Madhouse
Eleni Mandell Lyrics
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Just swing me around
We were swimming, we were screaming
We were climbing the walls
And tear them down
What seemed like a good idea at the time
Was my madhouse
Hanging from the door, falling on the floor schemer
Hungry for the darkest dark
Oh yes, seemed like a good idea at the time
Was my madhouse
Slow, slow, slow motion
Driving like a train wreck sailing overhead
When the nighttime sky turns grey in the morning
Madhouse
Dangerous down
We were laughing, we were singing
We were shaking our tails
We were walking on our hands
Yes, it seemed like a good idea at the time
Was my madhouse
Slow, slow, slow motion
Driving like a train wreck sailing overhead
When the nighttime sky turns grey in the morning
You're my madhouse
Dangerous way down, down, down
We were laughing, we were singing
We were shaking our tails
We were walking on our hands
Oh, what seemed like a good idea at the time
Was my madhouse
Oh, it seemed like a good idea at the time
Was my madhouse
Oh, you seemed like a good idea at the time
Madhouse
The song "Madhouse" is a tribute to the wild and reckless abandon of youth, recapturing the reckless moments of teenage years, when everything seemed possible, and nothing seemed too dangerous. Eleni Mandell's lyrics tell the story of a couple or group of friends who sweep each other away into their own version of a madhouse, full of adventure, risk, and excitement. The chorus celebrates these moments, with the line "what seemed like a good idea at the time was my madhouse" suggesting that even in retrospect, the madness that they created was still worth the while, and they look back on it with fondness and nostalgia.
The song's verses are filled with evocative descriptions of the chaos and fun of these moments. The line "swimming, screaming, climbing the walls, and tearing them down" suggests the intense energy and excitement of the madhouse, while "laughing, singing, shaking our tails, and walking on our hands" portray the recklessness and bravado they had during these times. The slow, slow, slow motion driving like a train wreck sailing overhead line is a powerful image that expresses the feeling of being caught up in the moment, but also aware that it will all come crashing down eventually.
Line by Line Meaning
Madhouse baby
Addressing someone who was crazy and chaotic at the time
Just swing me around
Asking the person to move wildly and erratically
We were swimming, we were screaming
Recalling a noisy and frenzied time
We were climbing the walls
Describing a state of uncontrolled excitement
And tear them down
Acting without restraint or regard for consequences
What seemed like a good idea at the time
Hindsight reveals the reckless nature of past actions
Was my madhouse
The chaos was of one's own making
A liar, forgetter, bleeder
Using negative adjectives to describe oneself or another person involved
Hanging from the door, falling on the floor schemer
Acting without caution or consideration
Hungry for the darkest dark
Desiring a heightened, intense experience
Slow, slow, slow motion
Replaying the events in a surreal, dream-like state
Driving like a train wreck sailing overhead
Making a catastrophic event seem distant and detached
When the nighttime sky turns grey in the morning
Reflecting on a moment of realization or regret
Madhouse
A state of madness, chaos, and frenzy
Dangerous down
The situation was risky and unpredictable
We were laughing, we were singing
Again recalling the frenzied moments of chaos
We were shaking our tails
Acting wild and uninhibited, like animals
Yes, it seemed like a good idea at the time
Continuing to reflect on reckless actions
You're my madhouse
Referring to a person who was the source of madness and chaos
Down, down, down
Emphasizing the negative consequences of the past actions
Oh, you seemed like a good idea at the time
Acknowledging the role of the person in the chaos
Madhouse
Repeating the theme of chaos and frenzy
Contributed by Alexandra R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.