N Dakota
Parquet Courts Lyrics
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Color the ghettos of N. Dakota
Bismark tractor association, coffee and toothpaste
This was vacation
I saw, while squinting, the hidden layer
In those lost-era grain elevators
Feudal beginnings, amber wave looseness
Post-Nordic grinning tired and toothless
Cigarette advertisement country
Wild and perfect, but lacking something
In Manitoba they called it boring
At night we hum to Canada's snoring
Westbound taken, exiled Texan
From a former Dutch trade encampment
Former slave quarters tucked by the alley
Serf population too high to tally
In the song "N Dakota" by Parquet Courts, the lyrics paint a picture of a traveler's experience in North Dakota. The first two lines refer to the contrasting imagery of train death paintings and anti-meth murals decorating the run-down areas of the state. The next few lines mention some mundane things that the singer came across during their vacation in North Dakota, such as the Bismark tractor association and everyday household items like coffee and toothpaste. However, the singer also notices something hidden beneath the surface in the old grain elevators, which were once a symbol of the state's feudal beginnings and amber waves of grain.
The lyrics then take a turn as the singer reflects on the state's identity, calling it "cigarette advertisement country" - simultaneously wild and perfect, but lacking something. The next few lines mention Manitoba, the neighboring province of Canada, where the locals dubbed North Dakota as boring. The last few lines of the song mention the singer's journey westward, where they pass through former Dutch trade encampments, slave quarters, and notice the high population of serfs in North Dakota.
Overall, the lyrics to "N Dakota" seem to convey a sense of melancholy and nostalgia for a state that may have seen better days, highlighting the contrast between its industrial past and its current state of affairs.
Line by Line Meaning
Train death paintings, anti-meth murals
N Dakota has a bizarre, cultish culture that celebrates strange beliefs or perhaps macabre tendencies
Color the ghettos of N. Dakota
The state is littered with poverty-ridden neighbourhoods augmented by the bright and vivid street art
Bismark tractor association, coffee and toothpaste
The few leisure activities this state has to offer invariably revolve around industrial machines, caffeine fixes, and personal hygiene
This was vacation
The artist seems rather unimpressed or unamused with their leisurely trip to N Dakota
I saw, while squinting, the hidden layer
The artist had to physically make out details that were barely distinguishable - indicating the state doesn't have much to offer
In those lost-era grain elevators
N Dakota is stuck in the past, with many structures that existed a long time ago still around as landmarks or in use
Feudal beginnings, amber wave looseness
The state was part of a feudal system in the past, and retains an agricultural culture that exists with almost unreal stillness at times
Post-Nordic grinning tired and toothless
The people sport the look of a torpid population that is reluctant to engage with the world - a reflection of the local experience of isolation and stoicism
Cigarette advertisement country
Lack of notable landmarks and people has ensured that new add campaigns remains the cornerstone of cultural promotion
Wild and perfect, but lacking something
Endless vistas of subtly-different landscapes may exist, but these wonders pale in comparison to social and cultural activities
In Manitoba they called it boring
The state is generally regarded as mundane and not noteworthy
At night we hum to Canada's snoring
Life in N Dakota is so slow that the sound of Canada's nationwide routine serves as comfort or entertainment for some residents
Westbound taken, exiled Texan
A Texan who found themselves stranded in a dreary place, inexplicably railroaded into spending time in N Dakota
From a former Dutch trade encampment
The state was founded by Dutch traders and bears the signs of their presence, even today
Former slave quarters tucked by the alley
Slavery was once legal, and has left its legacy in modern day North Dakota in the form of scattered and hidden slave quarters
Serf population too high to tally
A vast proportion of the state population are unskilled workers who are minimally compensated for their labor, resulting in a veritable serfdom that is difficult to put an exact number on
Lyrics Ā© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW CHRISTOPHER SAVAGE, AUSTIN BROWN, MAX SAVAGE, SEAN YEATON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael Beltran
Such a beautiful and devastating portrait of dilapidated contemporary Americana.
ding
couldn't have said it better.
Colin Drayer
Very well put.
nsr4interpol
They should do more slow songs like this and Instant Dissassembly =)
Zia Zaidi
Heard the live version they did for KEXP and I felt like Austin's vocals should be louder than A. Savage's. Good to know that the original song is like that.
mustafa sardan
This song tastes like Pavement.
Ash
The band or the sidewalk?? I guess both work
thewirah1
This sounds like a song you would find on The Presidents of the United States of America's first album.
Trey Anastasio
This track slaps.
Angus Thermopyle
What a jam (Iām from Bawstin) š¤š