Also Frightened by Animal Collective Lyrics Meaning – The Haunting Lullaby of Modern Existence
Lyrics
Where we can slip, one takes one by the hand
Let them crawl into the logs that dam
Brown changed the hue of her pen
Excited and screaming, their voices go wild
And rise with the birds mating up in the pines
Down to puddles that breathe, covered by leaves
With mud they’ll make prints on their backs
But how?
Will it be just like they’re dreaming?
Will it be just like I’m dreaming?
Will it be just like they’re dreaming?
Will it be just like I’m dreaming?
But how?
If they’re awake till the dawn, well we won’t
Fret that they don’t have our eye
The ghosts came crowding around and then I
Woke, you slept there on your side
From our window, two lanterns draw signs on the night
And light our two shadows, I watch with delight
Will I want them to be who they will be
Or to be more like their dad?
But how?
Will it be just like they’re dreaming?
Will it be just like I’m dreaming?
Will it be just like they’re dreaming?
Will it be just like I’m dreaming?
But how?
When influence is threatened
Maybe I should let them
Maybe we should let them
And I have a question
Are you also frightened?
Are you also frightened?
Are you also frightened?
Are you also frightened?
Are you also frightened?
Are you also frightened?
Are you also frightened?
Are you also frightened?
No one should call you a dreamer
No one should call you a dreamer
No one should call you a dreamer
Animal Collective’s ‘Also Frightened’ is a track that defies easy categorization, just as the band itself continually eludes the trapping of a single genre. This is a song that echoes the complexities of contemporary life, the beauty tinged with existential angst, and the haunting rhythm of a world where certainty is as mythical as the sirenes of old.
With the psychological depth of a Kafkaesque novella and the melodies that seep into the subconscious, ‘Also Frightened’ is not just a song—it’s a montage of emotional states, a collage of fears and wonders faced by humanity as it stands at the crossroads of the past and the present, struck by the dawning of an uncertain future.
The Soundtrack of Shared Anxiety
The melodic structure of ‘Also Frightened’ acts as a vessel carrying listeners through an audial landscape that is at once comforting and eerie. It’s a lullaby for the anxious, a symphony for those who wake in the shadow hours contemplating the ‘what ifs’ that lurk in the depths of the human psyche.
Animal Collective harmonizes the familiar with the otherworldly, creating soundscapes that neither wholly belong to the traditional pastoral idyll nor to the unnerving silence of space. It’s through this dichotomy that the song resonates as a backdrop to the common threads of fear that bind us.
Peering Into The Darkness of Parenthood
Beneath the spectral tunes, ‘Also Frightened’ unveils a narrative bound in the doubts and dreams of parenthood. The lyrics offer a window into a soul wrestling with the desire to protect offspring from the encroaching shadows of the world, while also pondering the extent of influence one should—and can—have over them.
The reference to ‘their dad’ is a powerful, personal grounding in a song that otherwise deals in the abstract. It’s a confession of the hope and helplessness woven into the fabric of raising children in an ever-changing, often intimidating reality.
Unveiling the Hidden Meaning: A Quest for Control
There is a subtle yet profound narrative hidden within the folds of ‘Also Frightened,’ and it is that of control—or more precisely, the relinquishing thereof. To let others ‘be who they will be’ is a dance with destiny that challenges our convictions and exposes our deepest insecurities.
The ‘logs that dam,’ the ‘puddles that breathe’—they are metaphors for life’s blockages and moments of reflection. In obliging to the idea that maybe, just maybe, ‘we should let them,’ the song proposes a philosophical truce with the capriciousness of life.
Memorable Lines: ‘Are You Also Frightened?’
This recurring, plaintive question encapsulates the essence of ‘Also Frightened.’ It is a communal admission of vulnerability, an invitation to share in the collective unease that pervades modern existence. By extending this query to the listener, Animal Collective bridges the gap between art and audience, creating an intimate connection.
The line sublimely acknowledges that, while our fears may be deeply personal, they are also shared. It’s an acknowledgment of our kinship, bound by the very fears that haunt us, and the realization that in admitting them, we may find solace.
An Empathetic Conclusion to a Soul-Stirring Piece
In challenging the notion that dreamers are to be dismissed or marginalized, ‘Also Frightened’ ardently defends the idealism and aspirations that propel humanity forward. The song itself becomes a dreamer’s anthem, spreading a message that dreaming is not an escape but a form of engagement with the world and its myriad possibilities.
The affirmation ‘No one should call you a dreamer’ serves as both vindication and encouragement, a poignant end to a song that oscillates between questioning and acceptance. It is here that the listener is left, comforted yet contemplative, in the wake of Animal Collective’s artful exploration of the collective human condition.
