What Does MGMT’s “Kids” Mean?
“Kids” is broadly about childhood, growing up and the loss of innocence.
But like plenty of MGMT songs, it doesn’t provide one neat explanation.
The music sounds euphoric.
The lyrics are stranger.
And the video is basically a toddler’s nightmare.
Welcome to MGMT.
When was “Kids” written?
Earlier than many people realise.
Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser were experimenting with versions of the song while at university, years before MGMT became internationally famous.
Earlier versions appeared on releases before the definitive Oracular Spectacular recording. Wikipedia
What is the song about?
Childhood appears throughout the song as a state of:
freedom
fear
instinct
and limited understanding.
Adults tell children to control themselves.
Children gradually learn the rules of the world.
Some interpretations see the song as mourning the innocence lost during that process.
Others hear environmental themes.
MGMT rarely make interpretation easy.
Why is the synth riff so famous?
Simplicity.
The melody is almost nursery-rhyme simple.
That’s appropriate for a song called “Kids”.
It also means you can recognise the record after a few notes.
The best hooks often look embarrassingly simple once somebody else has invented them.
Why is the music video so disturbing?
A toddler sees grotesque monsters everywhere.
Adults appear oblivious.
The concept turns childhood fear into visible reality.
To the child, the monsters are real.
To everybody else, nothing is happening.
That’s a surprisingly effective metaphor for childhood anxiety. SongSense
What genre is “Kids”?
Synth-pop.
Indietronica.
Psychedelic pop.
Electronic rock.
It became one of the defining tracks of the late-2000s indie-electronic crossover.
Was MGMT supposed to become a huge pop band?
Not really.
That’s part of their story.
Their three most accessible early songs:
Kids
Electric Feel
Time to Pretend
became enormous.
Then MGMT spent much of their subsequent career refusing to simply recreate them.
That frustrated some casual listeners.
It also made the band considerably more interesting.
Songs like “Kids”
Empire of the Sun – Walking on a Dream
Passion Pit – Sleepyhead
Phoenix – 1901
Miike Snow – Animal
Foster the People – Houdini
The Naked and Famous – Young Blood
M83 – Midnight City
Cut Copy – Lights & Music
Friendly Fires – Paris
What does “Kids” really mean?
Growing up means learning control.
But it also means losing some of the strange freedom you had before you understood the world.
MGMT wrapped that uncomfortable idea inside one of the happiest synth riffs of the 2000s.
Which feels very MGMT.