The band slightly evolved away from their raw early sound with their third album, We Kill Computers, and with their 2011 release, Unpersons. Their next two offerings, 2014's Do Not Engage and 2016's Positive Thinking, found them expanding their sound even further with psychedelic rock and rockabilly influences. Both members cite literature and film as huge inspiration for much of their songwriting, especially science fiction and horror genres. These inpirations are also present in their highly stylized music videos, which are often violent and visually striking homages to beloved sci-fi films.
They also like soup.
Build
The Pack A.D. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it was a good home
It treated me so fine
It never let me down
Then it left out
Left me on my own
And now I'm by the lake
I build it out of stone
'Cause I can build a home
Well I had a good friend
And he was a good friend
He treated me so fine
He never let me down
Then you left out
You left me on my own
And now I'm by the lake
Where I have realized
That I don't need you now
'Cause I can build a friend
Well I had a good man
And he was a good man
He treated me so fine
He never let me down
Then you left out
You left me on my own
And now I'm by the lake
Where I have realized
That I don't need you now
'Cause I can build a man
The Pack A.D.'s song "Build" is a melancholic but empowering track that speaks of loss and rebuilding. The song features the repetitive chorus of "I don't need it now, cause I can build a [home/friend/man]" which echoes the ability to move on from past hurt and disappointment. The verses detail the loss of a home, a friend, and a significant other, all of which were once good and treated the singer well. However, each of these entities left the singer alone, prompting them to build a new life for themselves by the lake, out of stone.
The metaphor of building a home is used frequently in the song, representing the act of creating something new and strong from the remnants of what once was. The lyrics suggest that while the past may have been good, it's important to not linger in it and to move forward by constructing something new. This is a powerful message of resilience, determination, and self-sufficiency.
Overall, "Build" is a song about finding strength in oneself and rebuilding after heartbreak. It's a reminder that while endings may be painful, they also provide an opportunity for growth and reinvention.
Line by Line Meaning
I had a good home
I used to have a nice, comfortable place to live
And it was a good home
My home was a really great place
It treated me so fine
My home was always good to me
It never let me down
My home never disappointed me
Then it left out
But then it was gone
Left me on my own
It abandoned me to be alone
And now I'm by the lake
Now I'm alone by a lake
I build it out of stone
So I'm building a new home from stones
'Cause I don't need it now
I don't need my old home anymore
'Cause I can build a home
I can make a new home for myself
Well I had a good friend
I used to have a close friend
And he was a good friend
He was a really great friend
He treated me so fine
He always treated me well
He never let me down
I could always count on him
Then you left out
But then you were gone
You left me on my own
You abandoned me to be alone
And now I'm by the lake
Now I'm alone by a lake
Where I have realized
There, I've come to understand
That I don't need you now
That I don't need you anymore
'Cause I can build a friend
I can find a new friend
Well I had a good man
I used to have a great partner
And he was a good man
He was a kind and caring person
He treated me so fine
He always treated me well
He never let me down
He was always there for me
Then you left out
But then you were gone
You left me on my own
You left me alone to fend for myself
And now I'm by the lake
Now I'm alone by a lake
Where I have realized
There, I've come to understand
That I don't need you now
That I don't need you anymore
'Cause I can build a man
I can find a new partner
Contributed by Lillian K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.