Brother Sport

This song is a milestone for me. I realize what it meant for Noah and his relationship with his brother and father, but I feel like they're speaking directly to me.

Speaking volumes to me like the role-model I've lost and never had since.

"I know it sucks that daddy's dumb But try to think of what you want"

Since my father left our family years ago for his own 'dumb' reasons (cocaine, religion, prison, fugitive), I've struggled to open up to my family. I literally get a lump in my throat because I can't fathom trying to replace him as the man of the house, protector/supporter of my mother, and most importantly, father-figure to my younger brother.

"Open up your throat, Matt!"

I feel like I'm just going it alone, nothing or no one to guide me. It weakens me to tears each time they chant my name (Matt) as if they can relate. (watery-eyed as I write this) I bottled up my shitty childhood along with all the burdens it left me inside and never let them free. It ate me up inside, (who gives a fuck about an oxford comma?) and made me who I am.

"Open up your throat And let the all of that time All of that time All of that time go"

Since first hearing it leak, I swallowed my pride and made amends. I set our differences aside and slowly patched up the bond between my mother and I, breaking the tension hovering between us since her divorcee left. Part of me used to despise her not playing the father I thought wanted/needed, but I've let it all go. Not sure if this song was why.. but it sure helped me get over it.

"Matt! Support your brother"

I've also opened myself up to be there for my brother while I'm still around; let him know I'm here to give him all the support my father can't and mother won't. I've realized he's always looked up to me and takes after my every move.

"You got to weigh all you say I'm very particular with everything I do or say Have you seen the way you play I feel like I'm losing the fun/playful part of me You gotta wake up in the mornin' I wake up telling myself today will be better, You gotta have it in your mind" ..but it's always in the back of my mind.

"Until you're fully grown Turned 18, future plans going foggy You've got a real good shot Still attempting to turn life around Don't grow too hold inside Holding onto what inner child I have left Keep it real, keep it real, Losing touch with who I thought I was Shout out" I shout away my inhibitions and sing along to the song.

Probably the most therapeutic 6 minutes I've ever had. You might say I'm twisting the song's meaning, but it's what it means to me; what it means to you personally is all that should matter, anyway.

Just thought I'd share one of the many experiences I've had following this band. Thanks for listening. (tl;dr)

MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATT!

I'm almost certain the last verse is actually

Until you're fully grown You've got a real good shot Don't grow too old inside Keep it real, keep it real, shout out

I could be wrong but I really don't think I am

Who cares what the lyrics are really...this song does something to me physically and emotionally, every time I hear it...No matter how sad I am about ANYTHING, this song fixes me. I don't know what it is...the mesmerizing electronic flittering sounds in the background, the infectious beat, which explodes, fades, then builds again, or their joyous singing and shouting, but this SONG IS MY FAVORITE SONG EVER RECORDED--in the history of my life. I can't stop LISTENING TO IT!!! It's like CRACK FOR ME! Does anyone else feel this way about it? I'm a little late to discovering Animal Collective, but better late than never! I'm on my fourth repeat now. It's a daily listen for me.

JAM OF A LIFETIME

Wow, you guys are still arguing over what the words are, huh?

I'm pretty sure it turned out it was "daddy's done" in the end.

As for the meaning, I think it's been mentioned a few times but it's about Noah comforting his brother about their father's death and telling him not to keep everything inside about it. There's a quote from him in a Pitchfork review about it:

"Pitchfork: What about those lyrics? What do those words mean to you? Noah Lennox: The song is really an encouragement song for my brother who was having kind of a rough time at the time I was writing the song. That's what the song is about, for me at least."

This song is actually about a the African tribe 'Kawkly-Lokah-Hookah-Dookar-Par-Gook-foop-Loop'

Yes, the one and only 'Kawkly-Lokah-Hookah-Dookar-Par-Gook-foop-Loop'. Sometimes the tribe name is mispronounced as 'Slurp' because the language they speak sounds like old Russian with a lisp.

It'll hurt me, but here is the true meaning of the song (using all of the lyrics posted as of 1/18/09):

"Open up your throat" is what it is. So, these Slurps would open up their throats, and allow tiny black butterflies to fly out and cause the Slurps to create an "And let the all of that time go" sound.

"Matt!" refers to the tribe leader's name. Every Slurp tribe leader is called Matt, duh. Look it up on Wikipedia (aka the fountain of knowledge and blacks!). "Support your brother" is a war cry issued by the tribe leader, Matt, during times of intense labor and lovemaking throughout the world. (Note: this has only happened twice during the past 40 decades, once was during the coming of Christopher Walker, and the other when very yes.)

"You've got to weigh what you say You ought to be ashamed of the way you play". This must've taken Animal Collective at least three years to decipher because that message is secretly tattooed on to every Slurp baby.

"Until you're fully grown" Yes. "You've got a real good shot" Yes! "Don't grow too old inside" YES! Essentially, this is the way of the Slurps. You don't want to read a book while sliding down a slide, do you? Well neither do the Slurps. Getting a little wood here and there won't make you younger, just older, but better!

Well according to 'Matt' of the Slurps, Brothersport = Brotherhood. Doesn't it? That's what Panda Bear and Avey were thinking about when they wrote this. All of the lyrics fall into the line of that invisible line between you and your brother, a connection that just isn't duplicated by any other bond in the world(well, the tie between a human and a dog comes close). There is also a mutual sense of encouragement even if there is constant fighting. Also, if the brother is separated by time or distance, there aren't words (obviously), but the interlude of the song (when Avey) sings is a great representation of it. In the end, it's all fun and games. AC says in this song "it's nice to be here, to be alive, to be with people" So: "Keep it real, keep it real, shout out"

What I'm trying to say is 'Brothersport' = "Sport which brothers play" which is:

Brotherhood. And this song perfectly resembles it.

Good job AC.

if you give it a proper listen it's: you've got his way and what he said To help you shape the way you play You've got to get rid of the more Conservative habits of your mind

the actual lyric is "you've got to get rid of the more conservative habits of your mind"

It goes along with the themes of Panda Bear's solo work young prayer and the song bros from person pitch.

It says " I know it sucks that daddy is gone" referring to the death of noah's father which led to young prayer. It also says "support your brother", another reference to his dad and his brother is in the song bros. Just like bros, this song is about the new relationship noah and his brother are forming in their new roles without the guidance of their father.