Animal by Ellie Goulding Lyrics Meaning – Unleashing the Primitive Love
Lyrics
I’ll take you to the ocean, I’ll bring the sun
We are seventeen, we have just begun
I have loved to fight for and then some
You are the one, the one, the one, the one,
The one, the one, the one, the one
Wake up in the morning, we’re paralyzed
We’ll fly into the garden like butterflies
There will be no blood and there will be no pain
I want to fall in love with you again, again,
Again, again, again, again, again, again
Again, again
You have stolen all my senses
There’s a fever in my heart
And you are taking my defenses
You are pulling me apart
Forever we are and we are dying
And we still be standing on our ground
So I will take away my feeling
I will be an animal
An animal
I’ll tie you in my arms, I will smother you
We’ll tell each other lies, I will tell the truth
I’ll color in the sky, and I’ll color you
I want to join your skin again, again,
Again, again, again, again, again, again
Again
You have stolen all my senses
There’s a fever in my heart
And you are taking my defenses
You are pulling me apart
Forever we are and we are dying
And we still be standing on our ground
So I will take away my feeling
I will be an animal
An animal
We will run away from danger
We will run away
I-I-I-I-I will fight for
You have stolen all my senses
There’s a fever in my heart
And you are taking my defenses
You are pulling me apart
Forever we are and we are dying
And we still be standing on our ground
So I will take away my feeling
I will be an animal
An animal
Ellie Goulding’s ‘Animal’ is a ballad that delves deep into the primal essence of love and emotion, set against a backdrop of seraphic melodies and beats that echo the heart’s wild drum. Goulding, known for her ethereal voice and intricate lyricism, paints a picture of love that is raw, uninhibited, and deeply instinctual in this track.
Exploring themes of youthful exuberance, boundless affection, and the innate desire to connect on a visceral level, ‘Animal’ hits a chord with anyone who’s ever felt love’s tempestuous tug. The song teeters on the edge of innocence and experience, encapsulating the frenetic passion that comes with submitting entirely to one’s feelings.
A Serenade to Youth: Capturing the Spirit of Seventeen
Goulding’s invocation of being seventeen is not a mere timestamp in age, but a reference to the state of being brimming with possibilities. It’s a time when emotions run high and the future twinkles like the sun on the ocean—a recurring metaphor in the song. ‘I’ll take you to the ocean, I’ll bring the sun,’ she pledges, offering a gesture that is at once grandiose and intensely personal.
The ocean serves as an expansive canvas for young love, an element that is both soothing and tumultuous. The song captures the dual nature of young love; it’s as soothing as a balm yet it can stir a storm in the soul.
Battle Lines in Love: The Defensive Heart’s Undoing
Goulding masterfully describes the struggle of retaining one’s defenses when confronted with a powerful love. ‘You have stolen all my senses,’ she declares, illustrating love as a masterful thief that robs us of our wits and defenses. This lover has disarmed the protagonist, bringing forth a feverish sense of vulnerability.
Yet, within this vulnerability lies the true depth of the connection. The love described in this track is one that does not shy away from challenge; it’s a love that fights, persists, and stands its ground even when ‘forever we are, and we are dying.’
The Transformation of Intimacy: Becoming an ‘Animal’
The chorus’s raw declaration, ‘I will be an animal,’ is a powerful metaphoric transformation that speaks to the fundamental change love brings about in us. Goulding uses the imagery of becoming an animal to depict a shedding of social pretenses, a return to a state where instinct and emotion reign supreme over the mind’s constructions.
This transformation isn’t just about surrender; it’s a willing embrace of a primal identity where love isn’t sanitized or controlled, but deeply experienced in its natural, unbridled state.
Masterful Metaphors: The Art of Lies and Color
‘We’ll tell each other lies, I will tell the truth,’ Goulding croons, touching upon the complexities of intimacy. Here, ‘lies’ may not just refer to deceit, but to the myriad ways lovers create their own reality, independent of the outer world. She vows to infuse life with new hues—coloring in the sky, coloring the lover, dressing up the world in the palette of her love.
In these lines, Goulding hints at the transformative power of love, that gently blurs the line between fact and fiction, between mere existence and vibrancy. It’s a powerful assertion of love’s ability to rewrite the mundane.
Unraveling the Hidden Meaning: Love As a Sanctuary
The idea of running ‘away from danger’ touches upon love as a refuge—a theme that emerges in the final bridge. Even as she battles with the transformations wrought by love, Goulding ultimately sees love as a sanctuary, a shield against the vagaries of fate.
‘We will run away’ not only suggests escape but also a joint venture into the unknown, fuelled by trust and the unspoken promise to fight for each other come what may. In this light, ‘Animal’ shines not just as an ode to passionate love, but also as an anthem of survival and companionship in a world fraught with perils.
