Panda Bear – Take Pills

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Surely there's no substitute for company
My mom's ripping off her hands one flake at a time
All her children left the house and left her all alone
But just like she'd tell me
Things get better
Just wait and you'll see

Take one day at a time
Anything else you can leave behind
Only one thing at a time
Anything more really hurts your mind
I don't want for us to take pills anymore
Not that it's bad
I don't want for us to take pills because we're stronger and we don't need them


Lyrics submitted by zeros1x

Take Pills song meanings
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37 Comments

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  • +5
    General CommentI think this song is about how his mother dealt with his father dying, and I'm surprised that no-one has really mentioned it. The focus seems to have been on prescription medicine. The first verse is quite muted, with his singing almost obscured, and describes the grief his mother felt (my mom's ripping off her hands/one flake at a time) and the advice she gave him when he was young and she was still strong.

    The second verse is then suddenly happier and bouncier, as Panda Bear recites back to his mother the advice she gave him. He's suddenly the man in his family, and can't rely on his mother for strength - this strength and positivity has to come from within himself. Strength, positivity, and the growing up he had to do after his father died again appears on 'My Girls'. He's older now, he has a wife and kids, and these are his only concerns. He's had to grow up, and his father's death ('on my father's grave') is a major cause of this. 'Take Pills' is the start of this process. He has his period of grief, but then comes out of it stronger.
    sadscienceon November 13, 2010   Link
  • +4
    General CommentIt sounds like Panda Bear is giving his own prescription. For happiness!


    Rx
    Take one:
    Day at a time
    lastdinosauron May 07, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Commentkait1233... another band that comes to mind is obviously Animal Collective.

    If you know Panda Bear, then you probably know who Animal Collective are (Panda Bear is an offshoot project by Noah Lennox of AC). If you don't know who they are then def check them out. Feels is a great album, esp Grass, Purple Bottle, Banshee Beat and Loch Raven.

    Any other examples out there?
    raspootinon July 17, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI don't think so. Animal are pretty unique.
    And I love this song, now that I've read the lyrics I love it even more. A lot more. Lennox is a genius, definitely.
    zitoon July 30, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Commentpitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/…
    kozmikon January 25, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General CommentGetting back to bands that sound similar to Panda/AC... or at least a similar genre I think would be:

    Yeasayer
    Atlas Sound
    Black Dice
    Deerhunter
    Dan Deacon


    Those are the closest you can get, of course they don't bear the same effect upon listening that Feels or Merriweather Post Pavillion do, but they are all wonderful artists.
    eveningsempireon December 23, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Commentswitch "anything more really hurts your mind" with "everything else you can leave behind" and it looks really good to me, thanks!
    wilcanon April 10, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General CommentRight, I think Panda Bear had posted them in the wrong order.
    oddishon April 11, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI like how the mood is really like 60s good time pool party but the subject matter is so honest and uncommon. I could never go on antidepressants, and things DO get better with time. if you try.
    precipitateon May 20, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General CommentEverything written by Panda Bear is simply amazing. I love this song, especially the second half:

    take one day at a time
    everything else you can leave behind
    only one thing at a time
    anything more really hurts your mind
    i don't want for us to
    take pills
    anymore
    not that it's bad
    i don't want for us to take pills
    because we're stronger
    and we don't need them

    But fuck, wow, amazing. Are there any other bands out there with a similar sound to Panda Bear?
    kait1233on July 14, 2007   Link
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