Despite the reputation of many new wave bands as being on the cutting edge of technology, the album was created on a very low budget; it was supposedly recorded almost entirely with a Revox tape recorder, a borrowed Roland drum machine belonging to Kit Hain, a small, preset Roland bass synthesizer, and an NED Synclavier, belonging to producer Mike Thorne. The album was recorded in New York City at the height of its gay club scene, at a time which the drug MDMA (also called ecstasy) was just beginning to become popular. The sound and club beats of the album reflect this atmosphere, with songs about pornographic cinemas and infidelity, although the album's themes sprang not from New York but the seedy underworld of early Eighties London. The group caused some controversy in the UK over the single "Sex Dwarf," the music video of which was banned for explicit, S&M-related content. The duo would delve deeper into its fascination with decadence on its subsequent works, including the 1982 remix album Non-stop Ecstatic Dancing, which features an alternate cut of "Sex Dwarf" on which singer Marc Almond, famous for his flamboyant, unabashed homosexuality, appears to simulate a female orgasm with his voice.
Notably, many of their most acclaimed songs (including "Torch" and "Where Did Our Love Go ?") do not appear on their LP releases. An example of this is "Tainted Love," which, when originally recorded, was almost nine minutes long because it gradually segued into "Where Did Our Love Go?" After it was recorded, the session was split into two different songs, with "Where Did Our Love Go?" only being listenable as the B-side to "Tainted Love" or on the full nine-minute cut, which was sold as a 12-inch single. As a result, many of their singles have become quite valuable. Their first release, the single "A Man Can Get Lost" b/w "Memorabilia" may fetch prices as high as $85 (approximately £50), because the original version was for many years unavailable on CD (although a re-recorded version appears on their 1982 release Non-stop Ecstatic Dancing under the name "A Man Could Get Lost").
The song "Frustration" also appears on the rare 1980 independently released EP, Mutant Moments, although the two versions are very different and contain slightly different lyrics. Remixes of several tracks, including "Sex Dwarf" and an instrumental cut of "Chips on My Shoulder" also appear on the remix album, Non-stop Ecstatic Dancing.
In 2008, American magazine OUT ranked Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret number 66 on their list of "100 Greatest, Gayest Albums."
Frustration
Soft Cell Lyrics
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Frustration
Frustration
I have life
Ordinary wife
I have car
A favorite bar
I have job
A moderate wage
I get the pains
That come with age
I am so ordinary
I have child
She goes wild
I have home
A mortgage of my own
I have hobby
But it's nothing very special
I do the garden
I watch girls
I am so ordinary
I have life
I have cage
I'm going bald
I want to tell the world
I've done nothing
I've achieved nothing
I work for a firm
But I want to burn it down, down
I am so ordinary
I am so ordinary
I was born
One day I'll die
There was something in between
I, I don't know what
Or why
I'm a man
I want to break a rule
I am a no, no, no, no, no, no, nobody
Everybody's fool
I am so ordinary
Frustration
Frustration
Frustration
Frustration
I'm so tired of endless art
Love stories
I'm beginning to not give a damn
I wish I could reach right out for the untouchable
Film starring Bruce, John Wayne, Elvis Presley
Experiment with cocaine, LSD and set a bad bad example
Live a little, run a harem, be a tiger
Meet Bo Derek and be her Tarzan
Reach, reach out out
Live, live, live
Die, die, die
I, I, I, I wanna die
Frustration, oh
Frustration
Frustration
Frustration
I wanna die
I wanna die, die, die, die
Die, die, d..d..d..die, die, die
Frustration
I wanna die
The song “Frustration” by Soft Cell captures the essence of the monotony and boredom that arises from living a mundane life with no clear purpose or direction. The song revolves around the idea of how frustrating it can be to live an ordinary life, devoid of any excitement or adventure. The singer talks about the various aspects of his life, such as his job, marriage, and hobbies, and how they fail to bring him any real joy. He seems dissatisfied with his life and craves something more out of it.
The lyrics are a reflection of the pervasive feeling of disillusionment that permeated the culture in the 1980s. The song offers a commentary on the limitations of modern society and the seemingly endless cycle of work and consumption that leaves many feeling empty and unfulfilled. The line "I want to burn it down" speaks to the frustration and anger that many people feel towards the systems that govern their lives but feel powerless to change.
Taken as a whole, “Frustration” is a song about the desire to break free from the constraints of societal norms and expectations and to live life on one’s own terms. The song urges us to take chances, embrace the unknown, and prioritize living a full and meaningful life over fitting into society's preconceived notions of what is expected of us.
Line by Line Meaning
Fr..fr...fr...frustration!
Expressing the feeling of frustration.
I have life
Speaking of one's existence.
Ordinary wife
Having an average married life.
I have car
Owning a vehicle.
A favorite bar
Having a preferred hangout spot.
I have job
Employed with pay.
A moderate wage
Receiving a decent salary.
I get the pains
Experiencing physical or emotional discomfort due to aging.
That come with age
Referencing the natural process of aging.
I am so ordinary
Feeling unremarkable or unspecial.
I have child
Being a parent.
She goes wild
Referring to a child's rebellious behavior.
I have home
Having a residence.
A mortgage of my own
Owing a debt for one's home.
I have hobby
Having a pastime.
But it's nothing very special
Not having a particularly exciting hobby.
I do the garden
Gardening for leisure or as a chore.
I watch girls
Observing attractive women.
I have life
Emphasizing one's existence again.
I have cage
Feeling trapped or restricted in one's life.
I'm going bald
Losing hair on one's head.
I want to tell the world
Desiring to be heard or seen by others.
I've done nothing
Feeling unaccomplished in life.
I've achieved nothing
Not having reached any significant or impactful accomplishments.
I work for a firm
Being employed by a company.
But I want to burn it down, down
Desiring to rebel or destroy one's workplace.
I was born
Speaking of one's birth.
One day I'll die
Acknowledging mortality.
There was something in between
Recognizing that life happened between birth and death.
I, I don't know what
Expressing uncertainty about life's purpose.
Or why
Questioning the meaning of it all.
I'm a man
Stating one's gender identity.
I want to break a rule
Feeling the need to rebel or go against norms.
I am a no, no, no, no, no, no, nobody
Feeling invisible or unimportant.
Everybody's fool
Feeling like others are taking advantage of one's lack of importance or influence.
Frustration
Expressing the feeling of frustration.
I'm so tired of endless art
Feeling fatigued by creative expression or meaning-making.
Love stories
Being weary of tales of romance.
I'm beginning to not give a damn
Losing interest or concern.
I wish I could reach right out for the untouchable
Longing for something impossible or beyond one's grasp.
Film starring Bruce, John Wayne, Elvis Presley
Referencing classic Hollywood movies and actors.
Experiment with cocaine, LSD and set a bad bad example
Fantasizing about deviant behavior and rebellion.
Live a little, run a harem, be a tiger
Musing about living recklessly and indulging in hedonism.
Meet Bo Derek and be her Tarzan
Dreaming of romantic encounters with famous people.
Reach, reach out out
Expressing a desire to connect with others.
Live, live, live
Desiring to experience life to the fullest.
Die, die, die
Feeling overwhelmed or suicidal.
I, I, I, I wanna die
Repeatedly expressing the desire to die.
Frustration, oh
Expressing the feeling of frustration again, in an exasperated tone.
I wanna die
Restating the desire to die.
Die, die, die, die
Continuing to express the desire to die.
Frustration
Expressing the feeling of frustration one more time, in discontent.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID JAMES BALL, MARC ALMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind