The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Birds fall from the window ledge above mine
Then they flap their wings at the last second
You see, birds fall from the window ledge above mine
Then they flap their wings at the last second
I can see their dead weight
Just dropping like stones
Or small loaves of bread
Past my window all the time
But unless I get up
Walk across the room
And peer down below
I don't see their last-second curves
Toward a horizontal flight
All these birds just falling from the ledge like stones
Now due to a construct in my mind
That makes their falling and their flight
Symbolic of my entire existence
It becomes important for me
To get up and see
Their last-second curves toward flight
It's almost as if my life would fall
Unless I see their ascent
Mr. Mastodon Farm
Mr. Mastodon Farm
Cuts swatches out of all material
Mr. Mastodon Farm
Mr. Mastodon Farm
Cuts swatches out of all material
Then they flap their wings at the last second
You see, birds fall from the window ledge above mine
Then they flap their wings at the last second
I can see their dead weight
Just dropping like stones
Or small loaves of bread
Past my window all the time
But unless I get up
Walk across the room
And peer down below
I don't see their last-second curves
Toward a horizontal flight
All these birds just falling from the ledge like stones
Now due to a construct in my mind
That makes their falling and their flight
Symbolic of my entire existence
It becomes important for me
To get up and see
Their last-second curves toward flight
It's almost as if my life would fall
Unless I see their ascent
Mr. Mastodon Farm
Mr. Mastodon Farm
Cuts swatches out of all material
Mr. Mastodon Farm
Mr. Mastodon Farm
Cuts swatches out of all material
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The best idea I saw of this song is on another site:
Mark Daley said... Who the hell is this Mr. Mastodon Farm character? And what the hell is he doing with all those swatches? Here is one theory: 'Mr. Mastodon Farm' is NOT a parallel between McCrea's life and those 'birds that fall like stones.' Rather, McCrea is actually describing (in Cake's typically sarcastic way) the person who reads too much into everything in life. This is indicated by the narrator's need to 'get up and see' the birds everytime they drop, since they are a symbol of his 'entire existence.' He is compelled to make sure they make their 'last second curves toward flight,' because he has read so much into their descent. The refrain/chorus places this revelation beyond a doubt: 'Mr. Mastodon Farm ... cuts swatches out of all materials.' Mr. Mastodon Farm is literally taking slices of material from life and 'growing' huge mastodons out of them. The struggle the narrator faces is with himself, and McCrea pokes fun not-so-subtly at the bondage.
Source: 2nd comment, leesepea.blogspot.com/2006/05/mr-mastodon-farm.html
yes. I will expand on this belerrrr