In The Backroom
Eno / Cale Lyrics
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Habantilderos on the move,
It's music to their ears in the backroom.
If there's money to be made,
And it's a hundred in the shade and in the backroom,
She's sentimental like the last
Of the foreigners running past her to the backroom.
And if things aren't sweet in Mecca
They're taking pains with California,
And they're guaranteeing boredom for the monsoon.
And apart from what was offered
There were mothers buying orphans at the auction
Youre much better off in Twos
If you're coming to see the carnage in the backroom.
Doubled over on the table
I was concentrating harder in the backroom.
Weaving in and out of consciousness
Hiding out behind the entrance to the backroom.
It took longer than expected:
They had difficulty swallowing capsules.
We had a keener nose for trouble
Than the sniffer-dogs at Heathrow -
You'd be trousers down in no time in the backroom.
Almost nothing in the papers...
Told me it happened when they emptied out the backroom.
The lyrics of In The Backroom are enigmatic, abstract, and open to interpretation. The song seems to take place in a clandestine location, likely the backroom of a seedy establishment such as a nightclub or a brothel. The opening lines describe a scene where women walk at night, while men are on the move, possibly alluding to prostitution. The backroom is where the illegal and the immoral lurk, and where people are easily corrupted. The first stanza implies that the music played in the backroom is a lure for the hapless patrons, who are there to make money, but ultimately end up being taken advantage of.
The second stanza seems to be a commentary on the state of California and its people. The Mecca referenced is likely a metaphor for the American Dream, which is portrayed as bleak and unfulfilling. The people are buying orphans at an auction, suggesting that they are in search of something to fill a void in their lives. The line "You're much better off in Twos" is cryptic, but possibly implying that one should go to the backroom in pairs to avoid being taken advantage of. The next few lines describe a scene of drug use and the difficulty involved in ingesting the pills. The final line suggests that something significant happened in the backroom, but the event was swept under the rug and barely made it into the papers.
Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the darker side of human nature and the corruption that comes with it. It suggests that in the backroom, people are easily lured by music, money, and the desire to escape their mundane lives. The backroom is a place of secrets, broken dreams, and forgotten stories.
Line by Line Meaning
When Sentildeoritas walk at night,
When the women walk at night,
Habantilderos on the move,
The men are on the move,
It's music to their ears in the backroom.
The activity in the backroom excites the men and women.
If there's money to be made,
If there is money to be earned,
And it's a hundred in the shade and in the backroom,
If it's hot inside the backroom,
She's sentimental like the last
She is emotional,
Of the foreigners running past her to the backroom.
Like the foreign people running towards the backroom.
And if things aren't sweet in Mecca
If things aren't going well somewhere else,
She'll be begging for forgiveness in the vacuum.
She'll try to apologize and make things right in a futile attempt.
They're taking pains with California,
They are working hard in California and taking care of it,
And they're guaranteeing boredom for the monsoon.
They will ensure that the monsoon season will be dull.
And apart from what was offered
Besides what was presented,
There were mothers buying orphans at the auction
Mothers were purchasing orphans at the auction.
Youre much better off in Twos
It's safer to go to the backroom in pairs,
If you're coming to see the carnage in the backroom.
If you want to witness the destruction in the backroom.
Doubled over on the table
Bent over on the table,
I was concentrating harder in the backroom.
I focused even more while in the backroom.
Weaving in and out of consciousness
Moving in and out of awareness,
Hiding out behind the entrance to the backroom.
Concealing themselves behind the backroom entrance.
It took longer than expected:
It took more time than planned,
They had difficulty swallowing capsules.
They experienced trouble ingesting the capsules.
We had a keener nose for trouble
We were better at finding problems,
Than the sniffer-dogs at Heathrow -
Than the dogs used for detecting at Heathrow airport.
You'd be trousers down in no time in the backroom.
You would be caught off guard quickly in the backroom.
Almost nothing in the papers...
There was barely any coverage in the news...
Told me it happened when they emptied out the backroom.
It is said that it occurred when the backroom was emptied.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN ENO, JOHN DAVIES CALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind