Shins, The - Australia Lyrics

https://youtu.be/V0mWZnVQjkE song vs song

Man this is a bop, I just found it too

2007 Silly video in which a few dozen balloons are released in a happy go lucky way.
2020 Band has committed a horrible environmental crime by carelessly releasing balloons into the wild...and the band will be hunted down , brought before a war crimes tribunal, and be executed by Greta Thunberg!

It's a ~feeling~ more than a song.

I could have sworn I was listening to Morrissey and The Smiths again...The Shins are my fav band, but this is blatant sound stealing.

This plan worked perfectly. Consult Shins for project management in 2020

James Mercer interview explaining the lyrics. Love.😳😳❤️❤️

So lets hear it from the horses mouth. This song is about WORK. Working a 9-5, 5 days a week and being miserable until you die. Australia was originally a PRISON COLONY where they sent convicts to work in work camps and where they couldn't escape. Listen to So Says I for similar themes.

Interview with James Mercer http://www.nerve.com/content/hot-fuzz :
Let's talk about your lyrics. I've never liked a band more in which I understood the songs so little. For instance, one of my favorite songs on the album is "Australia." ::
Well that song isn't about Australia, first of all. That's from my memories of working in offices. I've had a hundred different jobs, and there is a special kind of sickness doing a job in an office. I was a bookkeeper and a secretary, and there is something so horribly boring and defeating about it. That song is also about this woman from Texas who was just awful, a racist and a miserable person. I felt sorry for her. In Australia, she's Himmler. So it's partly me wondering, "Is this what humans are meant to be doing?" You're in this fucking cage and there's people you can see through the window and you see the gardener and you're so fucking jealous.
**************
OK lets look at the song again:
Born to... Born to multiply?
Born to gaze into night skies? <-------what is the meaning of life?
All you want’s one more Saturday <------ all you look forward to is the weekend
Well look here until then,
They’re gonna buy your life's time. <---- your boss pays for your time
So keep your wick in the air and your feet in the fetters <---wick=candle=hopes and dreams. Fetters are what they would hold convicts in.
'Till the day... <-------Till the day YOU DIE
You come in doing cartwheels <---so full of hope and energy
We all crawl out by ourselves. <----which gets sucked out of you
And your shape on the dance floor <--- dancing is expression
Will have me thinking such filth and gouge my eyes <----(but you look so depressed that I cant look any more)

You’d be damned to be one of us girl
Faced with a dodo’s conundrum
I felt like I could just fly
But nothing happened every time I try <--- dodo, a fat flightless bird that was hunted to extinction. you have hopes and dreams that get crushed as you grow older.

Wooo, ooooh!

A dual-tone on the wall
A selfless fool who hoped he’d save us all <-people who try to make the world better...
never dreamt of such sterile hands<------dont realise nobody wants to get their hands dirty
You keep 'em folded in your lap, <-nobody bothers to rise up and make the world better
Raise them up to beg for scraps<- all you do is keep going to work under your boss who pays you 'scraps' ie nothing
You know he's holding you down
With the tips of his fingers just the same <- and is controlling you by doing this

Well you'll be pulled from the ocean<--- now mercer is looking at the possibilities.
But just a minute too late
Or changed by a potion
You’ll find a handsome young mate for you to love<---will it be too late for you or will you escape and find a happy ending?

You'll be damned to pining through the windowpanes,<-stuck in the office, watching life go by...
You know you'll trade your life for any ordinary Joe<--you wish youd be able to get rid of it all and live a happy life. a 'gardener' from the interview linked above.
'Well do it now or grow old<--escape now! or itll be too late!
Your nightmares only need a year or two to unfold<- You will be old sooner than you think, life passes by quickly

Been alone since you were twenty-one <- this stanza is pretty obvious. you pretend as if you are happy but you are not.
You haven't laughed since January
You try and make of this as so much fun
But we know it to be quite contrary

La la la la la la la

Dare to be one of us girl
Faced with the android's conundrum
I felt like I should just cry
But nothing happens every time I take one on the chin<- android=robots=no emotions= you will become numb to life
Yeah, Himmler in your coat, you don't know how long I've been<- himmler= evil nazi boss.
Watching the lantern, starved of oxygen<-lantern starved of oxygen= lamp in the mines starved of oxygen. need fresh air.
So give me your hand and let's jump out the window<- Escape...FREEDOM

I love this song, but why the hell is it called Australia lol

wheres the lyric guy/ girl?

The juxtaposition of the upbeat melody and the most depressing lyrics make this song great?

I'm assuming they picked up all the balloons after they fell back to earth.

so damned catchy

"Time to put the earphones on." "No!"

They shouldn’t be running with scissors

This is actually one of the most charming videos I have ever seen. Also the song is great. 👍

this was my summer song this year 😭 it makes me so happy

Born to multiply
Born to gaze into night skies
All you want's one more Saturday
Well look here until then
They gonna buy your life's time
So keep your wick in the air and your feet in the fetters
'Til the day we come in doing cartwheels
We all crawl out by ourselves
And your shape on the dance floor
Will have me thinking such filth I'll gouge my eyes

You'd be damned to be one of us, girl
Faced with a dodo?s conundrum
I felt like I could just fly
But nothing happend every time I tried

Woo, ooh!

A duotone on the wall
The selfless fool who hoped he'd save us all
Never dreamt of such sterile hands
You keep 'em folded in your lap
Or raise them up to beg for scraps
You know he's holding you down
With the tips of his fingers just the same

Well, you'll be pulled from the ocean
But just a minute too late
Or changed by a potion
And find a handsome young mate for you to love

You'll be damned to pining through the windowpanes you know
You'd trade your life for any ordinary Joe's
Well, do it now or grow old
Your nightmares only need a year or two to unfold

Been alone since you were twenty-one
You haven't laughed since January
You try and make like this is so much fun
But we know it to be quite contrary

La la la la la la la

Dare to be one of us, girl
Faced with the android's conundrum
I felt like I should just cry
But nothing happens every time I take one on the chin
You're Himmler in your coat you don't know how long I've been
Watching the lantern dim starved of oxygen
So give me your hand and let's jump out the window

La la la la la
La la la la
La la la la la
La la la la
La la la la la
La la la la
La la la la la

Respectful comment.

This song just cheered me up in 2019 ... thank you 😊

I feel like the dealership ripped the group off on a car lemon, and this was their way at getting back at em.

Nowadays that is considering pollution...

2019 and im 16

2019 and I'm 15

Why the dude looking like seth rogen running with the ballons lmao

BORN TO BORN TO MULTIPLY
Don't run with scissors
WE STOLE A BALLOON!

Here in 2019

greenpeace hate this video

I want one more Saturday, more than anything. I love how things find you when you need it.

It’s all fun and games until the balloons start coming down

How the fuck was this 2007---

SAVE THE TURTLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So much memories, playing PGR 4 on Xbox live with friends... used to joke on it for some reason. Thank you The Shins, forever grateful. You opened my ears and mind before I even realised.

The la la las at end made me want to punch through my car stereo. Stupid song

So the balloons are free alas the turtles are dead

i remember listening to this song in Pgr4 in 2007 when the race started and i instantly loved it.

This is how kevin spacey wasted his precious youth....hmmph!

High off my ass

My favorite Shins song.....💕

I always find my way back to this song.

496 people wanted to put ze ear goggles on

Here in 2019 and this is still one of the best songs ever made. What happen to MUSIC?!?!!

What does this song have to do with Australia

Favorite line:
"Your nightmares only need a year or two to unfold"

Anybody here 2020? Did I graduate?

Almost there bud. I understand that Spanish class was difficult and you had to drop it but you can make that up.

bass line is awesome

after watching sing street i’ve realized this is my happy-sad song

Bushcamper

This song first introduced me to The Shins, still is one of my favorites, and, if you add everything they’ve indirectly done for me, I have no idea where I’d be without this song

Kelly brought me here 😅

Love this guys

Their bassist from this time was soo good.

Yeah you would sound good singing this.

Every balloon should be free

still so fking good

1:12







Gotcha

u blyat

BE FREE, BALLOONS!

The perfect crime doesn’t exi...

Love these guys, but if its Aussie, wheel on the wrong side!!!

Those cruel ballonfarmers....
Freedom! 🎈

Born to multiply?
Born to gaze into night skies
All you want’s one more Saturday

Well look here until then
They’re gonna buy your life's time
So keep your wick in the air and your feet in the fetters
'Till the day


They come in doing cartwheels
We all crawl out by ourselves
And your shape on the dance floor
Will have me thinking such filth I'll gouge my eyes


You’d be damned to be one of us girl
Faced with a dodo’s conundrum
I felt like I could just fly
But nothing happened everytime I try


A duotone on the wall
A selfless fool who hoped he’d save us all
Never dreamt of such sterile hands
You keep 'em folded in your lap
Or raise them up to beg for scraps
You know he's holding you down with the tips of his fingers
Just the same


Well you be pulled from the ocean
But just a minute too late
Or changed by a potion
You’ll find a handsome young mate for you to love


You'll be damned to pining through the windowpanes
You know you'll trade your life for any ordinary Joe
Well do it now or grow old
Your nightmares only need a year or two to unfold


Been alone since you were twenty-one
You haven't laughed since January
You try and make like this as so much fun
But we know it to be quite contrary


Dare to be one of us girl
Facing the android's conundrum
I felt like I should just cry
But nothing happens every time I take one on the chin
You're Himmler in your coat you don't know how long I've been
Watching the lantern dim, starved of oxygen
So give me your hand and let's jump out the window

grumman and onitsuka

RIP Richard....

RIP Swift

kevin spacey

La-la-la-la

They fucking had it all.

Time to put the ear-covers on!
No!

Born to, born to multiply
Born to gaze into night skies,
All you want's one more Saturday.

Well, look here, until then
They're gonna buy your life's time
So keep your wick in the air
And your feet in the fetters
'Til the day...
They come in doing cartwheels
We all crawl out by ourselves
And your shape on the dance floor
Will have me thinking such filth I'll gouge my eyes.

You'd be damned to be one of us, girl
Faced with a dodo's conundrum
I felt like I could just fly
But nothing happened every time I tried.

A duotone on the wall
Selfless fool who hoped he'd save us all
Never dreamt of such sterile hands,
You keep 'em folded in your lap,
Or raise them up to beg for scraps,
You know, he's holding you down
With the tips of his fingers just the same,
Will you be pulled from the ocean
But just a minute too late,
Or changed by a potion,
And find a handsome young mate
For you to love.

You'll be damned to pining through the windowpanes,
You know you'd trade your life for any ordinary Joe,
Well do it now or grow old,
Your nightmares only need a year or two to unfold.

Been alone since you were twenty-one,
You haven't laughed since January,
You try and make like this is so much fun,
But we know it to be quite contrary.

Dare to be one of us, girl,
Facing the android's conundrum,
I felt like I should just cry,
But nothing happens every time I take one on the chin,
You're Himmler in your coat,
You don't know how long I have been,
Watching the lantern dim,
Starved of oxygen,
So give me your hand,
And let's jump out the window.

11 years ago, ouch

I miss these bands, because now a days groups "millennial" really most most suck, awful music, everyh6 sounds the same, and look the same, behave the same, and with almost naked girls in the millennial videos. A dark age for music.
Thanks I am from a previous generation and lived this awesome bands, music.

This tune needs a few more chords.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ52cLCps2k

1:30 me when my friends do something stupid

I know the song has sad lyrics but the music itself makes me happy

Nostalgic

Beautiful song

Litter Police

THIS SONG MAKES ME SO HAPPY!!!

The Shins are the undisputed masters of making melancholy and depressing subject matter into happy sounding songs.

PGR 4 nostalgia

This song has now... nearly 11 years... damn, a decade is not THAT much, so why does it feel so far behind ?

This music video is literally my childhood. I remember my dad would always play me this music video as I sat on his lap. Nothing about it makes sense, but that’s what makes it perfect.

they could've just waited for the national free balloon day like spongebob...

James Mercer's done a lot of LSD? No?

Dave Hernandez looks like Jimmy Fallon @2:31

We are the baloons

crime of the century don’t @ me

It'll be 11 years soon. How the fuck.

LA LA LA LAAAA

This song.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<333333333333333333333

This song will always be in my summer holidays.

This song is one of my earliest memories

FACED WITH A DONUT'S CONUNDRUM 🍩

Faced with the dodo's conundrum...

Best ever!!!!!!!!!!