Obviously MGMT has had some experience with drugs in their life...so they've been in the environment. I believe the song is about an encounter between two people who plan to make a drug deal, with general realizations of what those ignore in their day to day lives. the line,"but if you've got some money to burn
you can do the talking and i'll wait my turn," is saying that he can wait to talk because they have a greater priority--getting high. the line, "but nothing from nothing is a a way of life, yeah," is saying that 'you aren't bettering yourself by getting high, since you had little or no value for your life in the first place'
And then the verses that talk about the tragedies that happen, from the way it's sung and presented, it seems like they're saying these types of people ignore the terrible things that happen in the world from day to day, but if situations in their area got bad enough they would have to do something to protect their own lives. (the "changing lanes on a saturday" line makes it seem carefree, regardless of the tragedy that occured.)
In all, this seems to be an expression of their feelings for people that fit these profiles.
Obviously MGMT has had some experience with drugs in their life...so they've been in the environment. I believe the song is about an encounter between two people who plan to make a drug deal, with general realizations of what those ignore in their day to day lives. the line,"but if you've got some money to burn you can do the talking and i'll wait my turn," is saying that he can wait to talk because they have a greater priority--getting high. the line, "but nothing from nothing is a a way of life, yeah," is saying that 'you aren't bettering yourself by getting high, since you had little or no value for your life in the first place'
And then the verses that talk about the tragedies that happen, from the way it's sung and presented, it seems like they're saying these types of people ignore the terrible things that happen in the world from day to day, but if situations in their area got bad enough they would have to do something to protect their own lives. (the "changing lanes on a saturday" line makes it seem carefree, regardless of the tragedy that occured.)
In all, this seems to be an expression of their feelings for people that fit these profiles.