1. A rapper/produ… Read Full Bio ↴Tree is the name of at least 11 different artists:
1. A rapper/producer from Chicago, Illinois, United States
2. A psychedelic band from Israel
3. A hardcore band from Massachusetts, United States
4. A grindcore band from Kansas, United States
5. A rock band active in the 1960's
6. A singer/songwriter from California, United States
7. A pop singer from Australia
8. A rock band from Australia (now called Treehouse)
9. A Christian rock band from South Africa (now called Tree63)
10. Project of Oliver Nickell from San Francisco, California (now Oliver Tree)
11. An alternative indie rock band from Japan https://tree6.bandcamp.com/
Éléphant
Tree Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the face of the plant
Faces extinction
This very minute
Taken from the Land
By the Hand of Man
Largest land mammal
Faces extinction
What are we gonna do about it?
Absolutely-- Nothing
Absolute--Extinction
Taken from the Land
By the Hands of Man
Cutting a hole
Through the heart of the jungle
Shrewn with body parts
Look Ma, top of the food chain
Whose the king of the road
Has my kind gone so blind
Or are we just Insane
Look Ma, top of the food chain
Whose the king of the jungle NOW?
Largest land mammal
Murdered for jewelry
Stolen for ivory
I curse your trophies
Largest land mammal
Taken from the Land
By the Hands of Man
The lyrics of Tree's song "Elephant" provide a heart-wrenching commentary on the precarious situation of the largest land mammal, which faces the threat of extinction due to human activities such as poaching, habitat destruction, and the relentless exploitation of natural resources. The song makes a poignant plea for action and introspection, demanding that we question our own complicity in this global tragedy.
The lyrics begin by stating a simple fact- that the elephant, the largest land mammal, is facing extinction right now. The song then implicates human action as the cause of this crisis, claiming that the elephant has been taken from the land by the hands of man. This phrase suggests that we have usurped the elephant's natural habitat and, through our greed and indifference, have driven it towards the brink of extinction.
The song then shifts into a more accusatory mode, condemning the human race for its arrogance and blindness. The lines "Look Ma, top of the food chain/Whose the king of the road" suggest a sense of superiority that humans feel over other creatures, as though we have the right to do whatever we want with the natural world. The lyrics then ask, "Has my kind gone so blind/Or are we just insane," suggesting that our actions are not just wrong, but also irrational.
Overall, Tree's "Elephant" is a powerful critique of human arrogance and greed, and a call to action for anyone who cares about the fate of our planet's most magnificent creatures.
Line by Line Meaning
Largest land mammal
Referring to the elephant, the largest land animal on Earth.
On the face of the plant
Present on the Earth's landmass.
Faces extinction
At risk of disappearing from existence.
This very minute
Currently, at this moment.
Taken from the Land
Illegally captured or hunted from their natural habitat.
By the Hand of Man
Human activity and interference resulting in the elephant's predicament.
Largest land mammal
Referring again to the elephant as a species.
Faces extinction
At risk of disappearing from existence.
In our lifetime
During our existence.
What are we gonna do about it?
Questioning what can be done to save the elephants from extinction.
Absolutely-- Nothing
Presently, no immediate action or steps are being taken to preserve the elephant population.
Absolute--Extinction
The fate of the elephant population if left unaided.
Cutting a hole
Destroying a portion of nature's ecosystem.
Through the heart of the jungle
Specifically in this case, the destruction of the elephant's natural habitat and ecosystem, the jungle.
Shrewn with body parts
A graphic depiction of the poaching of elephants, where these pachyderms are found mutilated.
Look Ma, top of the food chain
We have as humans reached the top of the food chain, with no natural predators and hence more inclined towards taking actions that harm other species.
Whose the king of the road
Metaphorically representing one's dominance and authority over everything else.
Has my kind gone so blind
A rhetorical question regarding the moral values of humans and how they are unable to see the destruction of the elephants' ecosystem and their extinction.
Or are we just Insane
Rhetorically questioning if humans are aware of but ignoring the adverse effects of their actions or if they have lost their minds completely.
Whose the king of the jungle NOW?
Further metaphoric representation of humans at the top of the food chain and the impact of their actions on other species.
Largest land mammal
Referring again to the elephant as a species.
Murdered for jewelry
Elephants are killed for their tusk which is fashioned into jewelry.
Stolen for ivory
Referring to illegal poaching of elephants for their ivory tusks that are trafficked across regions for recreational and luxury purposes.
I curse your trophies
Expresses great disappointment in humans who kill elephants to own trophies that represent their dominance and wealth.
Taken from the Land
Again emphasizing the poaching and illegal capture of elephants from their natural habitats by mankind.
By the Hands of Man
Final words of the song to stress upon the significance of the previously mentioned human interference in causing the elephant population to reach the brink of extinction.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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