Sick of Elephants

Haha, I'm a conservative, and I really enjoy Andrew Bird. People really shouldn't be so combative about your politics (really, this site is for discussing song meanings, not for political squabbling and name-calling). And this is certainly a song against Republicans (Mr. Bird being an Illinoisan should tip you off to his liberal leanings).

But good song should be able to stand on its own outside the context of transient politics. I think this song does, but since you've brought up the context of this most recent election, let's put the notion on its head and see if the song can be interpreted the other way:

"You were right There was never reason to worry Money made your eyesight all blurry"

Barack Obama broke records for fundraising in the 2008 election. In contrast, McCain (a) kept his promise to limit himself to public funds, (b) fought in the senate (against his own party) to push for campaign finance reform (namely McCain-Feingold), and (c) was a vocal opponent of "pork-barrel" projects and other money-grubbing schemes. If money is being brought up in regards to the 2008 presidential election, it can only be a direct reference to Barack Obama, not John McCain.

"Making lists of pacifists Recalcitrant poses"

This isn't about actual pacifists (in politics these days, there are none... even Barack Obam is stuffing his cabinet full of hawks). But in 2008 (at least prior to the surge), the popular move for any politician was to distance him or herself from the Bush Administration by adopting "recalcitrant poses"--that is defiance and disagreement with the overwhelmingly unpopular president. If you're making a list of politicians who publically converted to pacifism as the war in Iraq became increasingly unpopular, or of politicians who were recalcitrant or defiant of the Bush administration, well, it's going to a very inclusive list (it would exclude McCain and Lieberman, but even most Republican politicians have "thrown Bush under the bus"). The idea of it being a reference to a "witch hunt" for pacifists defies all logic and reality.

"Can't you see how dangerous The one you chose is"

A large number of Republicans were singing this tune when McCain clinched the nomination; he was too moderate to win... a Republican who supports gay rights, opposes torture, recognizes global warming? Blasphemy.

On the other hand, these lines could just as easily refer to Barack Obama himself. Isn't there some danger in supporting a man whose reliability on any given issue has been consistently called into question? As examples, his promise to take public financing, his affirmation that he would sit down unconditionally with the leaders of Iran and North Korea, his support for a windfall profits tax, his promise to immediately withdraw from Iraq... It becomes increasingly clear that Mr. Obama is not a man with any concrete beliefs, but who is, in fact, a sycophant, seeking only after votes without any real desire to stick to his campaign-trail promises. The danger with such a candidate is that, once in office, he won't do what he said he'd do.

"Which brings us back to Might makes right"

Corrupt Chicago politics.

"Making haste to spite your face to cut off your noses Convince yourself and others that these Fish smell like roses"

This could easily refer to Barack Obama's professional (or otherwise) associations in Chicago, who were revealed as increasingly distasteful... jeremiah Wright, William Ayers, Tony Rezko. What was Obama's "groundbreaking post-racial" speech regarding Reverend Wright if not an attempt to make that fish smell like a rose?

Of course, the lines could also refer to the Republican distaste for their own too-moderate candidate.

"Squint your eyes and see Elephants, sycophants, elephants"

The elephant, of course, is the symbol of the Republican party. That one needs to squint to see them implies that they are not really there (or whatever things are there really don't look like elephants). This could be about John McCain, who many Republicans thought was not conservative enough (metaphorically, you'd have to squint to see him as an elephant), or it could be about Joe Lieberman (definitely not a Republican... but if you squint your eyes...). Or it could just be a line referring to a paranoid sense of dehumanizing us-vs-them and villification (especially as you watch your state vote one way or another and begin to wonder how many secret elephants are in the room). A sycophant is one who acts his own self interest by flattering those with influence (in this case, American voters)--a cynical person might conclude that all politicians are sycophants, and a cynic who's been keeping up with the news would conclude that Mr. Obama is no exception.

"Squint your ears and hear red-faced rants Pleated pants Sycophants That's what you are"

Red-faced rants, eh? Certainly not John McCain or Barack Obama. Keith Olbermann? Jeremiah Wright? Fox News pundits? Why not all of the above? (I bet they all wear pleated pants.)

"Can't you see how dangerous When you're too content to make a fuss"

This is the line that really messes with the 2008 scenario. Everyone was "making a fuss" about Bush, and Republicans were even fussing about McCain. Only Barack Obama's supporters were too content to make a fuss over any of his shortcomings.

All that said, let me reiterate that it almost certainly is meant to be a little jab at conservatives and Republicans. However, you might want to think twice before permanently tying it to the 2008 presidential election, as the song then opens itself up to some interesting and contradictory interpretations.

It's a good song; I hate to see its interpretation overly laden with partisanship.

Finally, the proper title of the song is "Sic of Elephants," not "Sick of Elephants." Sic is Latin for "thus," and in English is used to point out existing mistakes in a quoted piece of text. It also makes the title more visibly similar to Sycophant (which has no 'K'). Andrew Bird is good at puns.