would drink until she was no longer speaking
And dad would dream of all the different ways to die
Each one a little more than he could dare to try



@julipazos1146

I love you, Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, I love you, yes I do
I love you, Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ, I love you, yes I do
And on the lazy days, the dogs dissolve and drain away
The world it goes and always waits
The day we are awaiting

Part Three

[Verse 2]
Up and over we go
Through the wave and undertow
I will float until I learn how to swim
Inside my mother in a garbage bin
Until I find myself again
Again, oh-oh-oh-oh

[Verse 3]
Up and over we go
Mouths open wide and spitting snow
I will spit until I learn how to speak
Up through the doorway as the sideboards creak
With them ever proclaiming me
Me, oh

[Verse 4]
Up and over we go
The weight it sits on down and I don't know
I will shout until they know what I mean
I mean the marriage of a dead dog sing
And a synthetic flying machine
Machine, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
(Okay)



@omegascrub

"And now a song for Jesus Christ
and since this seems to confuse
people I'd like to simply say that I
mean what I sing although the
theme of endless endless on this
album is not based on any religion
but more in the belief that all
things seem to contain a white light
within them that I see as eternal" - Jeff Mangum



@paulmarsh9544

When you were young, you were the king of carrot flowers
And how you built a tower tumbling through the trees
In holy rattlesnakes that fell all around your feet
And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder
And dad would throw the garbage all across the floor
As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for

[Verse 2]
And this is the room one afternoon, I knew I could love you
And from above you how I sank into your soul
Into that secret place where no one dares to go
And your mom would drink until she was no longer speaking
And dad would dream of all the different ways to die
Each one a little more than he could dare to try



@jonconnell2613

The whole controversial “I love you Jesus Christ” thing - Jeff was from an abusive chaotic family and my interpretation of it is he will sometimes revert to a belief that helps him deal with how bad he feels

It doesn’t mean that either it’s a completely true belief or that he’s religious , he just goes there hoping it will fix something in him that it ultimately can’t.

I am a recovering abusive victim who has done this myself and that’s what I feel Jeff transmitting here, whether it was his deliberate intention to when he wrote it or not.

Probably just some powerful subconscious shit because he was an amazing songwriter and I imagine he just wrote what came to him.

If you listen to the chaos of the lyrics and music versus that one random line about Jesus, it fits together
I fucking love his music 💯💚



All comments from YouTube:

@vanquishingrace5043

Neutral Milk Hotel is perfect for trying to learn how to sing and play guitar at the same time.

@joshbryant3776

Ruben Chapman I learned how to play and sing when I learned in the aeroplane over the sea! I’m on a mission to learn all of their songs. Ive learned engine, in the aeroplane over the sea and pt.1 of this masterpiece next on my list is three peaches

@bruhfrbruh

@Josh Bryant I started learning the guitar a few weeks ago and it's the first song I'm learning altogether! :))

@joshbryant3776

JustAnotherBoredRedditor great choice! They have some good beginner songs. Keep at it and next thing you know you’re gonna be ripping up king of carrot flowers

@arvidbergman

@bradyn bassett The guitar chords on a lot of Neutral Milk Hotel songs are very simple, yes.

@Oceanmachine27

@bradyn bassett Jeff Mangum has a tendency to sing very drawn-out lines that take a lot of vocal stamina-- dude sings like he's got three lungs. Good training for aspiring singers.

33 More Replies...

@JackT13

‘And dad would dream of all the different ways to die, each one a little more than he could dare to try’
Powerful, powerful stuff

@yaboiiiogre1332

You know you have found a great album when not a single person is complaining that they were “born in the wrong generation”

@genericprotagonist2842

This is one of the most obscure songs on you, so I'm not surprised.

@peterkrothotkin8700

Well now that you say it...

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