Desaparecidos initially broke up in 2002 after releasing their first album, Read Music/Speak Spanish, as well as touring with Jimmy Eat World and The Promise Ring. Members went on to form other projects. The band reunited in 2010 to play the Concert for Equality in Omaha. The band released two new tracks, "MariKKKopa" in 2012, written about Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona and civil rights abuses committed against undocumented immigrants.
In 2015, the band signed to Epitaph Records and released their second album, Payola, featuring appearances by Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! and Tim Kasher of Cursive.
Discography:
2002 - Read Music/Speak Spanish
2015 - Payola
Members:
Conor Oberst (vocals, guitar)
Denver Dalley (guitar)
Landon Hedges (bass)
Ian McElroy (keyboards)
Matt Baum (drums)
Mall Of America
Desaparecidos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To make a rock record with the Disappeared
We'll let the police helicopters
Pull stereos out of the lake
There is not an image that I must defend
There are no art forms now, just capitalism
So send the National Guard to the Mall of America
And they can dress dead bodies up
In tight designer jeans
Diesel! Prada!!!
It looks good. It looks good. Yeah, it does
I'm gonna lie down with the common sound
I'm gonna bury my blues so it's never found
I'm gonna learn to pay attention
To the television sets
And if my sadness needs a catalyst
I'll just uncover my eyes, so much stimulus
And at the shopping epicenter
I have an agoraphobic fit
So buy a fountain soda
Put some sugar on my tongue
I'll wake and write some songs with no soul
With no soul
The lyrics to Desaparecidos' song Mall of America reflect on the state of the music industry and its relationship with capitalism. The line "they say it's murder on your folk career to make a rock record with the Disappeared" suggests that making music that goes against the mainstream and critiques the dominant power structures, represented by the Disappeared, can be detrimental to one's success. The police helicopters pulling stereos out of the lake highlights the violence that is enacted against those who resist the status quo.
The second verse critiques the commodification of art in a capitalist society. The absence of art forms implies that everything has been reduced to a marketable product. The singer calls for the National Guard to be sent to the Mall of America, a symbol of consumerism, highlighting the oppressive nature of capitalism. The singer observes dead bodies dressed in designer jeans and comments on how good they look, highlighting the absurdity of valuing material possessions over human life.
The chorus suggests that the singer will conform to the common sound and bury their blues so they are never found. The line "I'll learn to pay attention to the television sets" implies that the singer will be brainwashed by the dominant media narratives. The bridge highlights how the singer can turn to consumerism to distract themselves from their sadness. They have an agoraphobic fit at the shopping epicenter, showing the overwhelming nature of capitalism. The final line "I'll wake and write some songs with no soul" suggests that the singer will give in to the pressures of capitalism and create empty, soulless music.
Line by Line Meaning
They say it's murder on your folk career
According to society, creating a rock album while people are missing can ruin your music career.
To make a rock record with the Disappeared
To create a rock album with a band named Disappeared.
We'll let the police helicopters
The police helicopters can be allowed to fish out stereos from a lake.
Pull stereos out of the lake
To retrieve stereos that were thrown into the lake.
There is not an image that I must defend
I do not need to protect any specific image.
There are no art forms now, just capitalism
Capitalism has taken over all forms of art.
So send the National Guard to the Mall of America
It's suggested that the National Guard be sent to Mall of America due to societal issues.
And they can dress dead bodies up
Dead bodies are dressed up.
In tight designer jeans
The dead bodies are fashionable with designer clothes.
Diesel! Prada!!!
The designer brands of the clothes are Diesel and Prada.
It looks good. It looks good. Yeah, it does
The fashionable dead bodies are considered attractive.
I'm gonna lie down with the common sound
I'll blend in with the common sound.
I'm gonna bury my blues so it's never found
I'm going to get rid of my blues.
I'm gonna learn to pay attention
I will try to improve my attention skills.
To the television sets
I will pay attention to television sets.
And if my sadness needs a catalyst
If my sadness requires a reason or explanation.
I'll just uncover my eyes, so much stimulus
I'll just open my eyes since there's so much stimulation.
And at the shopping epicenter
At the center of shopping.
I have an agoraphobic fit
I have an agoraphobic event and feel uneasy or frightened.
So buy a fountain soda
Purchase fountain soda.
Put some sugar on my tongue
Add sugar to tongue.
I'll wake and write some songs with no soul
I'll wake up and compose some soulless songs.
With no soul
Without soul.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind