 Daniel Jones described "The Animal Song" as a ""transitional song"" between their first and second albums and a ""fun song that made you feel good"".The lyrics of the song deal with the struggles experienced by individuals suffering from mental illnesses, and more generally with the difficulty in expressing one's emotions and finding compassion in a confusing world that stultifies individuals with all kinds of rules.According to Darren Hayes, his longing for life in the tropical climes of Australia while living in the United States provided further inspiration in composing the lyrics.