Last Night at the Jetty

So for the sake of accuracy, these are the 100% accurate lyrics:

(Based almost entirely on Havenspear's transcription, but adding zachten's correction)

Dreams that we once had Did we have them anyways? Seems that we once had Now we’ll have them all the time Didn’t we have a good time I know we had a real time now Who could say were not Just as we were No one could deny My my I know I dont want to describe something that i’m not I dont want to hide the hopes that i have I want to enjoy whats meant to enjoy Not try to find slights and slurs to employ Say what you will I’m of a pretty sound mind to go I know i could not go Even if i had the eyes to try You have your ways I have my ways We have our ways And i’ll call you my friend And i’ll call you my dream That i once had Did i have it anyways? Seems that i once had Now i’ll have them all the time Didn’t i have a good time? I know i had a real time now Who could say i’m not Just as i was No one could deny My my

yes this song is about the movie "la jetee". noah is just amazing lyrically as the rest of animal collective. this song is very nostalgic and pretty straight forward:

the part where he talks about describing something he's not, and then the following lines after "you had your ways, i had my ways", seems to be the breaking point of the relationship explaining why it didn't work; some type of disagreement. but in the end he calls them his friend, and he seems to be left in his own haunted thoughts as to why the relationship ended and now they're looking back whether or not both parties had a mutual feeling about the relationship, or was it just one sided and he was the only one enjoying the time that was spent together.

i love this song. :)

official lyrics

dreams that we once had did we have them anyways? seems that we once had now we'll have them all the time didn't we have a good time i know we had a real time now who could say were not just as we were no one could deny my my i know i dont want to describe something that i'm not i dont want to hide the hopes that i have i want to enjoy whats meant to enjoy not try to find slights and slurs to employ say what you will i've a pretty sound mind to go i know i could not go even if i had the eyes to try you have your ways i have my ways we have our ways and i'll call you my friend and i'll call you my dream that i once had did i have it anyways? seems that i once had now i'll have them all the time didn't i have a good time? i know i had a real time now who could say i'm not just as i was no one could deny my my

and people say he writes brief repetitive lyircs... i signed up for this site because of this song.

One more thing: I think there is another syllable in that line that says "i've a pretty sound mind to go". it almost sounds like "i've a [my] pretty sound mind to go", but obviously that makes no sense. I am really bad at deciphering lyrics, but I can tell when a line just doesn't fit, and that one as it stands doesn't.

I like reading the "I know" part in full verse,

I know I know I know I know

IKNOWIKNOW

I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW

IKNOWIKNOW

I know I know I know I know I know I know I know

IKNOWIKNOW

I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW

IKNOWIKNOW

I know I know I know

PS: I agree with Patinthehat's point; the change from the collective "we" in the first verse to the singular "I" in subsequent verses, and then the actual repetition of the same lines ("Didn't we/I have a good time?") using the new subject are my favorite aspects of the song. Plus the awesome rhythm of the " I know I know I know I know I know" part. I think the song is about a relationship of some sort that has ended, but the first verse takes place very recently after the end, and the two singer and the other person included in the "we" still probably think about each other often and spend time together; they've split but almost regretfully. I think the section immediately following the "I know" explain why they broke up, they just weren't right for each other - he was changing himself to please the other person, and he doesn't want to be someone else, but be himself. The line "You have your ways, I have my ways, We have our ways" I think sums up the entirety of the song best - they both have some things in common, they do care for each other, but they are also very different.

I love this song. The question lines, "Did I have it anyways?", "Didn't I have a good time?" attempts to justify the relationship. They could also be interpreted more literally, implying that he really wonders if he did have a good time. "My my" kind of confuses me. I think maybe it's said reflectively, kind of like a response to remembering this whole ordeal. "My, my, what a time that was?"

why hasn't anyone commented on this?? this song is amazing.

i can't make out everything, but for corrections: both instances of " no one could do that now" should be "no one could deny my mind"

these two lines: "I don't want to spot something I am not I don't want to hide the bumps that I have

should read: "I don't want to describe something that I'm not I don't want to hide the hopes that I have"

and lastly, this verse: "Say what you will ??? I know I could not go ???"

i think should be: "Say what you will and we're lucky if I start to cry I know I could not go Even if I had the eyes to try"

I love the part where "and I'll call you my friend" turns into "and I'll call you my/Dream that I once had". It totally recasts the following verse as more nostalgic for the time mentioned at the start, as if we've jump-cut to 20 years later and he can't remember if it was all just a dream.

I think this song is about a good relationship coming to an end. He's asking himself what went wrong, when it seemed like they "had a good time".

This is probably my favourite track off Tomboy, along with Slow Motion.