Collected Animals

i've already accepted that he just has much worse taste than he once did but it doesn't not still throw me sometimes

totally unfair remark. he has worse taste? maybe you have worse taste? maybe your tastes have changed? c'mon.

Bud

Just here to chime in that I think the ethos of this song seems to be in your face kind of "simple-stupid" on purpose. Like an intentional flip of the usual esoteric, very open-ended metaphors into something that you just straight up can't misread. Sort of feels like an ultimate attempt at conveying some type of frustration. I think that "triteness" is almost like him intentionally rubbing sandpaper onto his writing style and quite frankly I think it's really fun in a meta sense. Actually, I think lyrically it's sort of similar to People-- the music, vocalizations, reputation, and context give the lyrics power where there is little in the way of prose itself. Doesn't come across as kinda heavy-handed the way golden gal does, at least to me, because it feels very self-aware of the way it's describing its subject, whereas golden gal is not trying to be satirical in a sense.

I think it's really neat and I like that it's an idea reserved for a single.

Also, I mean it seems pretty off to say this is indicative of his writing style changing considering how lyrically potent 7s was. Sweeper's Grin is still some of the best lyrics he's ever given in my opinion. This song and Vampire Tongues feel like an intentional reprieve from that kind of writing.

i agree with all that. a little sad to see golden gal catching so many strays in this thread, though i won't strictly defend it. i do think it is self-aware on a certain level. it would be unforgivable outside the prism of PW, but that album right off the bat with floridada sets up a judgement free zone where dumb stuff is celebrated and seriousness goes out the window. i think golden gal is perfectly earnest, but gives itself permission to be dumb. the golden girls aspect is on theme with the album and the message on gender roles is, i daresay, refreshing in its lack of irony or embarrassment.

doubly agree on the lyrics in 7s and sweepers grin in particular. he really painted a picture with words on that shit. and the chorus on cloud stop rest start feels like it means so much at once, yet so deeply felt. nothing vague about it. a couple of those 7s songs don't fully hit for me, but the lyrics are largely top notch.

sounds like his slashers mode where he's really trying to inject fun into it

i agree with all that. a little sad to see golden gal catching so many strays in this thread, though i won't strictly defend it. i do think it is self-aware on a certain level. it would be unforgivable outside the prism of PW, but that album right off the bat with floridada sets up a judgement free zone where dumb stuff is celebrated and seriousness goes out the window. i think golden gal is perfectly earnest, but gives itself permission to be dumb. the golden girls aspect is on theme with the album and the message on gender roles is, i daresay, refreshing in its lack of irony or embarrassment.

doubly agree on the lyrics in 7s and sweepers grin in particular. he really painted a picture with words on that shit. and the chorus on cloud stop rest start feels like it means so much at once, yet so deeply felt. nothing vague about it. a couple of those 7s songs don't fully hit for me, but the lyrics are largely top notch.

Very fair points, I still enjoy the song but I can understand why others find it to be too much. Definitely gets a big uplift, thematically at least to me, to be followed up by "Don't care whether this ship sails or sinks into the meat" in Recycling.