Song Meaning

The lyrics present a stark, almost hypnotic, countdown of years, each marked by the departure of "the snakes." This relentless repetition creates a sense of inevitability, as if a natural, albeit strange, phenomenon is unfolding. The phrase "the snakes go" becomes a mantra, building a peculiar tension through its sheer persistence and lack of explanation. The central tension lies in the chorus's paradoxical advice: "take them as they come" and "let them slip away." This suggests a resigned acceptance of these departures, a need to adapt to constant change or loss, even if the nature of these "snakes" remains ambiguous. The idea that "they ain't leaving anyone" hints at a widespread impact, affecting everyone in some way. The most striking element is the sheer, unadorned repetition of the years and the phrase "the snakes go." It mimics a counting game or a simple observation, yet the context implies something more significant. The bridge's simple numerical count and the outro's call-and-response of "awesome" and "snakes" add a layer of almost childlike or performative absurdity to the proceedings, contrasting with the underlying sense of things leaving. Ultimately, the effectiveness comes from this deliberate ambiguity and the hypnotic rhythm. The lyrics don't explain the "snakes" or their leaving, forcing the listener to project their own interpretations onto this strange, recurring event. It taps into a feeling of watching things change, year after year, with a mixture of bewilderment and a forced, almost defiant, cheerfulness.