They formed in the year 1989 are advocates of the DIY punk ethic and part of the musical underground culture. They are well regarded in the Industrial music, punk rock, indie rock and electronic music communities. Known for their live performances, Babyland have shared the stage with the likes of The Offspring, Legendary Pink Dots, Dystopia, Foetus, Add(n)to X, Nitzer Ebb and Psychic TV. Most of their live performances occur in underground locations that have included places like LA's Jabberjaw, Kontrol Factory, The Smell and 924_gilman in Berkeley.
Recordings prior to 1996 were released on the Los Angeles Punk Rock label Flipside, and the band participated in several of this organization's Mojave Desert events. Subsequent material has been released by the band's own label, Mattress. Recent works have also been released in Europe by Dependent Records.
Their slogan is: "We will not go away"
On October 9, 2009, it was announced that they had broken up.
Dan Gatto now plays as Continues
http://www.thisiscontinues.com/
Discography
* 1991 7 inch (1991: Flipside)
* Reality/Under/Smrow-Tow EP (1992: Flipside)
* You Suck Crap (1992: Flipside)
* Dog Snatcher EP (1993: Flipside)
* Stomach 7 inch (1993: Flipside)
* A Total Letdown (1994: Flipside)
* Who's Sorry Now (1995: Flipside)
* Split (1996: Flipside)
* B-Component 7 inch (1998: Mattress)
* Outlive Your Enemies (1998: Mattress)
* Decade One (2001: CD Compilation released in Europe: Dependent)
* 2002 (2002: Mattress)
* Past Lives ep (2003: Mattress)
* The Finger (2004: Mattress)
Mask
Babyland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you remember the past and the cost
The filth of machines and the fear
Advancing its hand
Panic's near
Decay
Primal instincts slip away
Closing our minds
Wanting for now gone to far
Make me a mask
One I can hide behind
Forget the past
Its safety's hard to find
Baring my head
The weight it's all too much
The pain it mounts
Hope and thoughts are crushed
TV
Forcing its thoughts down our throats
Garbage produced
Morals broke
An assault on our life
Our death
Show concern
With all we destroy can't we learn
Our children can't know what we burn
Disease can be stopped
Just preserve
The lyrics of the song "Mask" by Babyland reflect on the desperation and helplessness felt in the face of a world that seems to be spiraling out of control. The singer begins by wondering if we remember the past and the cost of the filth of machines and fear that has brought us to this point. The advancing hand of panic is near, and primal instincts are slipping away, leaving us in a state of decay. The lyrics suggest that we are closing our minds and tearing ourselves apart, unable to cope with the weight of the pain and loss we are experiencing.
The chorus of the song is a plea for a mask that the singer can hide behind, a way to forget the past and find safety. The weight of the pain is all too much, and the hope and thoughts are crushed. The lyrics suggest that we are being bombarded with garbage produced by the media, with morals broken and our lives and deaths turned into a spectacle. The song urges us to show concern for all that we are destroying and to preserve what we can for the sake of our children. Disease can be stopped, but only if we learn to take responsibility for our actions and make the changes necessary to heal ourselves and our world.
Line by Line Meaning
Lost
Feeling lost and disconnected from the past
Do you remember the past and the cost
Questioning if one remembers the consequences of past actions
The filth of machines and the fear
The negative impact of industrialization and the accompanying fear
Advancing its hand
Progress moving forward relentlessly
Panic's near
Feeling close to a state of panic
Decay
The decline and deterioration of society
Primal instincts slip away
Losing touch with one's natural instincts
Closing our minds
Becoming closed off to new ideas and perspectives
Torn apart
Feeling emotionally torn and conflicted
Wanting for now gone too far
Regretting past choices and wishing things were different
Make me a mask
Requesting a mask as a way to hide from reality
One I can hide behind
A mask that provides complete concealment from the world
Forget the past
Desiring to forget past mistakes and events
Its safety's hard to find
Feeling unsafe without a means of protection
Baring my head
Feeling vulnerable and exposed
The weight it's all too much
Feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of life
The pain it mounts
The accumulation of emotional pain
Hope and thoughts are crushed
Feeling hopeless and defeated
TV
The power of mass media to influence and control
Forcing its thoughts down our throats
Being bombarded with messages and propaganda
Garbage produced
The low quality and meaningless content of media
Morals broke
The erosion of moral values and principles
An assault on our life
The negative impact of media on our wellbeing
Our death
The danger posed by media to our long-term survival
Show concern
Encouraging people to be more aware and proactive
With all we destroy, can't we learn
Questioning why we repeat our mistakes rather than learning from them
Our children can't know what we burn
The negative impact of our actions on future generations
Disease can be stopped
Believing that positive change is possible
Just preserve
Urging people to protect and preserve what is valuable
Contributed by Alex P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.