Penguin Prison is Chris Glover from New York, who first rose to prominence … Read Full Bio ↴Penguin Prison is Chris Glover from New York, who first rose to prominence with a college band called "The Smartest People at Bard", whose demos came to the attention of Q-Tip and, through him, Interscope. A solo album for the Universal label followed in 2009 but it attracted scant attention, so in the same year Glover left, took up the new moniker and began gaining recognition with remixes, amongst others, for Goldfrapp, Marina & the Diamonds, Passion Pit.

Glover developed an electro pop sound with producer Dan Grech-Marguerat (Scissor Sisters, Radiohead) and two singles followed on US indie label Neon Gold: his first single" Animal Animal / A Funny Thing", released on November 23rd 2009 and the follow up "The worst it gets / Something I'm Not", which came out on March 22nd 2010. Third single "Golden Train" was released on November 22 through Wall of Sound. He then signed to Downtown Records in the US and to Stranger Records in other territories, including the UK, Germany, Spain, Austria and Australia.

His single "Fair Warning" was released as a one-track download on June 27th 2011, with a B-side and a remix bundle on August 22.

Further remix credits can be found in relation to artists like Sébastien Tellier, Erik Hassle, Ellie Goulding, Jack Peñate, Golden Silvers, Jamiroquai, Faithless, Kimbra, The Temper Trap and Kylie Minogue.

www.penguinprison.com

Animal Animal
Penguin Prison Lyrics

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Animal animal I want to be
I want to be
Animal animal I want to be
I want to be

I don't want to think anymore
About anything that I can't see
I can't think about anything

Unless that thing is in front of me

Everything I've ever said
And every time I've never spoke
It's because a memory
And I can't remember it now
You can tell me what I've done
But I wont recognize
You'll have to introduce yourself to me every time

Animal animal I want to be
I want to be
Animal animal I want to be
I want to be

Everyone I meet likes me the same
I only have one face that'll never change
It doesn't mean that I don't want to talk to you
It just means that you couldn't tell me the truth

Nothing is ever gone
Unless it was never here
Something worth thinking of
Before you try to forget
Everything you've ever said
And every time you've never spoke
It isn't just a memory
You can't get rid of it now

Animal animal I want to be
I want to be
Animal animal I want to be
I want to be

I'm nervous
And I've been beaten into shape
What are my feelings
I don't know what they are this week
I would've noticed
I wasn't tall enough to see
I wish Mike Tyson was my friend
Then I would tell him everything

That I'm so nervous
And I've been beaten into shape
What are my feelings
I don't know what they are this week
I would've noticed
I wasn't tall enough to see
I wish Mike Tyson was my friend
Then I would tell him everything

Animal animal I want to be
I want to be

Animal animal I want to be
I want to be

Overall Meaning

In the song "Animal Animal" by Penguin Prison, the lyrics almost act as a stream of consciousness, describing the desire to escape the complexities of life and instead embrace a more simple, instinctual existence. The repeated refrain of "Animal animal I want to be" drives home this desire for a more primal, less cerebral existence.

The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, with the singer expressing the desire to stop thinking and instead focus solely on what is in front of them. The lines "Everything I've ever said / And every time I've never spoke / It's because a memory / And I can't remember it now" speak to the fleeting nature of memory and how easily the past can slip away from us.

The second verse begins with the line "Everyone I meet likes me the same / I only have one face that'll never change," suggesting a sense of detachment from other people and a longing to connect on a deeper level. The final lines of the song, "I wish Mike Tyson was my friend / Then I would tell him everything," reveal a vulnerability and desire for honesty and understanding in the face of uncertainty and confusion.

Overall, "Animal Animal" explores themes of simplicity, memory, and authenticity, as the singer grapples with the complexities of modern life and yearns for a more instinctual existence.

Line by Line Meaning

Animal animal I want to be
I desire to live my life like an animal

I don't want to think anymore
I am tired of worrying about things I cannot see

About anything that I can't see
I cannot comprehend anything unless it is tangible and visible in front of me

Everything I've ever said
Every spoken word I have uttered throughout my life

And every time I've never spoke
Every instance where I chose not to vocalize my thoughts

It's because a memory
I am unable to recall why I refrained from speaking

And I can't remember it now
It is impossible for me to retrieve the reason why I stayed silent

You can tell me what I've done
You have the ability to inform me of my past actions

But I won't recognize
However, I may not recollect those actions or recognize them as my own

Animal animal I want to be
I aspire to live a life similar to that of an animal

Everyone I meet likes me the same
I am consistently perceived in the same manner by everyone I encounter

I only have one face that'll never change
I possess a singular expression that is constant and will never alter

It doesn't mean that I don't want to talk to you
My lack of a varied expression does not indicate any lack of desire to engage in conversation with you

It just means that you couldn't tell me the truth
Unfortunately, my limited expression may make it difficult for you to be fully honest with me

Nothing is ever gone
An object or memory cannot disappear completely

Unless it was never here
However, if the object or memory never existed in the first place, it can never truly disappear

Something worth thinking of
Something that has significance and deserves contemplation

Before you try to forget
It is important to attempt to discard this object or memory before completely dismissing it

I'm nervous
I am feeling anxious or frightened

And I've been beaten into shape
I have undergone a rigorous program or training that has molded me into a particular form

What are my feelings
I am unsure of what emotions I am currently experiencing

I don't know what they are this week
My emotions may vary from week to week and may be difficult to identify

I would've noticed
If I was of sufficient height, I would have taken notice

I wish Mike Tyson was my friend
I desire Mike Tyson's companionship

Then I would tell him everything
Through this friendship, I would feel comfortable confiding in him