Holland, 1945 by Neutral Milk Hotel

[@treetrain]

"and it's so sad to see the world agree, that they'd rather see their faces filled with flies, all when i'd want to keep white roses in their eyes" BEST LINES OF SONG

[@neo-filthyfrank1347]

I think it maybe means that people would rather treat death as an ugly, sad, and tragic thing when the song is trying to say it's inevitable and the life and memory of the person should be cherished. There's nothing you can do about a death having happened so best look at the positives of their lives.

[@joegibbskins]

@@neo-filthyfrank1347 Interesting. I saw it more as an acknowledgement that a darker aspect of our interconnectivity is that we are all in some ways responsible for things like the Holocaust, which could only happen if human beings either have the orders, followed the orders, or allowed the world to be a place where the orders could be given and followed

[@Abhishek-fe3zs]

@@neo-filthyfrank1347 he's talking about the jews and antisemitism genius

[@neo-filthyfrank1347]

@@Abhishek-fe3zs That's a less interesting interpretation.

[@13MoonGold]

@@joegibbskins por que no los dos? These lyrics are so beautiful that both interpretations are equally valid and make you listen to the song in different ways

[@JoeDuggan419]

"album cover by the sea kid and a girl potato slice lady" and this is where I ended up.

[@communistdaughter2861]

Joseph Duggan For me the best description of the cover has always “Weird drum head lady and her drowning son”

[@ezkibela]

I always though more of a drumhead or a taumborine

[@seaotter4439]

I thought it was a coconut

[@tyrekecantrell5941]

I thought it was a raddish

[@thedarksideofthemoon9612]

@@seaotter4439 yo same

[@FlashakaViolet]

the rhytm is so upbeat, but the lyrics made me tear up. even if you're gone you remain in our hearts and minds

[@neo-filthyfrank1347]

Yes but eventually they too will die and so will the memories

[@FlashakaViolet]

@@neo-filthyfrank1347 memories become stories when they're forgotten, and so they're never forgotten

[@neo-filthyfrank1347]

@@FlashakaViolet Lol most people's lives never become stories, and even the ones that do fade eventually. And if you want to be technical entropy is ever increasing so eventually all will be lost.

[@FlashakaViolet]

@@neo-filthyfrank1347 I get you’re trying to be edgy, but what you’re saying is actually consoling. In the end, nothing matters, and the end will bring peaceful nothingness. But in the meantime we have memory. Not only the memory of individuals, mind you, but the great collective archive of history. As long as we’re here stories will be here. Every life is a story and has repercussions and effects that can be observed long after that singular story has ended. Entropy is a force in the universe, but so is empathy. We have the power to imagine what is like to be someone else, this allows us to get into their story even if we’ve never lived it and we don’t know all the details. But we’re able to recognize the heart of it. We’re always telling each other the same stories, about the same things, and we’re always living them. Settings and times and peoples may change but the core of the story is always the same. This has been true since the dawn of humanity and it will continue to be true until we disappear, and the story of mankind comes to an end. The end.

[@neo-filthyfrank1347]

@@FlashakaViolet I'm not trying to be edgy I'm pointing out that what you initially said is completely wrong. It's really stupid to say that because humans are capable of empathy, and because over the years we tend to tell similar stories, that this somehow means people who have died long ago somehow "live on". They don't. Not even in an abstract sense like in memory or story, because the details of them and what made them relevant are lost forever. To say their memory still lives because they're part of a collective is massively cringeworthy as well, because a collective inherently removes detail. Collectives are a cancer.

[@MarciaCM2]

"Now, I am not generally given over to excitement, but Neutral Milk Hotel sort of changed my life. They released this absolutely fantastic album called In the Aeroplane Over the Sea in 1998 and haven’t been heard from since, purportedly because their lead singer lives in a cave in New Zealand. But anyway, he’s a genius." Thank you John Green , thank you very much.

[@riverscuomo7140]

it sounds painful to be born with roses in your eyes

[@Nokitron]

Rivers Cuomo jesus christ

[@phildanus6962]

Man, rivers you know. I really liked your music growing up. Now I'm 18 and I'm seriously dissspointed in your music. I think your creations now lack genuine inspiration from within and lack real creativity. Stop doing covers and stop putting your shitty music on fortnite. Fortnite is known in the community as a game for little kids. Little kids only like your new stuff and hear it and say "oh that sucks". I fear that you'll make people pay your band no mind to such an extent that the later generations will never know what Weezer was really all about. Don't cry man but take my criticism as what it is. Honest criticism. I think I could make a better Weezer song than you and I'm 18 years old and I suck at guitar.

[@jeevithrai7994]

@@phildanus6962 I agree. Rivers, go back to Pinkerton

[@oakoe188]

With the thorns too? Ouch

[@oakoe188]

@@phildanus6962 you realize this isn’t actually rivers right

[@julesdudes853]

This shit makes me want to mosh while crying

[@grinwicked5132]

Something about this album is really touching

[@edwardormsby1515]

One of the few "perfect albums" as a work of art

[@knightscroftsquire-muldoon]

The Anne Frank inspiration towards this album are very moving.

[@botmexicanpatriot]

It's like Jeff Mangum personal headcanon

[@ferdinandbardamu.]

Semen stains the Mountain tops

[@u121386]

@@botmexicanpatriot Literally. He was inspired to compose the entire album by a dream he had, which kind of explains the frequent randomness through out it. But my god does it work so goddamn well.

[@blazeofglory4053]

Two, one, two three four... *THE ONLY GIRL I EVER LOOOOOOVED*

[@willtros645]

I’m amazed a shitposter was able to capture this songs energy and visualize it

[@diegovera1353]

Will The Loser who else would have?

[@adrenole7131]

@@diegovera1353 1886

[@diegovera1353]

ıllı adrain ıllı I know, and I thank him every day for that. Btw cool Johnny Profile Picture

[@casualgoats]

Ah, you have culture I see.

[@derangedcrouton1864]

he deleted his channel :(

[@geffcassuto]

My Grandmother Elisabeth Rodrigues Cassutto was a Dutch Jew and holocaust survivor, grew up in Amsterdam and went to the same Hebrew school as Anne Frank (Anne was 2 years older). She was hidden in the Dutch countryside by a righteous gentile and Christian school teacher named Grietje Bogaards, whose name is now on the wall of righteous gentiles in DC. She survived and later married another Dutch survivor, Ernest Cassutto. Her parents were sent to Auschwitz. I heard this song and album the first time in teenage years and it effected me profoundly. I felt like Jeff was singing my Grandparents story as well as Anne's and countless other Jews, through a very dreamlike lens. It was as if he channeled the lost emotions of all outsider and persecuted peoples.

[@kkoyaanisqatisfy1432]

holy shit that's deep

[@johnnyboy5491]

I think the song is about Otto Frank after the war recalling his daughters Anne and Margot who died in Bergen-Belsen of Typhus only weeks before the Allies liberated the concentration camp. He especially lived Anne and he sees the spirit of her in his new young family. Otto was the only survived of the Frank family, everyone he loved was slaughtered by the nazis, but he had to carry on. He had to pick the pieces that were left just to give himself a chance to carry on somewhere new..

[@flytrappedinajar1]

After the "1, 2, 3, 4" the song explodes into action and I fall in love with it... again.

[@Flare12234]

just like the camps

[@AWESOMEGUY7325]

​@@Flare12234errrmm

[@ImageLimestone]

"Here is the room where your brothers were born", that line makes me tear up every time and I don't know why

[@nathanmcgill7249]

I love that lyric as well, and I can’t explain why either

[@freezing3877]

One evening *1886*

[@OfficalEzra]

Very true

[@PersonMan1]

True

[@wawacat2329]

Yes,I agree with your statement

[@ephemeralesoteric]

rerorero

[@dillonb9811]

A very interesting year indeed

[@u121386]

This entire album fits the indie genre so well. The relaxed lofi sound, the creativity, the randomness. It’s really just “shut the fuck up and play some goddamn music” type music. I fucking love it

[@odhranr]

The first 8 seconds of this song is the most effortlessly badass thing I've ever heard in my entire life.

[@cloudisred]

It's the kind of music that hits you hard.

[@briancrawford8751]

Yeah, right in the guts. First I laughed, and then I wanted to puke. This song is an atrocity.

[@Lolpy.]

@@briancrawford8751 You’re right, it is about an atrocity.

[@billdoggonejones]

@@briancrawford8751Hey mate! It’s me, Brian Crawford! I have a picture of me at my fancy pantsy public school! How are you mate!?

[@zamaz99]

The horns at the end really get me. So melancholy. Great song!

[@jaymepaige99]

I was going to comment something about how much I love this song, and Will Grayson, but then I remembered the rules were to 1. not care too much and 2. shut up. So I won't.

[@thedemon7812]

Jayme Paige omg I love these book

[@helena8911]

I am 7 years late but l really loved the book !!

[@waldenwonders]

the earth looks better from a star :)

[@nickname8619]

All the human atrocities aren't seen from that far away...

[@hunterprt1274]

Sometimes I wonder how Aliens think of us lol

[@Treesandink]

i remember walking home along the road and i was singing this song and everyone was staring at me. normally i'd start to have a panic attack or fear of judgement from people doing that to me but i was so into the music and singing the melody that i didn't care. it made me feel so good!

[@ianf2354]

Pen and Paper nice dude

[@junn805]

hope you are doing well

[@Munnwort]

@@junn805 he’s probably loveless these days

[@zad_rasera]

Says it was good to be alive, but now he rides a comet's plane, and won't be coming back again...

[@dmdanimal]

"And its so sad to see, the world agree, that they'd rather see their faces filled with flies..." Every time I hear about some genocide or another this line comes to mind

[@tommygarson8592]

I know the song is about the ones you love being killed by evil forces beyond your control, but somehow I also get the feelinf that there's a second meaning of the pain of loving someone who doesn't love themself. I've experienced it before, caring immensly about someone who just does not care about their own well being, and I remember the pain I felt every time they just denied a compliment or wanted to give up on everything. its a very unique sadness, and while it might not even have been in mind while writing this song, I get that sensation anyway.

[@anarch1.c]

for some reason the bass literally kills my ears

[@maddystrydom]

They're almost as good as 'Schrodinger And The Maybe Dead Cats'.

[@elijahmcdowell9690]

+Maddie Strystini xD

[@kiraazun]

I was trying to find them, but then I saw John's video, and realized they probably weren't real... Now I'm sad

[@jordieparks8823]

Madison Grace nerd fighters!!!

[@YeoLja2XO1]

I wish it was a real band. What a cool name😂

[@UltimateSpidey0912]

Lmao I actually searched for that band

[@BridgetD96]

The first time I read Will Grayson, Will Grayson I was listening to pandora radio and this song came on. It was like divine intervention, I just about died.

[@sarajanehealey1063]

On Facebook, my only friends who also like this band are my 2 professors. I was so pumped when Colbert played this, I freaked out!!!

[@waldenwonders]

+SaraJane Healey its awesome that ur professors listen to this band, their honestly great and the subtle notions about death and happiness and living life on a star, and never going back to earth again is just truly breathtaking,

[@tomholihan4850]

+Hassan Abdillahi (Juice) You kids are adorable; what with your "Old people are square' innocence of youth. I'm 50, have dentures, but still got out twice last week (sensible shoes and all) for The Black Lips' and King Khan shows... Doesn't make me cool. Trust me in that you don't suddenly day wake up and decide they like Billy Joel or some shit just because somehow seems more 'age-appropriate' . ;").

[@waldenwonders]

what're are you talking about, man?

[@jeanpaiva8670]

I was like "I am going to listen to this song on yt cause then I can relate with people that also feels touched by this song" but all i got was people memeing

[@pingunooty]

perfectly balanced, as all things should be

[@niedec]

Never have I been so moved by German folk metal.

[@flybynightfox]

This is one of my favorite songs of all time, along with Neutral Milk Hotel's "King of Carot Flowers Pt. 1" and "Song Against Sex". Love love love Jeff's voice and the instrumentals. It's the great lyrics that really draw me in. These songs aren't supposed to sound super crisp and pristine, and for me it gives the effect that I'm listening to something from an earlier time, and considering some of the songs (like this one) refer to the WWII period, I think it comes out really well.

[@TheRawrzor]

The lyrics. People don't listen to this band because of the amazing guitar skills, or his amazing voice (because he has neither), they come because of his ability to create deep meaningful lyrics.

[@fairsaa7975]

But... also the amazing guitar skills and his amazing voice.

[@vampirgirl41]

To be honest I really like his unorthodox way of singing. If he was more technical or if he'd sound like John Legend it would (at least in my opinion) not fit as well. The lyrics are amazing, but I like the weird sounds and deliberate low quality production. The way they combined so many things and tied it all together with both folk and rock sounds inspired and keeps inspiring many indie musicians til this day.

[@eraflowski]

The singing is chaotic and passionate, which lends itself very well to the frantic instrumentation. This is a great piece of music under any context.

[@throwwway9152]

The singing isn't technically perfect, but technically perfect singing would have been much worse for this album. The rawness is one of the most important parts.

[@kkoyaanisqatisfy1432]

The lyrics are awesome. But even if this album was sung in Aramaic it would be still top tier.

[@carljuztine3328]

genius songwriting, one of the greatest written albums i've ever heard

[@CheckmateWithPawn]

Jeff, thank you so much.. you give me confidence that you dont have to have a singing voice to be a great singer

[@victorstiles8946]

2:06 I tear up at this part every single time.

[@alexisnicole9620]

Holy shit this is a real band. I was reading a book and it mentioned a band and I thought it wasn't real (because ya know... books) and this came up in my recommendeds!! I am shook! And loving this.

[@DFACisaan]

Such cheerful music for such a heartbreaking topic. Truly beautiful.

[@TERRIBLEPRODUCTIONSS]

I know everyone already knows this, but just for newcomers brought by Parks and Rec, this song and the entire album is about Anne Frank. Anne Frank died in 1945. She was buried with her sister Margot in a mass grave after a typhus outbreak. She died only a few weeks before the British came and saved the jewish prisoners from the camp where Anne was being held. ("A few weeks before the guns came") "Ghost" also mentions her being born in 1928.

[@iisdatboi788]

wow with this new era of war “its so sad to see the world agree that theyd rather see there faces filled with flies.” is just so sad and eery.

[@alvaroprieto2092]

Zinonists, the US and Europe agree

[@adrienneczerni6516]

@@alvaroprieto2092countries may do horrible things with their people’s money but that doesn’t mean all citizens endorse them

[@CrispinTarle]

quite possibly one of the best songs of all time in my opinion.

[@adrianbarrientes]

i agree fr

[@brotherlestat305]

It's quite ridiculously good 😂

[@lukerr87]

This song is incredible, the lyrics are amazing too! So catchy.

[@hcope28]

136 people who need to listen again

[@peachicetee]

why did this song make me tear up

[@kittanartist7308]

So many reasons TwT

[@janiodesouza7617]

Beautiful poetry! Rock n roll beat!

[@SteefPip]

One of the best recommendations Spotify ever gave me.

[@PopTartNeko]

I don't care if this is about Anne Frank or what, this is a literary masterpiece

[@soupy-san]

Jeff Mangum has stated in interviews that the song is an ode to his main musical influence, the late Eazy-E.

[@phildanus6962]

Your joke sucks.

[@soupy-san]

phildanus sorry dad.

[@jeanpaiva8670]

Last weekend I went to Auschwitz and I think that this was in a way motivated by Neutral Milk Hotel. I can't describe how I felt, it's horror beyond anything I've ever seen. It's unreal how something like that could have happened. After the visit, on my train back to Krakow, I cried for 20min while listening to Holland 1945 and Two Headed boy. No memes.

[@tridentgum0]

Probably my favorite song off of one of my favorite albums. Incredible.

[@HeyBudHowsItGoin]

The Colbert Report ended with this great track. A wonderful song to end a wonderful show.

[@BillyxRansom]

UGH AS IF THIS BAND COULDN'T DEPRESS ME ANY MORE

[@JfnDWatchesVids]

Great song! So extremely catchy!

[@stlev99]

gorgeous and moving

[@thatcarlymay]

I think I'm in love with this song.

[@stolenrims]

Seeing all these WGWG comments makes me even more proud to have known and been fortunate enough to see NMH during their prime. I'm not against new fans. The band was amazing. Truly my favorite, and I'm glad more people are finding them. Better late than never.

[@suchaspacecadet]

Stunning. Anne Frank had a tragic life but remained a beautiful person throughout it all and I think this song reflects that perfectly.

[@Apmhflick]

@dlk3r I'm so glad that show mentioned this band so more people know about them. Welcome to the club, guys.

[@thruadapt290]

Masterpiece song, reminds me of The Microphones - The Moon

[@iamdearlysorry]

ikr!!! the trumpets blowing are really really similar to the sax in the moon i love it

[@kepko_]

1886

[@ezkibela]

The Haymarket riots ? 1886 , 1 May, Where some anarchist workers were on strike for the 8 hours work for labour day and were assesinated by policemen ? Now the 1 of May is the Workers Day becouse of those heroes, or you talking about the French-Vietnam war against chinese , or about the revolt of Great Bear and Geronimo , Northamerican Native Indians who fought against the Yankee Army and lost , that year was the year Geronimo surrended to the Yankees, or all the racist genocide shitt perpetrated by Belgiam King Leopold in Congo ? In 1885 Europe made the reparticion of África in the Berlin conference , so Belgium kept Congo and some more lands and we all know all the shitt he did in it .... since everyone else aparently know the answer i would like to know to wich act of them or if is something else i missed it is , thanks in advance.

[@kepko_]

@@ezkibela there was a youtuber whos channel name was 1886 and he used the song

[@ezkibela]

@@kepko_ thanks for the info , there were to much coments just tiping 1886 and i didnt know what were they trying to atach to the 1945 events, thanks to u i searched the vid , his channel 1886 not longer exist but the vid is still on in other people acounts so i finally knew , thanks again man

[@jaywiltho]

god f'ing damn, this song reduces me to tears every time i listen

[@quaesitor]

this is an amazing song from an amazing album by an amazing band.

[@Tarkus-Ivalice-dweller]

Imagine if Jeff magnum had a time machine.

[@TheOjamaYellow]

@shenkiin The song was one of the last to be written for In the Aeroplane Over the Sea and remained untitled until art director Chris Bilheimer asked Mangum what to title the song in the liner notes for the album. Mangum told him to use either "Holland" or "1945" and Bilheimer suggested simply combining the two.

[@stanmilgram5578]

Listening to this, crying, thinking of the beautiful people in Gaza. The similarities are chilling and horrifying.

[@incubuskid09]

Just found out about this band today while looking at some stuff about Harvey Danger on the interwebs. (Thank you Wikipedia). I'm loving this album. Gimme more KZbin community. Who else is as awesome as these guys?

[@heykoolthing]

“it’s so sad to see the world agree that they’d rather see their faces filled with flies” 💔🇵🇸

[@Cairo40000]

This song’s about a Jewish girl btw

[@ShoeSnatchinWilly]

@@Cairo40000 Yes but the concept extends to all human beings.

[@ccagliveTV]

I was watching parks and recreations, and the name was so original that it brought me here

[@kanyegaming5296]

is it earrape or the normal version

[@PersonMan1]

Normal

[@kanyegaming5296]

personman its as distorted as earrape

[@grooveunlocked]

Neither, just compressed 2008 quality.

[@apocryphalbebop]

They intentionally mixed it to sound deep fried.

[@dannyr5091]

Can you find a non compressed version? Or was it just recorded like this

[@Cbf3v3r]

Pretty good! Thank you Parks and Recreational for introducing me. Uh oh. I won't have hipster status now....Hooray!

[@DanielEhlmann]

THE ONLY GIIRRLL I'VE EEEVEEERRR LOOOOOOOOVVVEEEEEDDDD WAS BORRNN WITH ROOOSSEEESSS IIINN HEERR EEYYYYYYYYYEEEEESSS

[@brotherlestat305]

But then they buried her alive one evening 1945 with just her sister at her side.

[@justmeg2014]

So glad i read will Grayson , will Grayson was such a good book and it introduced me to this awesome band!

[@matthewburke7355]

Anne Frank.

[@XxbelligerentxX]

Great video, glad you made this!

[@Juck_The_Fews]

Me must protect Anne from Kanye!

[@kadeisnotemo]

i hate to break it to you karl but she died 77 years ago

[@Strun13]

I had no clue John Green talks about this band but i do like the brotherhood 2.0 videos. Anyway nice video, great song.

[@derangedcrouton1864]

why is the audio quality for this song so cursed it genuinely sounds like earrape

[@satum__]

weak ass bitch ears

[@scorpionhh23]

It's just the quality they had in the 90s

[@Metaphir]

bad upload

[@dakotablueskies]

I knew knew of Neutral Milk Hotel before Will Grayson, will grayson but never bothered to give them a listen. After finishing it though, I finally decided it was high time I learned what all the fuss was about. I'm very glad I did.

[@ilovejustinvernon]

this is one of those records, so much better on vinyl

[@LeadBeIIy]

neutral milk hotel is my favorite Portuguese lounge David Bowie cover band. this cd is fantastic front to back.

[@spacejesusadventure]

Twoooo, one two three four.

[@dermotwalker]

Bout half the lyrics in this are the purest poetry n the rest read like they were added during a pissy afternoon session but combined with the atmospheric and nostalgic sound, this is a truly great song.

[@dejiko]

Am I special and different now that I listened to this?

[@cookingpooop7108]

Yea pretty much

[@charliealcock]

Never read Will Grayson, Will Grayson, but massive respect to my nerdfighter friends who introduced me to this genius.

[@BizVlogs]

0:07 The original ear rape

[@cameronhasnochill5044]

i've been looking for this song since 1945

[@loudrockacdc]

But milk is slightly acidic, not neutral! Aha! I've caught you now!

[@treepour]

Thanks for this. I liked the music already, but reading the lyrics as the music played just made it hit home really powerfully. Potent, potent stuff.

[@Shoegazebasedgenre0.]

Gaza, 2023

[@PingpongPoof-c3r]

Whaaaaaat the rhudnsnej this is fire 🔥 😍 👌,it could really blowup with a remastered version with subtler music.🎵

[@espaguetegostosinha1086]

Brasil?

[@boozerverif]

I went on the site and looked at some bands featured. I chuckled.

[@dylanr.7760]

I listned to this album for the first timea few days ago. While I was really into this album already, this was the song that made me experience 70 emotions at once, lose the ability to form cxoherent sentences, and melt on my bed.

[@bradymoore5280]

Stephen Colbert!!!!!

[@ddsddsddsddsddsd1996]

***** Sigh, did you really just google it and try and sound smart or something? They died in a plane crash...

[@explosivrice]

aha this is so awesome! first time listening. thanks :D

[@combi331]

THANK YOU KELLY PARKER FOR SHOWING THIS TO ME

[@kaylanakhol4929]

my weird ass boyfriend told me to listen bc this is his favorite song ...wtf is this about😂😂

[@JimTheCurator]

The death of Anne Frank.

[@teavo3808]

it's ART, KAYLA

[@JimTheCurator]

@@teavo3808 show Kayla who's boss around here

[@kaylanakhol4929]

hey leave me alone😂y'all the ones listening to this "music"

[@kaylanakhol4929]

jk it's really not bad😂tbh

[@AgujaAzulMD]

I like this band. I like Parks and Rec. I've like them both independently for a long time now. If I were a writer for a comedy series I would certainly write my favorite music into the plot somehow, you probably would too. So good for the writers, good for the viewers, and good for the new listeners. Everybody wins.

[@weareinantartica]

I watched this movie about Keats and his life, and then listened to this album. WOAH does this mesh. Rocked my world.

[@AStaticCharacter]

I first heard this in the Black Label at the Berrics video. Great song, great video!

[@cassiusitsover]

Wow, a lot of people started listening to this band because of Will Grayson, Will Grayson. But I'm going to buy that book because of this band. :)

[@ZacTBH]

This song had no business going as hard it did but I glad it did. It's got punk-soul.