A Lyrical Analysis Of “In The Aeroplane Over The Sea” Part One

When I first listened to this album I didn’t think the lyrics themselves held any meaning. There were definitely some vague themes I could see, but I thought they were mostly random and just sounded nice to sing. I didn’t mind this since I value how a song sounds over the content of the lyrics. However, after listening to the album many times, analyzing the themes and doing some research, I now realize that the lyrics hold great meaning and they tell a story about innocence and mortality. I will make multiple articles covering each song dissecting the lyrics and explaining what they mean. The first song on the album is King Of The Carrot Flowers Pt. 1. This song is basically about a child coming to terms with certain complexities in life and maturing.

“When you were young, you were the king of carrot flowers…”

These lyrics refer to a child imagining themselves as a king while playing outside, but they also hold a symbolic meaning. Carrot flowers symbolize growing old, as they only grow once a carrot has been in the ground for a long time. The King (first mention of a tarot card on the album) represents authority and mastery. Essentially the narrator is saying that the child feels as if he is immortal; he has a mastery over never growing old. Children often feel like this; it is only until they get older when they start thinking about their mortality.

“And how you built a tower tumbling through the trees,
In holy rattlesnakes that fell all around your feet…”

These lyrics refer to a child pretending to build a tower outside with rattlesnakes around them (the lyricist lives in the south). The “holy” descriptor refers to a southern Christian tradition where people would hold snakes to test their faith in God, meaning the child is playing around snakes who are used for this practice. This is also the second and third time the album mentions tarot cards. The Tower refers to ill omens, and The Snake refers to hidden danger. Building a “tower” and playing around “rattlesnakes” means that the child is oblivious to the problems they will experience as an adult, as the child is still innocent and has not been exposed to certain horrors of existence. In The Garden Of Eden a snake took away the innocence of Adam and Eve, so the snakes also symbolize how the child’s innocence will soon be lost in their coming of age.

“And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder,
And dad would throw the garbage all across the floor…”

Here the lyrics become less metaphorical and more literal. They describe an instance of domestic violence where a woman stabs her husband, making the husband throw things on the floor in anger. The description of the husband as “daddy” shows that perhaps the child was watching their parents do this. Though it may be not on the same level as this situation, many people’s most distressing childhood memories are of watching their parents argue. As children we automatically assume our parents are perfect since we look to them for guidance and protection. Seeing your parents fight completely shatters this view and changes how you see not just your parents but yourself. It’s a moment where you mature and come to terms with certain imperfections in your life. These lyrics fulfill earlier lyrics describing a child who feels immortal and is innocent, as this experience of witnessing domestic violence has taken away some of the child’s innocence. The fact that the father is called “daddy” and the mother just “mom” also references Anne Frank, as she loved her father but hated her mom.

“As we would lay and learn what each other's bodies were for…”

These lyrics further explore coming of age themes, describing the child learning about their physiology, which further destroys their innocence. Specifically it references part of Anne Frank’s diary.

“And this is the room one afternoon,
I knew I could love you,
And from above you how I sank into your soul,
Into that secret place where no one dares to go…”

The lyricist recalls a room where as a child (or teen or whatever) he realized he had romantic feelings for the child which was mentioned in earlier lyrics. These lyrics further explore coming of age themes, as when you grow up you start experiencing these feelings more. When he talks about going into her soul and into “that secret place,” he’s describing how it feels to develop a special relationship with someone.

“And your mom would drink until she was no longer speaking,
And dad would dream of all the different ways to die,
Each one a little more than he could dare to try.”

Immediately contrasting the lyricist’s depiction of a loving relationship is the child’s memories of their toxic parents. Along with being violent towards one another, the mom is an alcoholic and the dad is suicidal. This is another memory that would further destroy the child’s innocence and mature them. It’s also worth noting that these lyrics come directly after he talked about a youthful relationship he had. Perhaps he is comparing an innocent romantic relationship with an older, more mature kind of one. Youthful romantic relationships are more playful since they don’t require much commitment, while adult relationships are often plagued with issues due to the commitment needed for them. These lyrics also reference Anne Frank’s hatred for her mom. Describing the mom as an alcoholic and the dad as suicidal implies that the mom is the cause of her husband’s depression, essentially blaming the mom.

The song I will cover in the next article will be King Of The Carrot Flowers Pts. 2 & 3