Dirty Paws
Of Monsters and Med Lyrics


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Jumping up and down the floor
My head is an animal
And once there was an animal
It had a son that mowed the lawn
The son was an OK guy
They had a pet dragonfly
The dragonfly it ran away
But it came back with a story to say

Her dirty paws and furry coat
She ran down the forest slope
The forest of talking trees
They used to sing about the birds and the bees
The bees had declared a war
The sky wasn't big enough for them all
The birds, they got help from below
From dirty paws and the creatures of snow

So for a while things were cold
They were scared down in their holes
The forest that once was green
Was colored black by those killing machines
But she and her furry friends
Took down the queen bee and her men




And that's how the story goes
The story of the beast with those four dirty paws

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Of Monsters and Men's song "Dirty Paws" transport the listener on a whimsical adventure through a magical forest. The opening lines convey a sense of energy and frenetic movement, with the singer bouncing around excitedly with a head full of wild imaginings. The imagery becomes more surreal as the narration introduces an animal and its son, and then a pet dragonfly whose liberation kicks off the real story.


The narrative then shifts gears to focus on a heroine with "dirty paws and furry coat." She's a fierce and determined creature who runs bravely down the forest slope, facing down dangerous enemies like the bees who threaten the delicate balance of natural life. The forest setting comes alive with talking trees and creatures of snow, adding to the sense of wonder and otherworldliness. But there's also strife and conflict, as the bees and birds compete for space and resources. The heroine and her companions ultimately triumph over adversity, toppling the queen bee and bringing harmony back to the forest.


Overall, "Dirty Paws" is a masterful blend of whimsy, mythology, and storytelling that transports the listener to a different realm. The lyrics paint vivid pictures of an enchanted world full of conflict, but also hope and heroism. The repetition of the phrase "dirty paws" throughout the song lends a sense of continuity to the shifting narrative, reminding us of the central character and her fierce determination.


Line by Line Meaning

Jumping up and down the floor
I am so excited that I cannot contain myself.


My head is an animal
I am overwhelmed with emotions, like an untamed beast.


And once there was an animal
In the past, there was a creature that existed.


It had a son that mowed the lawn
The animal had a child who took care of the outside area.


The son was an OK guy
The child was decent, nothing particularly special.


They had a pet dragonfly
The family kept a dragonfly as a pet.


The dragonfly it ran away
The dragonfly escaped.


But it came back with a story to say
The dragonfly returned and had an interesting tale to tell.


Her dirty paws and furry coat
She had been running in the forest and was covered in dirt and had a thick coat of fur.


She ran down the forest slope
She was sprinting downhill through the trees.


The forest of talking trees
This was a magical woodland where the trees could communicate.


They used to sing about the birds and the bees
The trees used to sing about the natural world and its inhabitants.


The bees had declared a war
The bees decided to go to war.


The sky wasn't big enough for them all
There was not enough space in the sky for both the bees and the other creatures.


The birds, they got help from below
Other creatures from the forest helped the birds out.


From dirty paws and the creatures of snow
The animals that came to the aid of the birds had dirty paws and were possibly connected to the snow or winter season in some way.


So for a while things were cold
After the battle, there was a chill in the air and things were subdued.


They were scared down in their holes
The creatures were frightened and retreated to their burrows or hiding places.


The forest that once was green
The vibrant, lush woods was now changed by the violence and chaos of the bee conflict.


Was colored black by those killing machines
The machines of destruction had left their mark on the forest.


But she and her furry friends
She and other animals who shared her traits worked together.


Took down the queen bee and her men
The group was able to defeat the leader of the bees and her followers.


And that's how the story goes
This is the end of the tale.


The story of the beast with those four dirty paws
The tale of how the creature with the dirty paws saved the forest from destruction.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ARNI GUDJONSSON, NANNA BRYNDIS HILMARSDOTTIR, RAGNAR THORHALLSSON

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

@disenartcoltamayo9493

Jumping up and down the floor
My head is an animal
And once there was an animal
It had a son that mowed the lawn

The son was an OK guy
They had a pet dragonfly
The dragonfly it ran away
But it came back with a story to say

Her dirty paws and furry coat
She ran down the forest slope
The forest of talking trees
They used to sing about the birds and the bees

The bees had declared a war
The sky wasn't big enough for them all
The birds, they got help from below
From dirty paws and the creatures of snow

La la la
La la la la
La la la
La la la la

So for a while, things were cold
They were scared down in their holes
The forest that once was green
Was colored black by those killing machines

But she and her furry friends
Took down the queen bee and her men
And that's how the story goes
The story of the beast with those four dirty paws

La la la
La la la la
La la la
La la la la
La la la
La la la la
La la la
La la la la



@skylala

For anyone wondering:
The song is about WW2.
Germany was the bees
France and Britain were the birds
Americans as dirty paws
Russia as creatures of the snow
"The forest" is Europe
"The holes" are the trenches
"The killing machines" are the newly introduced artillery and turrets
The U.S. was called 'dirty paws' because of the presence in most international wars
And "The four dirty paws" are the wars that were 'popularly' fought - Revolutionary, Civil, WW1, and WW2.

Edit: I should have probably mentioned that this was my take on it, also this was like 5 years ago and I was kinda dumb back then. Still kinda am LMAO



All comments from YouTube:

@confused_rabbit09

My older brother played this on repeat at night when we were going from Tennessee to Pennsylvania. We went every other day to see my grandpa in the hospital. Now every time I hear it it reminds me of peaceful nights in a crowded car, driving down a quiet highway as the sun either went down or started to come up. Thee only two people awake were me and my brother. He was always driving so he never realized I was awake.
(somehow I had no notifications that I got likes and replies on this and when I looked back at this comment and saw them I got really happy)

@gavinabney4023

Hold onto memories like that

@tmtmbrn

I’ve read many YouTube comments in my life. That being said, I read this comment one week ago and was still thinking about it and came back to reread it. As I said, I’ve read many comments, none ever making me actually tear up, until I read this comment. It wasn’t the part about your grandfather, it was the part about being with your brother and him not realizing it. Thinking that you were alone in a moment, but low and behold, you weren’t, particularly driving down a highway during the two most dramatic moments of the day (sunrise/sunset). I wanted to let you know that a person that you never met and never will found profound beauty in that statement that. I’ve driven many sunrises and sunsets on the freeway alone and had a deep feeling of appreciation for life come over me, but just like your brother thought he was alone and actually wasn’t maybe I wasn’t alone either and that unexplainable sense of appreciation that snuck up on me was something more than can ever be explained with simple words from simple beings.

@rojiroco

@@tmtmbrn Thank you for this comment.

@Julia-sp2kt

tmtmbrn beautiful comment

@confused_rabbit09

tmtmbrn I’ve never had someone reply to one of my comments like that and it makes me so happy you thought that . Whenever your driving down the highway again think of all the other people sitting alone in their cars maybe miles ahead or miles behind , but you’re both on the same highway at the same time so your never truly alone

66 More Replies...

@xstrawberrykitkatx

I'm obsessed with songs that:
1. tell stories
2. tells that story in a way that has to be interpreted

@jjm8274

Ikr I really like songs that tell stories

@exodusuno6687

same i love them glad im not the only one

@RyoPotter

The Devil Went Down to Georgia...

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