The No Smoking Orchestra, frequently credited as Emir Kusturica & The No Sm… Read Full Bio ↴The No Smoking Orchestra, frequently credited as Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra, is a Serbian garage rock band formed in Belgrade in 1993.

The band was formed in 1993 by Nele Karajlić who, after relocating to Belgrade from Sarajevo, decided to revive Zabranjeno Pušenje, a band he co-founded with Sejo Sexon in 1980 that had at that point been dormant since 1990. Initially, the band performed as Zabranjeno Pušenje, but ultimately changed the name to Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra when renowned filmmaker Emir Kusturica (who had previously played with the band in 1987) re-joined it in 1998.

Upside Down
Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra Lyrics

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Life is just a simple game
Between up and down
Life is just a simple game
Makes things go around

What is down should go up
What is up must go down
God first showed us the endless sky

Then the underground
What is up and what is down
Who will buy and who will sell
Heaven sometimes covers us
But sometimes it is hell

The head is up and ass is down
Is it right or is it wrong
Sometimes It should go around
Ass instead of head
The ass is up and head is down
The same flash same sound

God first show us the endless sky
Then the underground

Overall Meaning

The song "Upside Down" by Emir Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra is a reflection on the paradoxical and contradictory nature of life. The lyrics explore the simple yet complex game that is life, constantly oscillating between highs and lows, ups and downs. The song suggests that what goes up must come down and what goes down must go up in order for things to keep moving and flowing. It also touches on the notion of a higher power, suggesting that sometimes life can be heavenly and other times it can feel like hell. The lyrics further explore the binary concept of up and down, and the idea that sometimes things get all turned around and it’s hard to tell which way is up or down.

Through playful and humorous lyrics, the song encourages listeners to question their worldview and preconceived notions of what is right or wrong, and to view things from a different perspective. The chorus of the song "Upside Down" suggests that life is a game, and it is up to us to determine the rules and how we want to play it.

Overall, the song "Upside Down" is a whimsical and thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of life, and the need to find balance in the midst of chaos and uncertainty.

Line by Line Meaning

Life is just a simple game
Life can be compared to a simple game

Between up and down
It involves going between high and low moments

Makes things go around
It's what keeps things moving forward

What is down should go up
Things that are low or bad should become high or good

What is up must go down
Even the good things in life eventually come to an end

God first showed us the endless sky
God created the infinite sky that we look up to

Then the underground
And also the world beneath our feet

What is up and what is down
The concepts of high and low, good and bad

Who will buy and who will sell
Questions of commerce and trade

Heaven sometimes covers us
Sometimes we feel uplifted and content

But sometimes it is hell
Other times life can feel like a nightmare