I think this song is actually about politics. On the original Autolux/UNCLE collaboration song 'Persons and Machinery,' the theme seemed to be about a distaste for the current government (the Bush administration) and their policies. Therefore, we can assume that Autolux do have some thoughts about current political and social life.
all for one growing, in you, growing
you can be afraid of it, but callously go on
bend to me, darling, you'll see, darling
it's a violet way we have, even when we smile
I think 'plantlife' is a metaphor for the current state of human development in America. The narrator of this piece I believe is a politician, or even more specifically, a faceless group of politicians (it doesnt even have to be a politician, its somebody powerful and somebody who owns a lot of our world). That would explain the "it's a violet way WE have, even when WE smile." "Violet" would make much more sense if it was "violent" and I think it is a misheard lyric, btw.
This first stanza is about the powerful group telling the listener to grow like everyone else like a plant; mindless. "All for one" gives a feeling of group togetherness; we are all one. The group is urging us (and judging by the melancholic music, lulling us into their desires), the mindless plants of society, to bend to their will. And they're always "smiling," putting on a happy face for the public, even when they are violent.
we're so dumb someways, so dumb, always
tied up and pulled apart, like a kidnapped root
kill your best ideas, your crossed beliefs
catch a glimpse of natalie in catalina fog
In the second stanza, either the politicians or even ourselves are saying we're dumb and that we SHOULD bend to their will. We should kill our best ideas and destroy our beliefs for the good of being a productive member of society, or a plant. "Like a kidnapped root" could have many meanings but I see it as a worthless and unproductive member; just a root, not a plant. The last line is really open ended and obviously has a very personal meaning to the writer (I'm guessing it's Greg). Who's Natalie? What the hell does Catalina have to do with anything? I think they needed one last line for this stanza and threw shit together.
The last stanza is either the politicians commanding us to shut our mouths and be a plant. Or it could be us, the plants, telling the politicians to shut their mouths. I believe it is the second idea because of the abrupt mood and key change.
So in the end there are two answers to the piece:
The song is about our controlled world and the people who control it
or 2. Nothing at all. Eugene and company were fucking stoned and threw some nice sounding words together.
I think this song is actually about politics. On the original Autolux/UNCLE collaboration song 'Persons and Machinery,' the theme seemed to be about a distaste for the current government (the Bush administration) and their policies. Therefore, we can assume that Autolux do have some thoughts about current political and social life.
all for one growing, in you, growing you can be afraid of it, but callously go on bend to me, darling, you'll see, darling it's a violet way we have, even when we smile
I think 'plantlife' is a metaphor for the current state of human development in America. The narrator of this piece I believe is a politician, or even more specifically, a faceless group of politicians (it doesnt even have to be a politician, its somebody powerful and somebody who owns a lot of our world). That would explain the "it's a violet way WE have, even when WE smile." "Violet" would make much more sense if it was "violent" and I think it is a misheard lyric, btw.
This first stanza is about the powerful group telling the listener to grow like everyone else like a plant; mindless. "All for one" gives a feeling of group togetherness; we are all one. The group is urging us (and judging by the melancholic music, lulling us into their desires), the mindless plants of society, to bend to their will. And they're always "smiling," putting on a happy face for the public, even when they are violent.
we're so dumb someways, so dumb, always tied up and pulled apart, like a kidnapped root kill your best ideas, your crossed beliefs catch a glimpse of natalie in catalina fog
In the second stanza, either the politicians or even ourselves are saying we're dumb and that we SHOULD bend to their will. We should kill our best ideas and destroy our beliefs for the good of being a productive member of society, or a plant. "Like a kidnapped root" could have many meanings but I see it as a worthless and unproductive member; just a root, not a plant. The last line is really open ended and obviously has a very personal meaning to the writer (I'm guessing it's Greg). Who's Natalie? What the hell does Catalina have to do with anything? I think they needed one last line for this stanza and threw shit together.
The last stanza is either the politicians commanding us to shut our mouths and be a plant. Or it could be us, the plants, telling the politicians to shut their mouths. I believe it is the second idea because of the abrupt mood and key change.
So in the end there are two answers to the piece: