Conductor stood up and took role call
He sent love and happiness to the next car
"Are you in today?"
The bags are in and we plan no stops
Just fearing sleeping in the box
"Are you in today?"

Who built the love?
Who built the love?
Who built the love, love, love?

Who built the love, love, love?
Built the love, love, love?
Built the love, love, love?

Mayor stood up in high demand
He spoke in trash cars and garbage rails
"Are you in today?"

Found the feet, won't lift the feed
Slipped to the shoes just before the beds
Are empty as the throats and banks
That rise free of the cries and crimes that cry
"Are you in today?"

"Will there be a better place?"
Who built the love?
Who built the love?
Who built the love, love, love?

Who built the love, love, love?
Built the love, love, love?
Built the love, love, love?

Teacher stood up and took role call
Sent the boots, the coats, the caps, the colors
"Are you in today?"

Slip into the water (yeah, yeah)
Slip into them jewelry cuts
Slip into the mind, the coats, the caps, the colors
And the banks that jail the problems that go
"Are you in today?"

"Will there be a better place?"
Who built the love?
Who built the love?
Who built the love, love, love?

Who built the love, love, love?
Built the love, love, love?
Built the love, love, love?

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
I, I found gold, gold, got it, got it?
I, I found gold, gold, got it, got it?
I, I found gold, gold, got it, got it?

I, I found gold, gold, got it, got it?
I, I found gold, gold, got it, got it?
I, I found gold, gold, got it, got it?

Pears and peaches and Doctor Hippo
Met for a drink in those marshmallow clouds
Shout at pavement that's sprouting up turnips
And shouted right back

"We don't need your lectures
We'll all live on
Live on, on, on
Live on, on, on
Live on

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Elephants Lyrics as written by John Baldwin Gourley

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Elephants song meanings

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25 Comments

+1
General Comment
Wow all you guys are totally wrong. This song is deff. about mushrooms. Theres a few gimmics The bags are in and we plan no stops. Are you in today? Sent the boots, the coats, the caps the colors. I found gold?gold got it got it. Slip into the mind the coats the caps the colors and the banks And then then Pears and peaches and Doctor Hippo Met for a drink in those marshmallow clouds Shout at pavement that’s sprouting up turnips Who are shouting right back, talking about the trip.

Wow all you guys are totally wrong. This song is deff. about mushrooms. Theres a few gimmics The bags are in and we plan no stops. Are you in today? Sent the boots, the coats, the caps the colors. I found gold?gold got it got it. Slip into the mind the coats the caps the colors and the banks And then then Pears and peaches and Doctor Hippo Met for a drink in those marshmallow clouds Shout at pavement that’s sprouting up turnips Who are shouting right back, talking about the trip.

Reason:

Evan Gilliardon December 03, 2007 Link
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@Evan Gilliard

I never would've understood:

I found gold?gold got it got it?
Pears and peaches and Doctor Hippo
Met for a drink in those marshmallow clouds
Shout at pavement that’s sprouting up turnips
Who are shouting right back,
“We don’t need your lectures”

without mushrooms.

ImNoWallMenderon March 11, 2009

i know this comment is YEARS old, but THANK YOU! somebody else gets it! it's SO obvious to me. people are trying to find hidden meanings... maybe they've just never done shrooms.

iamDMTon June 11, 2013
+1
General Comment
ok i could see the divorce thing a little but a few things didnt quite make sences but i love brompton's thought that its a metaphor for dying. you have great evidence and the part about fearing sleeping in the box really jumps out at me with the coffin theory. the end needs a little more help but it fits better than the divorce ending. im not so sure about the conductor being a preacher. maybe he just playes the role of "death" and you are on the train to heaven (or hell) and sending love and happiness to the next car could be he is reasuring everyone that they will be fine because most would probably be in a panic (that is if they died suddenly and were not sure if they were alive) those are my thoughts. and true it might be drugs, (which im sure they were super high when they wrote it) but i used to do a lot of shit too and i've gone on "god trips" and the things you think about are beyond your sober mind. it is possable for portugal trip in metaphor ha ha

ok i could see the divorce thing a little but a few things didnt quite make sences but i love brompton's thought that its a metaphor for dying. you have great evidence and the part about fearing sleeping in the box really jumps out at me with the coffin theory. the end needs a little more help but it fits better than the divorce ending. im not so sure about the conductor being a preacher. maybe he just playes the role of "death" and you are on the train to heaven (or hell) and sending love and happiness to the next car could be he is reasuring everyone that they will be fine because most would probably be in a panic (that is if they died suddenly and were not sure if they were alive) those are my thoughts. and true it might be drugs, (which im sure they were super high when they wrote it) but i used to do a lot of shit too and i've gone on "god trips" and the things you think about are beyond your sober mind. it is possable for portugal trip in metaphor ha ha

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4estbeston July 27, 2008 Link
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@4estbest
0
General Comment
First in response to "accidental messiah", I can't even begin to see how "Pears and peaches and Doctor Hippo, Met for a drink in those marshmallow clouds" is a reference to marriage counseling. Everything you said is wrong dude. Its disgusting how far you're trying to stretch the meaning of a good song, trying to make someone's artistic vision relate to your lame-ass life. Just because you have some kind of issue with divorce doesn't mean this song has anything to do with it. Now as far as this song, its just cool prose and it doesn't have a bunch of deep hidden meanings in it. These guys write pretty dense, strange lyrics a'la the Blood Brothers. Its just P.TM's scrambled artsy take on life... if you want dramatic lyrics about divorce, listen to some teeny-pop screamo band. They'll help you out.

First in response to "accidental messiah", I can't even begin to see how "Pears and peaches and Doctor Hippo, Met for a drink in those marshmallow clouds" is a reference to marriage counseling. Everything you said is wrong dude. Its disgusting how far you're trying to stretch the meaning of a good song, trying to make someone's artistic vision relate to your lame-ass life. Just because you have some kind of issue with divorce doesn't mean this song has anything to do with it. Now as far as this song, its just cool prose and it doesn't have a bunch of deep hidden meanings in it. These guys write pretty dense, strange lyrics a'la the Blood Brothers. Its just P.TM's scrambled artsy take on life... if you want dramatic lyrics about divorce, listen to some teeny-pop screamo band. They'll help you out.

Reason:

minus_the_herdon June 30, 2007 Link
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@minus_the_herd

Accidental messiah owned you. :)

Orly23on July 21, 2009

i know this comment is 6 years old but i agree with you, based on the last part alone. personally i think it's just about them tripping on shrooms. the last part sounds like a trip on shrooms if i've ever had one (and i've had plenty). elephants could be the people on the train (self-inflated rich people around them) then they get off the train and i'm guessing they're in a city if they're shouting at concrete, "pears and peaches and dr hippo" could be more rich self-inflated people having drinks on the patio of an expensive restaurant. having ingested psilocybin mushrooms on several occasions in many places, i see my interpretation as much more plausible than "accidental messiah"'s.

iamDMTon June 11, 2013
0
General Comment
HAHAHA. I have no problem with divorce whatsoever. I'm not trying, at all, to change anyone's "artistic vision" [Where do you get off, by the way, saying anything about anyone's artistic vision?] to fit my "lame-ass life". And I never said anything AT ALL about it actually being about divorce. Just that, because the lyrics are vague, allowing it to be interpretted in many different ways, it reminded ME of a divorce. The "Pears and peaches and Doctor Hippo, Met for a drink in those marshmallow clouds" thing was a fleeting thought at 12:45 AM. Divorcing couples tend to go out for drinks with lawyers, during the proceeds, as bars are generally considered neutral territory. At the time, in my head, this made alot of sense.. it doesn't make much sense anymore. I clearly stated that I was sure I was wrong. But I felt like giving my opinion because I was bored and sleep deprived. As far as listening to "teeny-pop screamo" obviously, if I wanted that I'd listen to it. I'm not up nights just SEARCHING for songs about cliche goings-on, but, sir, sometimes things just click in your head, even if they don't really make all that much sense. Get over youself. You are way too condescending for your own good, man.

HAHAHA. I have no problem with divorce whatsoever. I'm not trying, at all, to change anyone's "artistic vision" [Where do you get off, by the way, saying anything about anyone's artistic vision?] to fit my "lame-ass life". And I never said anything AT ALL about it actually being about divorce. Just that, because the lyrics are vague, allowing it to be interpretted in many different ways, it reminded ME of a divorce. The "Pears and peaches and Doctor Hippo, Met for a drink in those marshmallow clouds" thing was a fleeting thought at 12:45 AM. Divorcing couples tend to go out for drinks with lawyers, during the proceeds, as bars are generally considered neutral territory. At the time, in my head, this made alot of sense.. it doesn't make much sense anymore. I clearly stated that I was sure I was wrong. But I felt like giving my opinion because I was bored and sleep deprived. As far as listening to "teeny-pop screamo" obviously, if I wanted that I'd listen to it. I'm not up nights just SEARCHING for songs about cliche goings-on, but, sir, sometimes things just click in your head, even if they don't really make all that much sense. Get over youself. You are way too condescending for your own good, man.

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accidental messiahon July 03, 2007 Link
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@accidental messiah
0
General Comment
i agree with accidental messiah.. its a big metaphor.. the conductor being the marriage conselor "stood up and took role call" made sure both husband and wife were there.. "he sent love and happiness into the next car" he was trying to help them renew their love for the future.. "the bags are in and we plan no stops" basically they were gonna see it through til the end.. "just fearing sleeping in the box" usually through counsenling the two are seperated, and the box possibly being a own room hotel room

i agree with accidental messiah.. its a big metaphor.. the conductor being the marriage conselor "stood up and took role call" made sure both husband and wife were there.. "he sent love and happiness into the next car" he was trying to help them renew their love for the future.. "the bags are in and we plan no stops" basically they were gonna see it through til the end.. "just fearing sleeping in the box" usually through counsenling the two are seperated, and the box possibly being a own room hotel room

Reason:

xheyshortyxon July 07, 2007 Link
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@xheyshortyx
0
General Comment
i agree with accidental messiah.. its a big metaphor.. the conductor being the marriage conselor "stood up and took role call" made sure both husband and wife were there.. "he sent love and happiness into the next car" he was trying to help them renew their love for the future.. "the bags are in and we plan no stops" basically they were gonna see it through til the end.. "just fearing sleeping in the box" usually through counsenling the two are seperated, and the box possibly being a own room hotel room

i agree with accidental messiah.. its a big metaphor.. the conductor being the marriage conselor "stood up and took role call" made sure both husband and wife were there.. "he sent love and happiness into the next car" he was trying to help them renew their love for the future.. "the bags are in and we plan no stops" basically they were gonna see it through til the end.. "just fearing sleeping in the box" usually through counsenling the two are seperated, and the box possibly being a own room hotel room

Reason:

xheyshortyxon July 07, 2007 Link
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@xheyshortyx
0
General Comment
sorry for the double comment.. i also meant ONE room hotel room***

sorry for the double comment.. i also meant ONE room hotel room***

Reason:

xheyshortyxon July 07, 2007 Link
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@xheyshortyx
0
General Comment
well, accidental messiah, you pretty much just solidified your position as my future baby daddy with that response. why anyone feels the need to write off someone else's interpretation of a song is beyond me. imo, portugal the man hardly ever makes sense anyway, and are just singing strings of lyrics they threw together, so i commend anyone who can find some sort of meaning in their songs.

well, accidental messiah, you pretty much just solidified your position as my future baby daddy with that response. why anyone feels the need to write off someone else's interpretation of a song is beyond me. imo, portugal the man hardly ever makes sense anyway, and are just singing strings of lyrics they threw together, so i commend anyone who can find some sort of meaning in their songs.

Reason:

willworkforchanelon August 13, 2007 Link
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@willworkforchanel
0
General Comment
i can't even begin to decipher half of johns lyrics. i just let it be haha.

i can't even begin to decipher half of johns lyrics. i just let it be haha.

Reason:

merengue pieon October 07, 2007 Link
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@merengue pie
0
General Comment
whatever this song means, its my favorite! i love Casey Bates (Gatsbys American Dream)'s ending.

whatever this song means, its my favorite! i love Casey Bates (Gatsbys American Dream)'s ending.

Reason:

arielolon January 02, 2008 Link
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Elephants

Portugal. The Man

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