Neat Litle Domestic Life
of Montreal Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You clean the bathroom
And I do the dishes
I water the lawn
And you feed the fishes
What a neat little domestic life that we live

You change the light bulb and I hold the ladder
I get the frying pan and you mix the batter
What a neat little domestic life that we live

All the lonely days are gone
Those long lonely days when I was alone
And I felt this world was not the place I belonged
But then I met you and now I belong

You rake the leaves and I start a fire
I clean out the shed and you turn on the dryer
What a neat little domestic life that we live

I brush the dog and you knit a sweater
You vacuum the rug and I write a letter
What a neat little domestic life that we live

I clear the table and you draw the curtain




You ask if I'm happy and I tell you I'm certain
That this neat little domestic life is for me

Overall Meaning

The song "Neat Little Domestic Life" by of Montreal explores the concept of domesticity and the simple pleasures of being in a loving relationship. The lyrics describe the various household chores that the couple engage in, from cleaning the bathroom to watering the lawn, and the appreciation that they have for sharing these tasks together. The repetition of the line "what a neat little domestic life that we live" reinforces the idea that the couple's mundane daily routines bring them happiness and contentment.


The song also touches on themes of loneliness and finding one's place in the world. Before meeting their partner, the singer felt lost and disconnected, but now they feel a sense of belonging and purpose in their domestic life. The line "all the lonely days are gone" suggests that the couple has found solace and companionship in each other, and that their daily routines have helped them to build a happy and fulfilling life together.


Overall, "Neat Little Domestic Life" celebrates the beauty of simplicity and the joy of finding love in the small moments of everyday life.


Line by Line Meaning

You clean the bathroom
You take care of the cleanliness of our bathroom


And I do the dishes
I manage the task of cleaning our dishes


I water the lawn
I ensure our lawn is well-maintained through regular watering


And you feed the fishes
You take care of our pet fishes and feed them regularly


What a neat little domestic life that we live
Our life together is simple and well-organized, making it enjoyable and pleasant


You change the light bulb and I hold the ladder
You manage the electrical tasks while I assist you by holding the ladder


I get the frying pan and you mix the batter
I grab the frying pan for cooking and you mix the ingredients for the recipe


All the lonely days are gone
I used to have days of solitude and loneliness


Those long lonely days when I was alone
I spent a long time feeling lonely and disconnected from others


And I felt this world was not the place I belonged
I felt like I didn't fit in with the world around me


But then I met you and now I belong
Meeting you has given me a sense of belonging and purpose in life


You rake the leaves and I start a fire
You take care of yard work while I handle starting a fire for us


I clean out the shed and you turn on the dryer
I tidy up our shed while you handle laundry by starting the dryer


I brush the dog and you knit a sweater
I take care of grooming our dog while you enjoy knitting a sweater


You vacuum the rug and I write a letter
You manage household cleaning by vacuuming the rug while I spend some time writing a letter


I clear the table and you draw the curtain
I take care of cleaning up after our meals while you manage the curtains


You ask if I'm happy and I tell you I'm certain
You check in to make sure I'm feeling content and I let you know I definitely am


That this neat little domestic life is for me
I feel fulfilled and content living our simple domestic life together




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KEVIN BARNES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

cat !

lyrics <3

You clean the bathroom
And I do the dishes
I water the lawn
And you feed the fishes
What a neat little domestic life that we live

You change the light bulb and I hold the ladder
I get the frying pan and you mix the batter
What a neat little domestic life that we live

All the lonely days are gone
Those long lonely days when I was alone
And I felt this world was not the place I belonged
But then I met you and now I belong

You rake the leaves and I start a fire
I clean out the shed and you turn on the dryer
What a neat little domestic life that we live

I brush the dog and you knit a sweater
You vacuum the rug and I write a letter
What a neat little domestic life that we live

I clear the table and you draw the curtain
You ask if I'm happy and I tell you I'm certain
That this neat little domestic life is for me



All comments from YouTube:

phriendlybear

This album affirmed myself that I'm to write songs for the rest of my life. I can't listen to something so amazing and not output something else.

Alie Baron

I wish Kevin Barnes still made happy songs like this.

Bloody Cockroach

can't agree more. cherry peel and gay parade are the best.

the_Void_within

right!?!? i miss the cute old stuff before he had his heart broken or whatever happened.

Zerosurdity

Alie Baron I feel it’s not actually a happy song, rather it’s bitter sarcasm. Probably just me projecting but let’s be real, does Kevin Barnes sound like the type to idolize a neat little domestic life?

cat !

lyrics <3

You clean the bathroom
And I do the dishes
I water the lawn
And you feed the fishes
What a neat little domestic life that we live

You change the light bulb and I hold the ladder
I get the frying pan and you mix the batter
What a neat little domestic life that we live

All the lonely days are gone
Those long lonely days when I was alone
And I felt this world was not the place I belonged
But then I met you and now I belong

You rake the leaves and I start a fire
I clean out the shed and you turn on the dryer
What a neat little domestic life that we live

I brush the dog and you knit a sweater
You vacuum the rug and I write a letter
What a neat little domestic life that we live

I clear the table and you draw the curtain
You ask if I'm happy and I tell you I'm certain
That this neat little domestic life is for me

Dosko

Probably my favorite track from one of my favorite of Montreal albums. DAT PIANO.

Mous tache

the harmonic structure of this song is so insanely good, I can't believe it

Neon Noir

@tobiosnmakky Brotha, I have listened to The Gay Parade countless, innumerable times. No matter how depressed and monotonously mundane life may be sometimes, I can listen to this album and crack a widdddde smile as Tulip Baroo gushes sonic rainbows from the confines of my simple computer stereo.

Josh White

Why extend the d and not the i? :( I can't help but hear the whole 'wi-duh-duh-duh-duh-de' in my head :(
It wastes a lot of time.

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