The name of the ba… Read Full Bio ↴The Donots formed in 1993 in Ibbenbüren, Germany.
The name of the band came into being by chance: The bassist of the band, Jan-Dirk Poggemann wanted to name the band like the pastries donuts, but he wrote the name the wrong way by mistake. The other band members liked the name, because they found their philosophy in the name (donots = do nothing, like slackers), so they retained the name. Very rarely the band calls themselves "Ibbtown Rockers" because of their provenance.
The US edition of “Wake The Dogs” features 14 new songs from the punk-veterans, plus 2 additional bonus tracks not included in the original German release, and was released on OK! Good Records.
Members
Ingo Knollmann (Vocalist) - since 1993
Guido Knollman (Guitar) - since 1993
Jan Dirk Poggemann (Bass Guitar) - since 1993
Eike Herwig (Drums) - since 1995
Alex Siebenbiedel (Guitar) - since 1996
Discography
1996: Pedigree Punk
1998: Tonight's Karaoke-Contest Winners
1999: Better Days Not Included
2001: Pocketrock
2002: Amplify the Good Times
2002: We're Not Gonna Take It
2004: Got the Noise
2005: 10 Years of Noise (DVD)
2006: The Story So Far: Ibbtown Chronicles
2008: Coma Chameleon
2010: The Long Way Home
2012: Wake The Dogs
City Lights
Donots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've never been a part of this shithole town
I gotta find myself a place to call my own
I need to put life back into my weary bones
And i'll never come back again
I'm leaving, i'm leaving
I'm a complete stranger again
So say good-bye to city lights
I'm bleeding, i'm bleeding
I'll say good-bye and leave tonight
I'm bleeding, i'm bleeding, i'm leaving
Gonna break away before i break down cause
I've never been part of this shithole town,
I gotta find myself a place to call my own,
I cannot stand the skyline made of grey tombstones
And this is not the place i'm gonna call my home
Cause there's no room for me, i'm better off alone
I gotta get out cause i die too much for my own good
I gotta pack it in, there goes the neighborhood
And i'll never come back again
I'm leaving, i'm leaving
I'm a complete stranger again
I'm leaving, i'm leaving
So say good-bye to city lights
I'm bleeding, i'm bleeding
I'll say good-bye and leave tonight
I'm bleeding, i'm bleeding
Say good-bye
I'm bleeding, i'm bleeding
Say good-bye
I'm bleeding, i'm bleeding, i'm leaving
Not the place i'm gonna call my home
Cause there's no room for me, i'm better off alone
I gotta get out cause i die too much for my own good
I gotta pack it in, there goes the neighborhood
I gotta pack it in, there goes the neighborhood
The Donots' "City Lights" is a song about the singer's decision to leave an oppressive and depressing environment. The lyrics speak to a sense of displacement and not feeling at home in one's surroundings. The singer feels trapped and suffocated by the "grey tombstones" of the city skyline, and the "shithole town" that they are a part of. They are determined to leave and find a place of their own where they can put life back into their "weary bones" and start anew.
The decision to leave is accompanied by a sense of finality and resolve. The singer is leaving for good and will never return. The repetition of the phrases "I'm leaving" and "I'm bleeding" emphasizes the emotional weight of this decision. The lyrics suggest that sometimes it is necessary to cut ties and move on, even if it is painful to do so.
Overall, "City Lights" is a song about taking control of one's life and making a change for the better. It is about the courage to leave behind an unhealthy situation and the hope for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Gonna break away before i break down cause
I need to leave this town before it drives me to a breakdown
I've never been a part of this shithole town
I've never felt like I belonged in this terrible town
I gotta find myself a place to call my own
I need to discover a place where I can truly belong
I need to put life back into my weary bones
I need to find new energy and vitality to rejuvenate myself
And i'll never come back again
I have no intention of ever returning to this place
I'm leaving, i'm leaving
I am departing this town
I'm a complete stranger again
As I leave, I will once again be a stranger to those around me
So say good-bye to city lights
I am bidding farewell to the illuminations of the city
I'm bleeding, i'm bleeding
I feel the pain and suffering of leaving this town
I'll say good-bye and leave tonight
I will depart from this place tonight
Not the place i'm gonna call my home
This town is not the place where I want to make my permanent residence
Cause there's no room for me, i'm better off alone
This town cannot accommodate me and I am better off on my own
I gotta get out cause i die too much for my own good
I need to leave this town because being here is slowly killing me
I gotta pack it in, there goes the neighborhood
I am leaving and the community will never be the same again
Say good-bye
Farewell
Contributed by Carson Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.