Time to Pretend by MGMT Lyrics Meaning – The Paradox of Modern Hedonism Unveiled
Lyrics
I’m in the prime of my life
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
This is our decision to live fast and die young
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?
Forget about our mothers and our friends
We’re fated to pretend
To pretend
We’re fated to pretend
To pretend
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
But there is really nothing, nothing we can do
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’ll choke on our vomit and that will be the end
We were fated to pretend
To pretend
We’re fated to pretend
To pretend
I said yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
In their explosive debut, ‘Time to Pretend,’ MGMT unfurls a tapestry of modern hedonism woven with threads of existential angst and the banalities of the bohemian lifestyle. The track, a cornerstone of their 2007 album ‘Oracular Spectacular,’ is a synth-pop odyssey that captures the pulse of a generation disillusioned by the well-trodden path of conventional life, yet sarcastically celebrates the excesses of rockstar fantasies.
But beneath the shimmering surface of its hypnotic electronic beats, ‘Time to Pretend’ harbors a deep-seated irony and a veiled critique of the very lifestyle it seems to promote. This article peels back the layers to reveal the complex interplay of meanings behind one of MGMT’s most iconic anthems.
The Grand Illusion: Dreaming in a Modern Fairy Tale
MGMT spins a grand illusion of the opulent rock and roll dream, with its lyrical narrative detailing a fantastical leap from youthful naivety to a seemingly enviable lifestyle. ‘Let’s make some music, make some money, find some models for wives,’ they sing, echoing the aspirational desire to escape ordinary life for something extraordinary, something mythical.
However, the fairy tale is laced with an awareness of its own absurdity. The mention of moving to Paris, shooting heroin, and ‘fucking with the stars’ is delivered with a tongue-in-cheek fatalism that underscores the precariousness of this dream, hinting at the emptiness and potential self-destruction that often shadows fame and fortune.
Fated Fantasies: Unraveling the Song’s Hidden Meaning
At its core, ‘Time to Pretend’ is a paradoxical anthem, a hymn that both glorifies and vilifies the quintessential rockstar lifestyle. MGMT meticulously dissects the allure of fame and fast living, all the while laying bare the inescapable truth that this lifestyle is ultimately unsustainable: ‘We’ll choke on our vomit and that will be the end.’
The repeated proclamation that we are ‘fated to pretend’ serves as a haunting reminder that the characters in this narrative are actors in a pre-scripted saga of excess, fully aware of their roles yet powerless to escape. The fatalism woven into the song suggests that the pursuit of this narrative is a collective delusion, a societal script that many recite, even as they perceive its flawed conclusion.
A Sarcastic Ode to Escapism and Its Perilous Path
There’s a palpable sarcasm in the question, ‘Yeah, it’s overwhelming, but what else can we do?’ MGMT captures the essence of a jaded youth culture, mocking the inevitability of a life trapped in the cyclical ‘morning commute.’ The song shuns the traditional security of 9-to-5 jobs, instead embracing a perilous path of escapism, one that is fraught with both danger and decadence.
This rebellion against convention is not portrayed as a valiant act of defiance but as a conditioned response to the dread of normalcy. Within the lyrics lie an implicit admission of the internal conflict faced by the modern youth: the desire for freedom and uniqueness battling the gravitational pull of societal norms.
The Nostalgic Yearning Behind the Memorable Lines
Even as ‘Time to Pretend’ revels in its chaotic, hedonistic narrative, it does not completely forsake the tender longings for simpler times. Lyrics like ‘I’ll miss the playgrounds and the animals and digging up worms’ capture a nostalgic yearning for innocence lost, evoking a visceral sense of the trade-offs inherent in the chase for more exotic dreams.
This is the heart of the song’s power: its ability to simultaneously reminisce on the purity of childhood and yet dismiss these memories as part of the cycle that must be abandoned. ‘We’re fated to pretend’ becomes a mantra of disconnection, the bittersweet farewell to a life less thrilling, yet perhaps more genuine.
From Irony to Icon: How ‘Time to Pretend’ Shaped a Generation
MGMT’s ‘Time to Pretend’ struck a chord with a generation standing at the crossroads of disillusionment and aspiration. The song’s enduring impact lies not in its vivid depiction of a rockstar’s journey but in its ironic critique of the perspectives that shape our desires and dreams.
As a cultural artifact, ‘Time to Pretend’ has transcended mere entertainment to become a much-needed reflection on the absurdity of the expectations placed upon the young in the modern age. Through its cynical wit and haunting melodies, it has secured its place as a defining anthem of millennial malaise, and as a siren song for those who dare to dream differently.
