In 1981, Reininger and the group left America to practice their art in Europe. Over the course of the next 26 years, many artistic collaborations took place and many albums were recorded. These collaborations, while mostly musical in nature, often moved into other fields such as dance, theatre, and film.
Since 2000, Tuxedomoon has been re-united and tours the known universe about once a year.
Reininger continues to live and work in Europe, having lived in Athens, Greece since 1998.
Blaine's two offical sites:
mundoblaineo.com
Myspace
Mystery And Confusion
Blaine L. Reininger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Listening to the latest noise
Modern girls with headphones on their heads
Modern European boys
Βusinessmen in leather overcoats
Staring at their wrist T.V.′s
Pale accountants balancing the books
Computers resting on their knees
Wears Japanese technology.
Why start a war when the future's just arrived?
It′s a mystery to me
Mystery and confusion
History as illusion
Mystery and confusion
History as illusion
Mystery and confusion
History as illusion
Mystery and confusion
History as illusion
Blaine L. Reininger's song Mystery and Confusion is an introspective and thought-provoking commentary on the state of European society in the aftermath of World War II. The song paints a picture of a world in flux, with modern technology and progress juxtaposed against the lingering specter of war and the disjointedness of Western politics. The opening stanza provides engaging descriptions of an eclectic group of people riding the metro into town, listening to music and checking their wrist T.V.'s, highlighting the unmistakable divide between the old world and the new. The chorus, which emphasizes the theme of "mystery and confusion," serves as a reminder of the uncertainty of the times and the difficulty in reconciling the past with the present.
The second stanza offers further insight into the central message of the song. The line "modern Europe in between wars" highlights the precarious position of a continent still reeling from the devastation of World War II but on the cusp of unprecedented technological advancement. The use of Japanese technology and computers resting on the knees of pale accountants are symbols of progress and integration, yet the question remains - why start a war when the future is already here? The answer is not clear, and perhaps it is impossible to fully comprehend.
Overall, Mystery and Confusion is a powerful and poignant commentary on the state of European society. Reininger's reflective lyrics and haunting melody force listeners to confront the ambiguity and difficulty of navigating a world in flux.
Line by Line Meaning
They were riding the Metro into town
They were taking a train to the city.
Listening to the latest noise
They were listening to the newest music.
Modern girls with headphones on their heads
Girls with modern style who were wearing headphones.
Modern European boys
Boys in Europe with modern style and fashion.
Businessmen in leather overcoats
Men in business attire wearing leather coats.
Staring at their wrist T.V.'s
They were looking at their watches that were also televisions.
Pale accountants balancing the books
Accountants who looked unhealthy while keeping track of finances.
Computers resting on their knees
They had computers sitting on their laps.
Modern Europe in between wars
Europe was in a time of peace between recent wars.
Wears Japanese technology.
They were using Japanese technology.
Why start a war when the future's just arrived?
Why fight a war when new technology has just arrived?
It's a mystery to me
I don't understand it.
Mystery and confusion
Things that are unknown and unclear.
History as illusion
The past can seem distorted and not entirely true.
Mystery and confusion
Things that are unknown and unclear.
History as illusion
The past can seem distorted and not entirely true.
Mystery and confusion
Things that are unknown and unclear.
History as illusion
The past can seem distorted and not entirely true.
Mystery and confusion
Things that are unknown and unclear.
History as illusion
The past can seem distorted and not entirely true.
Writer(s): Blaine L. Reininger, Michael Belfer
Contributed by Reagan I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@LienM
This is a wonderful, powerful song and a great tribute to my city back in those days. Thanks for this great video!
@samdl1436
Yes 1984 Brussels… amazing
@anamorfo
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!! I'm so stupid! It's 20 years I'm trying this song. It was on a tape casually abandoned in my car. I loved the tuxedomoon and this this voice was familiar to me but this song didn't exist on discography of Tuxedomoon. And today, after 20 years, I meet it again. After the concert of 2007, in Bari I know: Reininger is the best! Now I'm going to buy Night Air!
@TheVanlaeken
This is a song i carry whit me for almost thirthy years now, Still it sounds great... sometimes i play it inside my head, solo in silence for others... Still give me chills you know.
@Zaynab33
I'm almost having tears in my eyes - I listend to him such a long time ago!!! He was one of my favorites. And Tuxedomoon my favorite band. I saw him live in Germany in Frankfurt at the Batschkapp when I was 21...well that was 22 years ago. Never saw this video - great memories and I am still as crazy
@Universe021
I saw hin too in Hannover, i dont remember the year, but maybe was in 1995 aprox, Great moments
@Zaynab33
Wow, I posted this 12 years ago...time goes by so fast, too fast. Enjoy every day!
@TheVanlaeken
Dit nummer draag ik meer dan vijfentwintig jaar met me mee, geregeld komt het tevoorschijn in mijn muzikale brein. Dan speel ik het af in mijn hoofd, fantastisch... Maar als ik het beluister op you tube en die mooie melodie mag aanhoren krijg ik nog steeds rillingen. GREAT!!!
@Universe021
Nice, me too
@LadyGhoulita
Wow! I have never seen this video before, but I love the song. Years go by...so quickly...thank you for posting it!