Dirty Paws
Of Monsters And Men · My Head Is An Animal [2011]
My head is an animal.
And once there was an animal,
It had a son that mowed the lawn.
The son was an ok guy,
They had a pet dragonfly.
The dragonfly it ran away
But it came back with a story to say.
Her dirty paws and furry coat,
She ran down the forest slope.
The forest of talking trees,
They used to sing about the birds and the bees.
The bees had declared a war,
The sky wasn't big enough for them all.
The birds, they got help from below,
From dirty paws and the creatures of snow.
And for a while things were cold,
They were scared down in their holes.
The forest that once was green
Was colored black by those killing machines.
But she and her furry friends
Took down the queen bee and her men.
And that's how the story goes,
The story of the beast with those four dirty paws.
Dirty Paws
From the 2011 album My Head Is An Animal, "Dirty Paws" exemplifies the indie-folk sound that defined Of Monsters And Men's early career. The track features the band's signature acoustic instrumentation and emotive vocal delivery, characteristic of their work during the era that produced hits like "Little Talks." Released alongside the critically acclaimed Into The Woods, the song reflects the group's ability to blend storytelling with atmospheric production. It remains a staple of their discography, showcasing their commitment to organic textures and melodic structures that have influenced a generation of indie artists. The recording captures the raw energy of their formative years, establishing a template for their subsequent musical evolution.