"I was happier then, with no mind-set"

6 years I befriended a woman who was much more smarter, hipper, and younger than me. We became close and one day I asked her what bands she thought I might like that she loved. She recommended The Shins and she was totally right! She passed away in 2017. And whenever I hear this song, I'm reminded of all the musical interests we shared. R.I.P. Bree

After i heard this song, many years ago, i decided to take him like a gull takes to the wind, and he really jumped from his tree and danced like the king of the eyesores and the rest of our lives went fared well. Thank you very much dear songwriter! I have a happy family now.

This song reminds me of Fridays where my dad would get off work early and pick me up from elementary school from the carpool line. We'd sit in awful heat and traffic and sing this together. Makes me feel so nostalgic, but it's such a good song

I think the meaning of the song is the more you don't take life seriously, the more happy you are.

I believe I was in preschool or kindergarten when I heard this song. My dad had watched Garden State and like many of you guys commenting, he heard this song and bought The Shins album. What I don't remember is hearing the other songs from the album except New Slang. So whenever my dad would ask me what song I wanted to listen to I would always sing "oooo ooo ooooo" ( I didn't know the name of the song at the time) and he would play it. He was just so happy that I knew the song that he picked me up and held me and started to slow dance. Now being at the age of 15 I still love this song and the fact that it's officially me and my dads song

this song has beautiful lyrics. I love the line about "dawn breaks like a bull through the hall" that's such a poetic image

"I'm looking in on the good life am I doomed never to find" ..simply awesome

This song gives me the utmost nostalgia. Not from when the song was released but it makes me remember about when I was very young. Granted, I'm still young now... But this song really reminds me of when I was 6, 7, or 8. When we didn't care about anything in the world... And when we had no responsibilities... Everything was perfect back then. Listening to this song almost scares me to grow up..

How great are these lyrics!?! "Dawn breaks like a bull through the hall, Never should have called. But my head's to the wall and I'm lonely"

Every time I listen to this song, it reminds me of when I was little with little to no self awareness, when I had no control, total innocence and no knowledge of the pain in the world. It's so different when you grow several years. Makes me sad to listen to this song, but I listen to it anyways.

This is one of the most amazing songs I have ever heard, and I only discovered it a few weeks ago. Actually, I did hear it several years ago, suggested by a friend. But it was like that girl you meet at school who you never notice for months or maybe years and then one day, out of the blue, you realize how pretty she is. And not before long you realize this girl you didn't think was that special is actually something truly amazing and you are totally, madly, and forever smitten.

"Dawn breaks like a bull throught the hall, never should have called, but my heads to the wall and im lonely" is beautiful lyricism

i can't believe how i have never heard this song, sorry, it's not a song, this is called art, this is just.. something else.. GOLD

One of the best songs I've heard in awhile. It fuses something both classic and modern. Peace and love

Used to cuddle and nap with my cherished highschool sweetheart listening to this song; neutral milk, Radiohead, Andrew bird, Elliot Smith, vetiver, sigor Ros. She was the one to introduce me to another universe of music. Never found another like her.

When I heard this in Spider-Man 2 game I was like I KNOW THIS SONG 😊

zach braff picks the best songs for his movies/series

this song will change your life

it makes me want to leave my own town and never come back. To make a fresh start in my life

I used to live in this southern town and it would have cold, rainy winters. My favorite bar was a reconverted shotgun-style old dry goods store. The best memories were those cold and rainy nights with one customer and one bartender, who was your friend, and this playing over the rainy swish of a few cars passing by. (Augusta, GA, fyi)

This song makes me forget about the world around me. I become numb but in a calm and peacefully happy type of way knowing everything's okay.

I heard this song for the first time ever today, while walking through a second hand store. I'm sad I didn't hear it sooner.

Mercer's lyrics on this song are abstractly poetically great. Some music critics praise him as a brilliant lyricist.

This song is a wonderful song to listen to on a rainy day!

Wow, is been a long time since i last heard this song, i forgot how good it feels x)

One of my all time favorites

I'm a boomer. Listen 2 me. This outfit is/are the best spokespersons/wordsmiths 4 this current gen. Transcendent lyrics and thoughts which i find comforting. More please...more.

I first listened to this song while watching Garden State with my first boyfriend in my house. I was 15. Everything seemed so innocent and happy. I remembered we both loved the song.

After listening to this song you can't say music does something unexplainable to you. It can change your whole mentality with just a verse.

I think this song is about a extreme passion. How it can upend our lives and give us meaning. But if you're not careful you can fall into a trap of never being satisfied at the place you are now.

I’ll be leaving soon and this song is one of many and amping some of the things I’m going to miss the most about this place. It reminds me of a better time, but that time has passed. To every one and any one curious my only advice is don’t take anything for granted…

If only that girl years ago would have taken to me like a gull to the wind. That good life. Looking in. When I was a pet... the dawn really does hit like a bull when you're up all night. The song is therapeutic & so real & true.

To me this is a “remember where you were when you first heard it”. For me it was an episode of Scrubs 10 years ago and I immediately got online to find it. I still listen to it on a regular basis. God I love it.

This is hauntingly beautiful. My dream is to hear them play it live 💞

I think the word Queen gives the meaning - she too was thinking the same all along - all by herself in regret and desire for everything she wanted with him. I think the conclusion to draw from there is beautiful and true.

Never realized the beautiful lyrics that were encapsulated within this beautiful melody up until now. Wow!

“Especially if u like girls named Alex, and chicken salad” - Jd - Scrubs

such a beautiful mellow song had to look up the lyrics. now I want it on vinyl!

frst time I heard this song was on the way to work when I was picking oranges in South Australia. A French lad had it burned on CD and we listened to it every morning. 5 years later I've found it again. Talk about a trip down memory lane. Wish I could bring back those times, and thank that French lad for introducing this song.

My boyfriend loves this song so much, that's why I'm listening to it 😊

I could listen to this song all day 🥰

This reminds me of my Son in heaven.... R.I.P. Jacob.

This song means so much to me personally. It's very rare that lyrics to a song resonate with the very moment and season I'm in.. Very smart and honest guy

Favorite song ever

This is simply great,original and fresh,..I heard it first as a great jazz piano.rendition,but this truly stands on its own !!!!!

I first heard simple song and that was my favorite song for along time then I looked up more of there songs and I remembered new slang now new slang is my favorite

This song relaxes me

Its 2:51am. Im sitting on a bench on the side of an empty street. Spun. Not even a day ago i had it all. Now im existing in a world that feels smaller and smaller as the minutes go by.

I have yet to hear lyrics as good as James Mercer's.

One of my favorites. Such a chill, laid back tune. Tone

I like the intro , whooo oooo oooo oooo

This song means so much to me,

The lyrics are just amazing , the music mastefully played and the whole thing just takes your breath away.

Infamous Garden State theme that shall live forever

"Your gonna graduate and go to college. An become a lesbian, and listen to The Shins."

great melody...a simple variation on the old medieval song-ala- rondo, which tells a tale...for example the chords either major or minor, mostly major. and the lyrics use alot of olde- tyme english phrases- like "the rest of our lives woulda fare- a thee-well". The grateful used this trick all the time. love the production too, that guiltar solo is great, its like a neil young country solo. All in all, a great tune...a strange combination of styles, but works.

Brings back melancholy memories 💗

This songs makes me wanna meet up with my best friend I haven't seen in a long time and go play basketball in our old highschool we used to go to

do not listen to this while watching your old photos. somebody suddenly starts chopping onions ;)

This song changed my life. Thanks, MPDG!

this song almost makes me cry. along with every other Shins song.

I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR THIS SONG FOR 7 FREAKIN YEARS... I FINALLY FOUND IT.

I HEARD THIS SONG IN A STORE AND FELL IN LOVE I DIDNT KNOW WHAT IT WAS CALLED SO I SOUND RECORDED IT AND FINALLY FOUND IT

Thanks for watching? Thanks for posting you have no idea how much i love this song thank you!!!

Simply beautiful~

I need more songs like this👍🏻

Thank you for this recording!

For some odd reason I like this song. Every time I listen to it, I think of someone.... 5 years ago and I picture us dancing like the king & queen of the eye sores...haha 5 years ago we probly would have done that :p Now, we are too mature for that ( in our heads) :p

i dedicate this song to Sophie Paige Lee

i think im too dumb to understand the lyrics of this song, but it really reminds me of this girl i used to love...i miss her

I really Love this song and you are so right...

Anyone listening in 2020? I heard them in the bus ride back from college. I was in KU at the time, had just moved to the States for college. For some reason this song just stuck to me since then. That was back in 2004!

I've been looking for this in my playlist

peace and love to the multi-verse. This is such an underrated song. Needed it right now. =) peace

This song reminds me of my childhood

this song always makes me feel good after i listen to it!

Glad they put the lyrics up bc i had no idea what they were singing

yesss :) love the shins love the lyrics eccentric and deep..just like my soul

This song and Australia ❤️💕all time faves

I always thought he was saying "like the king of the isles". Who knows but this has always been an inspiring song for me.

Garden State brought me here,thank you Zach!!

Garden State

Makes me miss a girl I used to know

Love this song!!!!

There is nothing quite like this song ♥️

121 people disliked this? this song is nearly perfect all these years later still

this song makes me sad and happy at the same time

"I'm looking in on the good life I might be doomed never to find"

they are proof good music exists they basically created their own genre

so beautiful

That soft "ooooo" that comes in at 2:18 gives me chills.

I love this song!

I was 6 when this came out. How have I never heard it. It’s great

Essa música me traz um sentimento de brisa batendo no rosto, como se eu estivesse voltando do trabalho, está frio e eu só quero chegar em casa pra ver meus filhos e esposa. :')

King of the eyesores. You got it right the first time, "kind" (sic) on the second one.

I never understood why you would go to a song on KZfaq and hit the dislike button. Why did you come to the song if you didn't like it? Just to hit the thumbs down button?

so there is debate about the exact lyrics but u definitely got me closer to finding them out than i was before so thanks

I can honestly say it did. My brother-in-law played it for me once on KZfaq and I dismissed it as music that didn't fit with my taste (which was ironically similar). Eventually I looked it up and listened to it more and more. I ended up purchasing the album. Then the rest of their major release albums. New Slang gave me a new view on music (both as a listener and performer) and myself (melancholy coincides with complacency). An amazing song.

always needed to know these lyrics