1. dad. its from a dads perspective and hes a smart dad. Now think about your dad. I want to meet that dad.

strawberry jams is about growing up. get it. and were done.

i still think it's funny they chose to play this one on conan. i liked it, but this song isn't very presentable to a national TV audience...but then, maybe that was exactly why they chose it: the strange pleasure of putting something itself so strange in front of so many people who will, for the most part, just not get it.

"Just please respect the candles in a line"

It might mean, along with the young love line, to not step ahead of your age; to not skip birthdays (hence the candles) and try to act older than you are by supposedly falling in love.

beautiful advice. i'm showing my children this song.

okay, now i've been able to consider it's meaning and depth for me. first of, it strikes me as very tender, moreso than any other track on the album. next, it seems very different for animal collective even though they obviously have a huge history of different sounds from album to album.

next, it seems to have two unique stories than can be taken from the lyrics and the fantasy-like instrumentals. one is that a couple is optimistically talking with a young child, with cheery, mystical reverence for the kid's future, while sticking in advice about trying not to grow up too fast. another seems to me that they could be mourning and wishing they could still advise a lost loved one on respecting the boundaries of their age; not rushing life. Both of these have imagery of candles lying on a cake or lined up to represent the significance of each year. just my thoughts.

For me, this song is the relationship between parents and child, and how that relationship changes over time. "It seems like days since you rejected Your mom and I" As a young teen, sometimes you want to get away from your parents. You reject them and you seek for independence. Once you get that independence, you realize it's not all fun and games, and sometimes you long to get back to your parents, who you once rejected. It's a nostalgia for the simpler times when you're parents adored you and took care of important things for you. "You wonder why it can't stay simple Your mom and I To pet your head And dress your letters"

It's Avey Tare, just with pitch shift/octave generator or summat and some other FX put on his voice. When they do this one live the effect is even more exaggerated; it sounds boss (and a little frightening, actually--ha).

Not there needs to be a reason for any effect or sound, but I think here it serves to make his voice sound deeper and more authoritative--like a parent. And I think it sounds twisted maybe because it's being filtered through memory...I don't really care to overanalyze it, though.

This is verbatim from the CD booklet: "I caught you when your line got disconnected trouble. Respect the hive, it seems like days since you ejected. Your mom and I will dance you through your bad weather. Young love is fine, just please respect the candles as they line.

Now Son!

I know there will be times when you wish things could be so simple. Your mom and I. To pet your head and dress your lettuce. Don't work all night and split your hair and sleep on numbers. Young love is bright. Just please respect the candles in a line.

Now Son!"

The recording seems to deviate from this a little bit, though.

it grows on you o_o

in the conan performance, i think panda is singing "i won't, i won't, i won't, i won't let you, i won't let you, get inside my head" http://youtube.com/watch?v=gbAq3CnJEHc i kind of like that version better, actually. anyways, i didn't like this song when i first heard it and i thought it was a little scary, even, haha, but it's grown on me so much! i love animal collective.

I personally love the lead vocals being all distorted. This has become one of my favorite tracks on Strawberry Jam.