Safer

My favorite line, from which I interpret the whole song

"I don't know if there's any real danger, but all the creatures know it's safer in the dark"

To me, It's about being honest and open to learning new things. If you're going to learn new things, you have to leave the safety of your cave and make yourself vulnerable. You have to take risks if you want to grow.

This is a very scary thing, to let go of old ideas, and see yourself change, but what after all is there to be afraid of?

I don't think it's really "about a bad trip"... for animal collective to write something that cryptic and just making it about drugs seems unlikely. Just because we can't make sense out of some of these lyrics doesn't mean that they don't mean something to Dave. Furthermore, this song was responsible for bringing a bad trip to a good trip for me. There's something undeniably joyous about it that I can't put my finger on exactly. Something to do with the melody and the repetition of "don't let it get you down" in the second half, and the shouting of "I'm alright" always convinces me that I am in fact alright.

This is definitely one of my favorite songs. Period. It always reminds me of how my mind works. I've always had racing thoughts, high anxiety, overwhelming fear of all sorts of things. The way the song is structured really reminds me of a panic attack, or a state of upset, and how you feel once you get over it.

Coarse piano, sharp, and very dark at its start, it reaches its peak (I'm alright if you're alright) ; then leaves with a soft, 'Shh, Everything's Ok now..' sort of lullaby. Even the piano sample is toned way down during the outro. It's freaking amazing how much fear I leave behind every time I listen to it, and reminds me of how no matter how freaked out you get about something, you can find solace-- whether though a friend, a family member, or even yourself.

"now we're gonna go into our blackhole..."

Why we talk about 'em all the time Like crocodiles sometimes I wanna eat him

sounds to me like

Why we talk about 'em all the time They break me down Sometimes I wanna eat him etc

might be wrong tho. Nevertheless an amazing song, one of my faves by the Collective.

This song and People will take you to places you never knew you could go

this song reminds me of being a teenager, doing bad things (drugs, staying out, etc.), realizing it and it scaring you...but not admitting it to anyone else, pretending to be alright.

9 minutes is absolutely long. that being said, this is one of the most verbose ac songs i can think of, dont know what it means

Could this be about mental health? Me personally, it sounds like my depression and personality disorder. I'm not well read on the personal history of the members of Animal Collective, but if it is about losing his dad, this could be resulting depression (which I know for me, comes with a bit of psychosis and making up fairy tale visions) "I don't know if there's any real danger But I'm alright if you're alright I'm alright if you're alright, man" Sounds like anxiety. "He got wrapped up in loving but We opened him just in time He said don't make your problems my funny problems Because I've got problems but I'll cover them up in time Don't make your troubles my funny troubles Because I've got troubles" Sounds like someone with mental problems that got exacerbated after a break up. And the last 9 lines really sound like someone recovering in a psych ward or someone getting help for psychopathy.

i think this song is amazing. just as good if not better than any song on the new album.