Adventure.exe

Owen Pallett

Hey yo yo yo yo yo
I need an empire to overthrow
You make me wish for a more dangerous life
So I can show you 'bout self sacrifice

Say yes yes yes yes yes
Say no no no to a natural death
I'd rather give my life to god as man
Than have to line up at the bank again

Oh you you you you you
If you only knew the lengths I'd go to
You pack away all your ballpoint pens
and take a plane back to the Phillipines


Lyrics submitted by random_monkey

Adventure.exe song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

11 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General CommentOWEN SAID:

    Oh, THAT.

    That song has too many ideas, really. I should have simplified it. Basically, domestic dudes, esp. homos, are always looking for drama in their day to day life. That explains the title. "Adventure.exe" suggests that you can 'spice up your life' just by running an executable file. True? Yes, it is!

    Unfortunately, many domestic dudes (again, esp. homos) have unhealthy fantasies about making their lives more interesting by delving into the darker side of things. This includes deviant sexual practise, smoking, joining the army, and moving to a coastal retreat in Italy to write scathing attacks on the American way of life.

    In the case of Japanese author Yukio Mishima, he 'enriched' his life by amassing a small force of cult followers who, led by his fascist ideals, would storm a military base. Mishima and two of his lieutenants committed suicide after they're pro-Imperialism message was expressed. Basically, Mishima was delusional about the "glory of Imperial Japan" and wished to continue the Pacific war, which killed millions of Chinese and Korean people and everybody knows about it.

    Tonnes of young homos look to Mishima's writing because it's "hot". That is, "sexy". He's a great writer, arguably the best of the 20th c. Unfortunately, he's also a huge drama queen and a fascist and you get Confessions of a Mask being taught in gay lit classes and young homo minds being massaged and treated to Mishima's ridiculous self-sacrificing tendencies.

    I personally would go so far as to accuse Mishima of encouraging bare-backing, even if he died in 1970, long before AIDS. He's an author who's immense talent needs to be recognized and celebrated, but I wish that modern literature would recognize what a caricature of repressed homosexuality he is, and be more critical of his 'messages'.

    Anyway, so "I need an empire to overthrow" is about Mishima's failed coup. "Show you about self-sacrifice" is about Mishima's Saint Sebastian obsession. "Live my life for god-as-man" refers to Emperor Hirohito. The last stanza suggests that by all rights, a Filipino has no business dating a Mishima-worshipping homo.

    That's the full story. Sorry it's so convoluted.
    tank_81on February 19, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentSAY NO, NO, NO TO A NATURAL DEATH
    I'D RATHER GIVE MY LIFE TO GOD-AS-MAN
    swissgnron April 12, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General CommentHey, does anyone know Owen's connection to the Philippines? I love the similicity of the music, lyrics and the way Owen sings this song; it's one of my favourites. Just curious about the connection.
    Thanks
    johnnyisipon January 08, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti love the heavy sigh's in there
    mulmoon January 24, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentHaha, thanks for that, Tank. Owen is amazing.
    proposalson April 14, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commenthehe i was the one who asked that question to owen. (and got that above long answer. that was a really interesting explanation/ :).
    palespectreon June 15, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentwow tank says it all
    great song
    to me its about proving yourself to another person(possibly a lover?)
    obviously thats not what owen was going for
    but thats what i thought it was about.
    souljuiceon July 29, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commenthis boyfriend is phillipino
    lalalorraineon November 15, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General CommentWell I think owen's explanation is pretty misleading. Basically I get a very childhood-ish vibe from this song, the sound reminds me of young boys playing together. And Adventure.exe came out when owen was a young guy, and I think its a memory of him playing the game with another young boy or teenager who he's in love with, but can't express that love to. it could be a boy and a girl or two girls.
    Friendlyon April 14, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThe first time I heard this song was by final fantasy I don't know if that's the cover but it's the only version they have on iTunes but just the fact that the songs adventure.exe always makes me think of a video game since .exe was the start up file for older games that in mind this song always makes me think the singer wants to get away from the Bordem of reality and wishes he was in the same adventures world as video game characters like how he says he needs an empire to overthrow and that he wants to show you about self sacrifice meaning if he only had that Iconic villain he would have the courage to over come even sacrifice himself and the fact that he's saying know to a natural death could possibly mean he wants to die adventuring or in battle but the part that really shows that he's bored with this mundane reality is when he says I'd rather give my life to God as man than have to learn about the bank again
    Kingscorpoon March 25, 2016   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top