Despite the name “Australia”, the song does not reference Australia at all.
“Australia” peaked at number 62 on April 21, 2007 on the UK Singles' Chart.
Critics reacted mostly positively to the song. Pitchfork Media commented that:
"‘Australia’ is a peppy rocker in the spirit of Chutes' best, elevated by a newfound confidence and expressive range in Mercer’s voice."
This song philosophically ponders the meaning of human existence, and human potential. It looks at the inevitability of death, religion, finding love and old age. On the surface, the writer and lead vocals of this song, James Mercer reflect on the average office job:
"That’s from my memories of working in offices. I’ve had a hundred different jobs, and there is a special kind of sickness doing a job in an office. I was a bookkeeper and a secretary, and there is something so horribly boring and defeating about it."
Australia
The Shins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No!
La-la-la-la
La-la-la-la
La-la-la-la
(Born to) Born to multiply
All you want's one more Saturday
Well, look here, until then
They're gonna buy your life's time
So keep your wick in the air and your feet in the fetters
'Til the day
We come in doing cartwheels
We all crawl out by ourselves
And your shape on the dance floor
Will have me thinking such filth I'll gouge my eyes
You'd be damned to be one of us, girl
Faced with a dodo's conundrum
I felt like I could just fly
But nothing happened every time I tried
Ooh, ooh
A duotone on the wall
Selfless fool who hoped he'd save us all
Never dreamt of such sterile hands
You keep 'em folded in your lap
Or raise them up to beg for scraps
You know he's holding you down
With the tips of his fingers just the same
Will you be pulled from the ocean
A-just a minute too late
Or changed by a potion
To find a handsome young mate for you to love
You'll be damned to pining through the windowpanes
You know you'd trade your life for any ordinary Joe
Well, do it now or grow old
Your nightmares only need a year or two to unfold
Been alone since you were twenty-one
You haven't laughed since January
You try and make like this is so much fun
But we know it to be quite contrary
La-la-la-la, la-la-la
Dare to be one of us, girl
Faced with the android's conundrum
I felt like I should just cry
But nothing happens every time I take one on the chin
You're Himmler in your coat, you don't know how long I've been
Watching the lantern dim, starved of oxygen
So give me your hand and let's jump out the window
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-la-la-la-la
The lyrics to The Shins' song "Australia" are rich in metaphor and imagery, making it a tantalizing puzzle to interpret. The opening lines, "Time to put the ear covers on? No!" suggest that the listener is about to be transported somewhere beyond reality. The next section, "Born to multiply, born to gaze into night skies, all you want's one more Saturday," paints a picture of someone for whom life is a series of unremarkable days, but who yearns for something more transcendent. However, they are tethered to the routines of life and the demands of others, who "buy" their time.
The song's chorus speaks of the inner turmoil of an outsider, the "dodo's conundrum" - the feeling of being left behind or unable to fit in with one's peers. The singer in the song is experiencing a deep sense of yearning and unfulfilled potential, but is held back by their own insecurities or constraints imposed by others. The imagery of dancing and filth suggest a desire for surrender, but also a recognition that such surrender would lead to degradation.
The closing lines of the song, "So give me your hand and let's jump out the window," can be interpreted as a call to take a leap of faith, to leave behind the mundane and embrace the unknown possibilities of life. The song's title, "Australia," may serve to evoke a sense of vastness and distance, suggesting that the singer is seeking something beyond what is readily available in their current environment.
Line by Line Meaning
Time to put the ear covers on?
Asking if the listener needs ear covers to block out the noise (literal)
(Born to) Born to multiply
Humans were made to reproduce and increase in numbers (metaphorical)
Born to gaze into night skies
Humans were also made to look up at the stars and ponder the universe (metaphorical)
All you want's one more Saturday
All one desires is an extra day to indulge in pleasure (literal)
Well, look here, until then
Until that day arrives (literal)
They're gonna buy your life's time
People will trade their lives for money (metaphorical)
So keep your wick in the air and your feet in the fetters
Stay alive and keep yourself grounded (metaphorical)
'Til the day
Until your final day (literal)
We come in doing cartwheels
We enter life with enthusiasm (literal)
We all crawl out by ourselves
We die alone (literal)
And your shape on the dance floor
The way you move on the dance floor (literal)
Will have me thinking such filth I'll gouge my eyes
Seeing you dance will be so captivating it will lead to perverse thoughts (metaphorical)
You'd be damned to be one of us, girl
It would be a curse to belong to our group (metaphorical)
Faced with a dodo's conundrum
When given an impossible choice (metaphorical)
I felt like I could just fly
Feeling invincible (metaphorical)
But nothing happened every time I tried
Despite feeling invincible, the person was never successful (metaphorical)
A duotone on the wall
A picture or print with two colors (literal)
Selfless fool who hoped he'd save us all
Someone thought they could save everyone without any regard for themselves (metaphorical)
Never dreamt of such sterile hands
Did not anticipate being powerless (metaphorical)
You keep 'em folded in your lap
Keeping one's hands still and out of harm's way (literal)
Or raise them up to beg for scraps
People will resort to begging for scraps (metaphorical)
You know he's holding you down
Someone is keeping you from succeeding (metaphorical)
With the tips of his fingers just the same
He is barely holding on (metaphorical)
Will you be pulled from the ocean
Are you going to be rescued (literal)
A-just a minute too late
If you are rescued just a moment too late (literal)
Or changed by a potion
Perhaps a transformative experience could change your life (metaphorical)
To find a handsome young mate for you to love
Finding someone to love (literal)
You'll be damned to pining through the windowpanes
You will be stuck wanting something you can't have (metaphorical)
You know you'd trade your life for any ordinary Joe
You would give up everything for someone who is nothing special (metaphorical)
Well, do it now or grow old
Do it while you still can or regret it later (literal)
Your nightmares only need a year or two to unfold
Your worst fears may become reality soon (metaphorical)
Been alone since you were twenty-one
Being alone for a long time (literal)
You haven't laughed since January
Not experiencing happiness for a long time (literal)
You try and make like this is so much fun
Pretending to have fun (literal)
But we know it to be quite contrary
The truth is the opposite (literal)
Dare to be one of us, girl
Take a risk and join us (metaphorical)
Faced with the android's conundrum
When given an impossible choice (metaphorical)
I felt like I should just cry
Feeling helpless (metaphorical)
But nothing happens every time I take one on the chin
Despite facing challenges, progress never happens (metaphorical)
You're Himmler in your coat, you don't know how long I've been
You have no idea how long I have been observing you (metaphorical)
Watching the lantern dim, starved of oxygen
Watching something slowly lose vitality (metaphorical)
So give me your hand and let's jump out the window
Take a chance and join me in a daring act (metaphorical)
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: James Mercer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Keith-dt2yw
Born to... Born to multiply?
Born to gaze into night skies? <-------what is the meaning of life?
All you want’s one more Saturday <------ all you look forward to is the weekend
Well look here until then,
They’re gonna buy your life's time. <---- your boss pays for your time
So keep your wick in the air and your feet in the fetters <---wick=candle=hopes and dreams. Fetters are what they would hold convicts in.
'Till the day... <-------Till the day YOU DIE
You come in doing cartwheels <---so full of hope and energy
We all crawl out by ourselves. <----which gets sucked out of you
And your shape on the dance floor <--- dancing is expression
Will have me thinking such filth and gouge my eyes <----(but you look so depressed that I cant look any more)
You’d be damned to be one of us girl
Faced with a dodo’s conundrum
I felt like I could just fly
But nothing happened every time I try <--- dodo, a fat flightless bird that was hunted to extinction. you have hopes and dreams that get crushed as you grow older.
Wooo, ooooh!
A dual-tone on the wall
A selfless fool who hoped he’d save us all <-people who try to make the world better...
never dreamt of such sterile hands<------dont realise nobody wants to get their hands dirty
You keep 'em folded in your lap, <-nobody bothers to rise up and make the world better
Raise them up to beg for scraps<- all you do is keep going to work under your boss who pays you 'scraps' ie nothing
You know he's holding you down
With the tips of his fingers just the same <- and is controlling you by doing this
Well you'll be pulled from the ocean<--- now mercer is looking at the possibilities.
But just a minute too late
Or changed by a potion
You’ll find a handsome young mate for you to love<---will it be too late for you or will you escape and find a happy ending?
You'll be damned to pining through the windowpanes,<-stuck in the office, watching life go by...
You know you'll trade your life for any ordinary Joe<--you wish youd be able to get rid of it all and live a happy life. a 'gardener' from the interview linked above.
'Well do it now or grow old<--escape now! or itll be too late!
Your nightmares only need a year or two to unfold<- You will be old sooner than you think, life passes by quickly
Been alone since you were twenty-one <- this stanza is pretty obvious. you pretend as if you are happy but you are not.
You haven't laughed since January
You try and make of this as so much fun
But we know it to be quite contrary
La la la la la la la
Dare to be one of us girl
Faced with the android's conundrum
I felt like I should just cry
But nothing happens every time I take one on the chin<- android=robots=no emotions= you will become numb to life
Yeah, Himmler in your coat, you don't know how long I've been<- himmler= evil nazi boss.
Watching the lantern, starved of oxygen<-lantern starved of oxygen= lamp in the mines starved of oxygen. need fresh air.
So give me your hand and let's jump out the window<- Escape...FREEDOM!
@javierm3998
Born to multiply
Born to gaze into night skies
All you want's one more Saturday
Well look here until then
They gonna buy your life's time
So keep your wick in the air and your feet in the fetters
'Til the day we come in doing cartwheels
We all crawl out by ourselves
And your shape on the dance floor
Will have me thinking such filth I'll gouge my eyes
You'd be damned to be one of us, girl
Faced with a dodo?s conundrum
I felt like I could just fly
But nothing happend every time I tried
Woo, ooh!
A duotone on the wall
The selfless fool who hoped he'd save us all
Never dreamt of such sterile hands
You keep 'em folded in your lap
Or raise them up to beg for scraps
You know he's holding you down
With the tips of his fingers just the same
Well, you'll be pulled from the ocean
But just a minute too late
Or changed by a potion
And find a handsome young mate for you to love
You'll be damned to pining through the windowpanes you know
You'd trade your life for any ordinary Joe's
Well, do it now or grow old
Your nightmares only need a year or two to unfold
Been alone since you were twenty-one
You haven't laughed since January
You try and make like this is so much fun
But we know it to be quite contrary
La la la la la la la
Dare to be one of us, girl
Faced with the android's conundrum
I felt like I should just cry
But nothing happens every time I take one on the chin
You're Himmler in your coat you don't know how long I've been
Watching the lantern dim starved of oxygen
So give me your hand and let's jump out the window
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 la la la la
@laylaberries89
This is my life's anthem.
You'd be damned to be one of us girl
Faced with the dodo's conundrum
I felt like I could just fly
But nothing happened every time I'd try
Been alone since you were twenty-one
You haven't laughed since January
You try and make like this is so much fun
But we know it to be quite contrary
Faced with the android's conundrum
I felt like I should just cry
But nothing happens every time I take one on the chin
6 years later and i still feel like this song is written about me for me
@seadog365
This has to be one of the most underrated songs of all time. Never fails to put you in such a good mood as well. Great video to boot!
@ucopiedyibo1959
Yeah in a world of garbage music that is massively popular this is so low key for some reason
@thadfreebourn5138
Agreed: a canon its included in. Great band, thats why
@timtheenchanter2062
One of the most underrated bands too
@saltnugget
Yes. Been repeating this during work to help me focus, alongside with coffee. Perfect
@wades2132
@@MuhMuhMamaLuigi yep. I like it for that. It’s peppy and catchy but the lyrics can really throw you in a funk.
@eduardoordaz4872
I discovered this song while listening to an Indie playlist on Spotify and I just found out that it's been 13 YEARS since it was released???
@duda-ow9ch
Me too bro
@jl45000019
i see question marks but i dont see a question. maybe you are looking for confirmation that it has been 13 year since release, ok yes it has been 13 years, you are correct
@BartBart22
Nice, life's amazing. There's always something to discover.