Time to Pretend Lyrics
Let's make some music, make some money, find some models for wives
I'll move to Paris, shoot some heroin and fuck with the stars
You man the island and the cocaine and the elegant cars
We've got the vision, now let's have some fun!
Yeah it's overwhelming, but what else can we do?
Get jobs in offices and wake up for the morning commute?
We were fated to pretend
I'll miss the comfort of my mother and the weight of the world
I'll miss my sister, miss my father, miss my dog and my home
Yeah, I'll miss the boredom and the freedom and the time spent alone
Love must be forgotten, life can always start up anew
The models will have children, we'll get a divorce
We'll find some more models, everything must run its course
We were fated to pretend
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Feel as though this song is about how the general concept of free will does not actually exist in modern day society. This song begins in the mindset of a young rebel, whose dream is not an odd one at becoming famous and living the life a celebrity. A dream life where it seems as though one is free to do anything in life, but the song brings the point that this so called "dream life" is a life which has already been planned and set. The song then compares the problem to a typical "office job" type of life where it is the same routine, of going to work everyday. By making this comparison the songs over all meaning can be interpreted as even a with a "dream life" one will still fall into the basics of an everyday routine much like that of working in an office, and from the beginning of life, no matter the choices one makes, everyone in society is born with the fate of living a pretend life that is not chosen for them.
@liferollson37 beautiful!
@liferollson37 beautiful!
@liferollson37 Basically your right but I still think there is also that theme plus the dual more literal metaphorical theme of the following:
@liferollson37 Basically your right but I still think there is also that theme plus the dual more literal metaphorical theme of the following:
As far as I gather the song. The song is about 2 young protagonists who could be anything from 20 to 35/36 who realize youth won't last forever or they may even be on their last throws of youth and have a peter pan complex if they are older (the listener is free to decide which) who delude themselves into thinking if they go to the clubs the rich and famous do and drink hard like they...
As far as I gather the song. The song is about 2 young protagonists who could be anything from 20 to 35/36 who realize youth won't last forever or they may even be on their last throws of youth and have a peter pan complex if they are older (the listener is free to decide which) who delude themselves into thinking if they go to the clubs the rich and famous do and drink hard like they do they will somehow magically get all the models and rich girls but its a delusional fantasy.
It ultimately leads to the death of the would be peter pans and the actual stars but at least the actual stars had the trappings of wealth such as women and fast cars to make up for their sadness, whereas the average folks missed out on the things that could have made up for not having those things because they were trapped on a fantasy; there family and friends. It's not saying don't be a peter pan or party hard it's saying don't forget about the things that make you truly happy whilst you're having fun and trying to be a real life Dorian gray. Hey I want to be Dorian gray just like any other guy.
It's also a song about how no matter what age or social status we are we wish we were something else, it's a bit like the book the Great Gatsby which basically states that having a dream, an unrealistic one at that is better than actually achieving it. For example in this song the young want to be adults the adults want to remain 18 forever, the office workers wish to have the exciting and materialistic life full of hedonism and hot women, the stars wish for a quieter cleaner more simple life maybe even envying the office workers who are envying them.. It's about how people are never happy and how fucked up that means we all are....
"I miss the comfort of my mother and the weight of the world" sure as hell don't sound like a band criticizing those who work hard...
Also "the models will get pregnant and have children BUT what else can we do but get a divorce, everything will run its course" is clearly saying well actually they could actually just love their model wives who bore their children for them like that would be a new one lol!
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The first verse of this song talks about all the dumb decisions we make as kids. It talks about rebbeling against you're parents and living life the easy way. Its about being afraid to live a real life, find real people who care about you. The song goes on talk to reflect on all the things you start to miss when you realize how important they were to you. This song is about regretting all the bad desicions made in life liek doing drugs and running away from the people who care about you. It can also kinda be about growing up and realizing your life needs a serious change.
imagine this. we die, and then there is complete and total nothingness. it is almost painful to fathom, but just take a minute and try to give it a shot.
imagine this. we die, and then there is complete and total nothingness. it is almost painful to fathom, but just take a minute and try to give it a shot.
this song is about living our lives to the fullest. we might as well, perhaps we are destined to nonexistence anyway?
this song is about living our lives to the fullest. we might as well, perhaps we are destined to nonexistence anyway?
p.s. if you listen to this song on lsd, it makes a lot of sense.
p.s. if you listen to this song on lsd, it makes a lot of sense.
These are great interpretations of this song, all i can add is what i think the title means. 'Time to pretend' reminds me of T.S. Eliots Lovesong of J Alfred Prufrock. 'There will be time, To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet' Whether its in college/highschool/work-life..we're fated to pretend
These are great interpretations of this song, all i can add is what i think the title means. 'Time to pretend' reminds me of T.S. Eliots Lovesong of J Alfred Prufrock. 'There will be time, To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet' Whether its in college/highschool/work-life..we're fated to pretend
This songs meaning is clear its basic the meaning of it is that they're growing up and now they try to plan out their lives and they're going to miss the way everything used to be but thats the way it has to be
This songs meaning is clear its basic the meaning of it is that they're growing up and now they try to plan out their lives and they're going to miss the way everything used to be but thats the way it has to be
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I think theres no deep deep meaning in this song, their bluntly stating the expectancy of a well off musician's life. the lyrics in my humble opinion are bluntly perfect.
I would have to agree with you. I hate how people automatically rated you down because your saying something may just be simple for once. People are always searching for a deeper meaning. The thing is, there isn't always a deeper meaning and sometimes people get carried away and analyze things too much.
I would have to agree with you. I hate how people automatically rated you down because your saying something may just be simple for once. People are always searching for a deeper meaning. The thing is, there isn't always a deeper meaning and sometimes people get carried away and analyze things too much.
I also agree. People can put different meaning to it so it relates more to them if they want, but this song is about them and the fast paced lives they are now living because of being rock stars. The put feeling into the picture they paint by talking about the people they miss though and old memories...but what else can they do? They gotta be rock stars now.
I also agree. People can put different meaning to it so it relates more to them if they want, but this song is about them and the fast paced lives they are now living because of being rock stars. The put feeling into the picture they paint by talking about the people they miss though and old memories...but what else can they do? They gotta be rock stars now.
Normally I would agree with yall. But in this case I have to say that I's MGMT there's always a deep meaning and it usaly has something to do with having a peter pan complex. These are some of the rare people who realize that most kids form 18 to 30 are Lost Boys now a days. On top of that, this is one of the few bands that they're music video's tend to be a visual form of the song in its most primitive form. The video also segests that he's singing about that point in life where you realize...
Normally I would agree with yall. But in this case I have to say that I's MGMT there's always a deep meaning and it usaly has something to do with having a peter pan complex. These are some of the rare people who realize that most kids form 18 to 30 are Lost Boys now a days. On top of that, this is one of the few bands that they're music video's tend to be a visual form of the song in its most primitive form. The video also segests that he's singing about that point in life where you realize life sucks. That you can't go back to the childhood you fought so hard to leave in the past.
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To me, this song is a farce... The narrator is at the crossroads of adulthood for sure, playfully imagining the escapists' ultimate fantasy (sex, drugs and rock n' roll), no responsibility, Peter Pan's NeverNeverLand if you will.. the opposite of society's traditional structure-- growing up, going to school, getting the office job and having kids (so THEY can grow up, go to school,etc...). Either extreme offers its advantages and disadvantages (family values vs. complete abandon of values)... Basically, either way we go, we're missing out on something, we're "fated to pretend" we're happy. Kind of bleak, the feeling you get when you realize that "what do I want to do when I grow up" question is STILL unresolved... le sigh.
@thepigman But Its not about folk on the tip of adulthood apart from that you're right. Its about twenty something or possibly thirty-somethings wanting to cling on to youth, its about office workers wanting to have the model girlfriends and killing em selfs trying but unlike the stars they don't get the cars or models to make their inner sadness tapered or there early death a little less tragic. It is about peter pan syndrome but its about folk 20-30s. I upvoted ur comment. Its also about how teens want to be 18 but adults want to be 18...
@thepigman But Its not about folk on the tip of adulthood apart from that you're right. Its about twenty something or possibly thirty-somethings wanting to cling on to youth, its about office workers wanting to have the model girlfriends and killing em selfs trying but unlike the stars they don't get the cars or models to make their inner sadness tapered or there early death a little less tragic. It is about peter pan syndrome but its about folk 20-30s. I upvoted ur comment. Its also about how teens want to be 18 but adults want to be 18 again too.... No one is happy AND 18 YEAR olds probably want more money... which means more years which when they have em they dont want...
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MGMT just rocks. These guys are hilarious but deep at the same time.
I see this song as a tongue-in-cheek prime directive. There's a whole history of songs that are basically mission statements, a song that defines what the band is about. One of my favorites is Kick Out the Jams by The MC5. Or Long Live Rock by The Who. Both of those tunes have good doses of humor threaded through them as well.
I wouldn't take their stated desires seriously. Do these guys really want to do a bunch of cocaine and heroin then die by choking on vomit? C'mon, the song is called Time to Pretend, right? I know nothing about their private lives, but even if they do drugs personally, this song isn't glorifying drugs. The song is contrasting materialism (models, drugs, fame, etc.) with the simpler things in life like family, friendship and solitude. You don't have to see the video to understand the song, but there's a part where the band and their friends/tribe are pushing stacks of money into a bonfire. That says it all. The fact that everybody can relate to it in some way, like the anxiety of growing up and feeling alienated from our loved ones by life's pressures, just goes to show that these are great lyrics. I think the whole point to parody/satire is to expose and criticize the underlying meaning of things.
I'm 39 years old and have been playing in bands for close to 25 years. Everyone in my current band is just crazy for MGMT. We're all 35 to 45 years old and just rant and rave about how much we like these guys' songs. They are catchy as hell, they expertly steal from a bunch of different genres for their tracks (in a way that's not boring or derivative) and mash it all together into a distinctive sound. Maybe it'll get overplayed today, but it's classic stuff, 25 years from now people will still dig this song.
The only lyric that makes no sense to me is the "You man the island" part. Huh? I listened to that line 10 times, at loud volume with headphones on, and even though it sounds like that I can't quite figure it out. These lyrics are so tightly written, every line thought out near perfectly, I don't think they would throw in something that seems like such a non-sequiter. Am I missing something?
Great post. I think "man the island" means the same thing as to man a ship, to take it over, to live/reside on it, basically. In that sense, buying and owning and island fits nicely with the other things, like buying cars and marrying models.
Great post. I think "man the island" means the same thing as to man a ship, to take it over, to live/reside on it, basically. In that sense, buying and owning and island fits nicely with the other things, like buying cars and marrying models.
I like that line "the anxiety of growing up and feeling alienated from our loved ones by life's pressures". And good point about the money-fire pit, I almost forgot about that. "Tongue-in-cheek ... materialism" all good points :P
I like that line "the anxiety of growing up and feeling alienated from our loved ones by life's pressures". And good point about the money-fire pit, I almost forgot about that. "Tongue-in-cheek ... materialism" all good points :P
@AluminumAnemone Because the song is not about the band but 2 characters they have created who are office workers who want to be rich and famous and so imitate the rich and famous. Hes saying the main character will marry the model wife, his mate will party on there own private island and take cocaine and get fast cars. Its a thick as thieves or friendship song about 2 dudes fated to kill themselves trying to live a fantasy that they dont even get to achieve at least for the rock stars they get the material wealth and women...
@AluminumAnemone Because the song is not about the band but 2 characters they have created who are office workers who want to be rich and famous and so imitate the rich and famous. Hes saying the main character will marry the model wife, his mate will party on there own private island and take cocaine and get fast cars. Its a thick as thieves or friendship song about 2 dudes fated to kill themselves trying to live a fantasy that they dont even get to achieve at least for the rock stars they get the material wealth and women to make up for their inner sadness and dying young, the office workers however by having a fantsy miss out what would make em truly happy their friends and family
The song is about controlled hedonims not destuctive hedonims or purer than thou living
@AluminumAnemone I agree with you. This song is very tongue-in-cheek. Actually, I find it disturbingly cynical... The first impression I got from this song was a very happy and uplifting one. That's what the music conveys. But when you really pay attention to the lyrics... It's a sad statement. Definitely not the kind of song to be taken too lightly.
@AluminumAnemone I agree with you. This song is very tongue-in-cheek. Actually, I find it disturbingly cynical... The first impression I got from this song was a very happy and uplifting one. That's what the music conveys. But when you really pay attention to the lyrics... It's a sad statement. Definitely not the kind of song to be taken too lightly.
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As I understand it: This whole song is about how growing up will make you lose your self in to the norm; getting a jobb, mariage and children. It is allo about the most common idea of how to break against the norm is to get rich, wild and "free". But allso how the real freedom died when we grew up, and to get obsessed with luxery and wealth doesn't realy free you. The freedom is to be your self, get rid of your insecurity and open up your self like a child. Freedom doesn't come from outside, but from with in. We pretend that we are free and/or feel good, when we look outside for our emotional needs.
@chloé.shoe:3 This take plus my take describe the song perfectly Its a grass is always greener song and also a great gatsby like song, google great gatsby. :
@chloé.shoe:3 This take plus my take describe the song perfectly Its a grass is always greener song and also a great gatsby like song, google great gatsby. :
As far as I gather the song. The song is about 2 young protagonists who could be anything from 20 to 35/36 who realize youth won't last forever or they may even be on their last throws of youth and have a peter pan complex if they are older (the listener is free to decide which) who delude themselves into thinking if they go to the clubs the rich and famous do...
As far as I gather the song. The song is about 2 young protagonists who could be anything from 20 to 35/36 who realize youth won't last forever or they may even be on their last throws of youth and have a peter pan complex if they are older (the listener is free to decide which) who delude themselves into thinking if they go to the clubs the rich and famous do and drink hard like they do they will somehow magically get all the models and rich girls but its a delusional fantasy.
It ultimately leads to the death of the would be peter pans and the actual stars but at least the actual stars had the trappings of wealth such as women and fast cars to make up for their sadness, whereas the average folks missed out on the things that could have made up for not having those things because they were trapped on a fantasy; there family and friends. It's not saying don't be a peter pan or party hard it's saying don't forget about the things that make you truly happy whilst you're having fun and trying to be a real life Dorian gray. Hey I want to be Dorian gray just like any other guy.
It's also a song about how no matter what age or social status we are we wish we were something else, it's a bit like the book the Great Gatsby which basically states that having a dream, an unrealistic one at that is better than actually achieving it. For example in this song the young want to be adults the adults want to remain 18 forever, the office workers wish to have the exciting and materialistic life full of hedonism and hot women, the stars wish for a quieter cleaner more simple life maybe even envying the office workers who are envying them.. It's about how people are never happy and how fucked up that means we all are....
"I miss the comfort of my mother and the weight of the world" sure as hell don't sound like a band criticizing those who work hard...
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This song is a parody on stardom and a critique on the lifes they are supposed to lead when becoming famous.
The only true, real part of the song is: I'll miss the playgrounds and the animals and digging up worms I'll miss the comfort of my mother and the weight of the world I'll miss my sister, miss my father, miss my dog and my home Yeah, I'll miss the boredom and the freedom and the time spent alone
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A lot of what I got from this song was mainly just above growing up and moving on. It's about feeling and living. I was obsessed with this song last summer and was ecstatic to see itunes offering the song for free. Too bad all the itunes freaks kept on bitchin about the "explicit language" and "drug references".
C'mon. Grow a pair.
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songs awesome. I think it's about a guy whose talking about all the things he wants to do..what he can do since he's in the "prime of his life" I think it's a little bit sarcastic with lines like "I'll move to Paris, shoot some heroin and fuck with the stars You man the island and the cocaine and the elegant cars" and "This is our decision to live fast and die young We've got the vision, now let's have some fun!" but then again when he says the line "Get jobs in offices, and wake up for the morning commute" i think yeah, he knows that doing heroin and cocaine are extreme, but honestly the monotinus (sp?) idea of getting up and sitting in a cubical and waiting in traffic every single day for the rest of your life sounds almost as terrible, so why not live it up now while you still can? Again i think he's mocking either rock stars or even teenagers when he says "forget about our mothers and our friends" because when we're doing these crazy things, all we do is think about ourselves and only care about that moment, however we are "fated to pretend" or fated to live in boring,mundane life, pretending that everything is okay..pretending that our indifference to every day boring life is okay. if this is our fate, how can you blame us for trying to change, even at the cost of such extreme measures such as, in this case, heroin use. in the verse when he saying all the things he will miss, he's telling us all the things we will miss out when we choose this life style. hes kinda like, shit...i miss my sister, miss my father, etc but he goes right back to the 'what can ya do' mentality in the next verse "but theres nothing we can do..." Again, is he referring to being 'fated to pretend' as that mundane lifestyle we're going to have to live. the last line "We'll choke on our vomit and that will be the end" means whoever the "we" is, they are dying in such an unfortunate way, something that could have been prevented, but their own stupidity led them to such a death that's when the 'fated to pretend' meaning actually switches, and they were the ones pretending the whole time. pretending that their family, friends, their own life didn't matter. they 'pretending' that crazy lifestyle they lived was ok and better then what was to come, even though they never gave it chance, and gave up everything that meant the most to them.
wow. that was long. well thats just my interpretation, let me know what you think
@memb its good heres mine:
@memb its good heres mine:
very near perefect in less words than I use but its more generally about how the grass is not always greener teens want to be adults adults want to be teens. The song aint talking about the band but 2 deluded office worker characters the band have portrayed who think by drinking and going to haunts of stars and taking drugs they too can have flash car and model wifes but they die young without even getting the benefits the rock stars had to temper their sadness and youthfull death.
very near perefect in less words than I use but its more generally about how the grass is not always greener teens want to be adults adults want to be teens. The song aint talking about the band but 2 deluded office worker characters the band have portrayed who think by drinking and going to haunts of stars and taking drugs they too can have flash car and model wifes but they die young without even getting the benefits the rock stars had to temper their sadness and youthfull death.
It's obviously a song about not...
It's obviously a song about not embracing total hedonism... It is the following:
It is about both the office workers in the song think by drinking loads taking drugs and going to posh bars they too can have fancy cars and models for wifes, the lifestyle kills both the stars and the office workers but at least the former had the trappings of wealth such as women, cars, land etc to temper their inner sadness and young death whereas the office workers death is a tragedy because they got so trapped in a life of fantasy that they forget the people who could have made em trully happy and have made up for not having the materialistic things.....there friends and family.
It's not saying don't party hard or have unrealistic dreams but it is saying never forget your friends and family who can help make you retain a grip on where reality starts and fantasy begins so the fantasy doesn't consume you.
The fated to pretend line means that their fantasy took them away from their family and friends and ultimately lead to their death as they had no one to ground there unrealistic expectations that they too could get flash cars and model wifes just by going to the right clubs drinking loads and taking drugs . That said I think the overall message is slightly hedonistic, and that is a good thing, its saying all means party hard but dont aspire to live someone elses life and dont forget the people that trully matter in your life as only being yourself and loving the people in your life will bring you true happiness.
Its not about the band but 2 characters they have made, who happen to be office workers as in one of stanza covers this. And the song touches on how teens want to be adult but adults want to be 18 again. We are all destined to envy someone elses life.
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the meaning of this song is going way over a few of your guys head..
This song is about Mental Masturbation.
"Yeah, I'll miss the boredom and the freedom and the time spent alone" The freedom and time spent alone daydreaming of things he wishes to do..
Hes talking about his Imagination in the Third person gathering everything he wants..
"You man the island and the cocaine and the elegant cars"
@RobBay Nice although my take is very similar
@RobBay Nice although my take is very similar
Its about 2 office workers the band are writing about who are imagining these things, and maybe they actually do try and do these things and if so they die young and its a tragedy cause at least the rock stars had the cars and women and private islands to make up for their young death and inner sadness whereas the office workers neglected the things that could have brought em true happines and made their partying safer but still intense; their friends and family
Its about 2 office workers the band are writing about who are imagining these things, and maybe they actually do try and do these things and if so they die young and its a tragedy cause at least the rock stars had the cars and women and private islands to make up for their young death and inner sadness whereas the office workers neglected the things that could have brought em true happines and made their partying safer but still intense; their friends and family