Collected Animals

I remember either reading or watching an interview online (I think it was the whole band but it might have just been Panda), they mentioned that when HCTI re-released on vinyl they had to listen to it from start to finish and it reminded them that they were all incredibly high while recording the whole thing (also mentioned something about all the layers of sound that were in the songs). They mentioned how they barely get high anymore.
Keeping this in mind and looking at Recycling. Now I'm coming from a different perspective than most since I'm a recovering drug addict with over 4 years clean, so my interpretation might just be something that I want to see rather than whats being said.
Now I didn't know the lyrics until a few days ago when I was looking through AnCo chords on ultimate guitar.
Recycling

Don't care
Whether
This ship sails
Or sinks into the meat
-The carefree attitude you achieve towards death or danger while you are high, possibly on opiates since that specific high allows you to let go (of life)

Don't know
If a lesson matters less than
What's to eat
- Maybe trying to make a decision on buying groceries or dope.

While you got it you figure
Why not launch off of the very highest rope
-Choosing to use/shoot all your dope/drugs since your already kinda high
(I know I've done this with cocaine alot.. I'd say "well I'm already going to be awake all night, I might as well finish it")

Not trying
To be shore side
Scoping breaks to
Score a ride
-Making up excuses to get your fix

More like
Causing fractures
From the deep
That ripple out
- Harming yourself from the drugs

Who needs slicker
Tools to build
A portrait
Out of place
- Using drugs to create music and art

Not trying to be
Sneaky when it's wanting
Face to face
-maybe a loss of care about who knows your getting high. Like you feel indifferent to trying to maintain your image in peoples eyes

When you're rotten
You figure why not
Stick up for the very finest dope
- not sure whats being said here, they say "dope" but I think it might mean a person rather than heroin or whatever

Don't care
If a lesion's
Clotting up or ceases to bleed
-again back to carefree overdose

Don't know
If a lesson
Is a pleasure or a need
-Questioning if your just having fun getting high or if your actually addicted

While you're huffing
You figure
Why not soak up all the craze
Instead of cope
-Realizing that just dealing with whatever is going on is much easier than getting high to hide the pain

Like I said, this could be way off but I do enjoy the message I found. Tell me where we have different opinions.

From their AMA

the last line is one of my favs of their discog and i think its the most direct ac has been with their listeners...or more casual listeners. mad ppl look at it and try to "cope" with the sound that ac experiments with, not really getting what their doing or why, just trying to look at everything with conventional music standpoints and shit while c are making music they love that tends to be a bit weird...so he says why not soak up all the craze instead of cope..enjoy the sound and not just get complacent and have it as backround noise

Ahh, I was far off. Still an amazing song though. Thanks for the info Frovrodi

Ahh, I was far off. Still an amazing song though. Thanks for the info Frovrodi

I wouldn't be so sure that you are entirely "wrong" here. I was actually the person who asked about recycling in the AMA, I didn't want to say this in the question but when I first heard the lyrics it struck me as being related to one's struggle with depression and the cycles of depression. Noah has written many songs about his own experience with depression and although he says the song is generally about creativity and being in a band he also mentions considering "cycles and patterns" and the "comings and goings of things"... drug use and depression could both be included in the history of the band from Noah's perspective. The coolest part about discussions like these is that I'm sure animal collective would be delighted that listeners drew a variety of meanings from the song and that the writing was ambiguous yet genuine enough to touch us in personal albiet different ways.

Nailed it

cidcid25 wrote:

Ahh, I was far off. Still an amazing song though. Thanks for the info Frovrodi

I wouldn't be so sure that you are entirely "wrong" here. I was actually the person who asked about recycling in the AMA, I didn't want to say this in the question but when I first heard the lyrics it struck me as being related to one's struggle with depression and the cycles of depression. Noah has written many songs about his own experience with depression and although he says the song is generally about creativity and being in a band he also mentions considering "cycles and patterns" and the "comings and goings of things"... drug use and depression could both be included in the history of the band from Noah's perspective. The coolest part about discussions like these is that I'm sure animal collective would be delighted that listeners drew a variety of meanings from the song and that the writing was ambiguous yet genuine enough to touch us in personal albiet different ways.

true