Bradford mentions part of this song being about a time in high school when he bought fake acid off of some hippie. When he confronted the hippie telling him it was fake and that he wanted his money back, the hippie said something to the effect of "It's real, you're just not opening your mind up enough to let it work".
That said, I think this song is about the point in adolescence when the naivete of childhood clashes with the scumminess of the real world. It's the polar opposite of another song that I tie close together to "Wash Off", "Hazel St.", which is a fantasy about being a 'normal' 16 year old. "Wash Off" tells an alternate story of someone who is not only screwed out of his money, but then chastized for even suggesting so. This and "Hazel St." ar two of my favorite Deerhunter songs lyrically.
Bradford mentions part of this song being about a time in high school when he bought fake acid off of some hippie. When he confronted the hippie telling him it was fake and that he wanted his money back, the hippie said something to the effect of "It's real, you're just not opening your mind up enough to let it work".
That said, I think this song is about the point in adolescence when the naivete of childhood clashes with the scumminess of the real world. It's the polar opposite of another song that I tie close together to "Wash Off", "Hazel St.", which is a fantasy about being a 'normal' 16 year old. "Wash Off" tells an alternate story of someone who is not only screwed out of his money, but then chastized for even suggesting so. This and "Hazel St." ar two of my favorite Deerhunter songs lyrically.