Imperiet were a Swedish 1980s rock group from Stockholm. During a few years… Read Full Bio ↴Imperiet were a Swedish 1980s rock group from Stockholm. During a few years in the 1980s, Imperiet dominated the Swedish rock scene. Imperiet started as Rymdimperiet, a side project to the most popular punk band in Sweden, Ebba Grön, and included three of its members. When Ebba Grön broke up in 1983, Rymdimperiet re-emerged as Imperiet; with Joakim Thåström (lead-vocals/guitar), Anders "Stry Terrarie" Sjöholm (vocals/guitar) & Gunnar "Gurra" Ljungstedt (drums), all three originally from Ebba Grön. They were joined by Christian Falk (bass) and Per Hägglund (sax/keyboards). Stry left in 1984 and Gurra left the following year, but was replaced by Fred Asp (drums). In 1987 Per Hägglund left and in 1988 Imperiet disbanded.

With some fame inherited from Ebba Grön, Imperiet got off to a flying start. Their songs were inspired by punk, rock and synth, and their lyrics were very left-wing politically, with songs like C. C. Cowboys, Alltid Rött, Alltid Rätt (Always Red, Always Right), and Var e vargen? (Where’s the Wolf?) inspired by Russian Communist poet Mayakovsky.

Widely successful in Sweden and Scandinavia, Imperiet even toured overseas, playing in the United States and in Cuba, Central America and South America. In 1988, Imperiet released their only album in English, under the name Imperiet, containing translated versions of their old songs. But in spite of an intensive promotional tour through Europe, the album was only a success in Sweden, and this put an end to plans for an international career.

The name Rymdimperiet, later Imperiet, (meaning the Empire), was taken from the Star Wars movie The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Swedish title being Rymdimperiet slår tillbaka.

Party
Imperiet Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tio-tjugo-tretti-fyrtio-femtio-sextio
Sjuttio-åttio-nittio-ETTHUNDRA

Varje kväll samlas neondjuren på plattan
Och går i flock ner iväg till rymdskeppet
Berusade av solnedgången och trasiga
Telefonkiosker och väggarna runt omkring dem
Som skriker ut slagord om erotik och kärlek

Och sedelpressar och motorerna från bilarna
Surrar inne i deras hjärnor
Oh, medborgare, utanför snurrar Sverige
Party, party, party

Hundratio-hundratjugo-hundratrettio-hundrafyrtio-
Hundrafemtio

DJ:n snortar konstgjord energi han känner
Sig som JESUS när han hade som mest ont,
Han ser stjärnorna, han hänger
Högst upp på korset och tittar ner
På änglarna som hånglar runtomkring
Honom
Och utanför snurrar Sverige

PARTY, PARTY

Änglarna är som oåtkomliga väsen för pojkarna i baren,
Dom pojkarna som aldrig ville bli som sin far
Pojkarna som vikarierar som sin egen
Älskarinna natt efter natt efter natt efter natt
Nu står dom på en exakt linje och dödar sina drinkar
I takt med musiken

I morr'n kommer dom vakna utan namn
Och utan minne och golvet kommer va blött av öl
Och Rock'n roll
Och utanför snurrar Sverige

Hundrasextio-hundrasjuttio-hundranittio-hundraåttio-
Tvåhundra-tvåhundratjugo-tvåhundrahundratrettio

Och utanför snurrar Sverige
Sverige Sverige fosterland

Overall Meaning

The Swedish song, Party by Imperiet, begins with an intriguing and rhythmic chant of numbers. The numbers increase in increments of ten, leading up to one hundred. It sets the scene of the nightlife, where the neon animals gather together every evening on the plaza before going off, in a group, towards the spaceship. The animals are much too drunk and under the influence of the sunset and their surroundings to care about their slightly damaged surroundings. The walls are screaming out slogans of eroticism and love, with bill-printers and car engines in the background. The reference to sedelpressar (bill printers) and motorerna från bilarna (car engines) suggest the materialism and consumerism present in the society. The party theme goes on with DJ snorting artificial energy feeling like Jesus when he was in pain. The action is moving upward in space, where he is on top of the cross, looking at angela kissing around him. At this point, he feels powerful, and all around Sweden, there is a vibe of a "party."

The chorus "Party, party, party" is climatic of the entire party scene. The lyrics paint a picture of people who have lost their way, even though they're all in a place of sight. The beautiful angels are out of reach for the boys hanging around the bar, forming their own version of love with a different girl each night. The boys are unaware and dance and drink to the beat of music. The lovers don't care, and they continue killing their drinks, knowing that it's just another night. The song ends with their tomorrow selves waking up with no name and without any memory of the night before.

Line by Line Meaning

Tio-tjugo-tretti-fyrtio-femtio-sextio Sjuttio-åttio-nittio-ETTHUNDRA
Listing numbers from 10 to 100 in increments of 10, ending at 100

Varje kväll samlas neondjuren på plattan Och går i flock ner iväg till rymdskeppet Berusade av solnedgången och trasiga Telefonkiosker och väggarna runt omkring dem Som skriker ut slagord om erotik och kärlek Och sedelpressar och motorerna från bilarna Surrar inne i deras hjärnor Oh, medborgare, utanför snurrar Sverige Party, party, party
Every night, neon animals gather on the plaza And go in a flock down to the spaceship Intoxicated by the sunset and broken Telephone booths and walls around them That scream slogans about eroticism and love And printing presses and car engines Whirring inside their brains Oh, citizens, Sweden is spinning outside Party, party, party

Hundratio-hundratjugo-hundratrettio-hundrafyrtio- Hundrafemtio
Listing numbers from 100 to 150 in increments of 10

DJ:n snortar konstgjord energi han känner Sig som JESUS när han hade som mest ont, Han ser stjärnorna, han hänger Högst upp på korset och tittar ner På änglarna som hånglar runtomkring Honom Och utanför snurrar Sverige PARTY, PARTY
The DJ snorts artificial energy and feels Like JESUS when he was in the most pain, He sees the stars, he hangs At the top of the cross and looks down At the angels making out around Him And outside, Sweden is spinning PARTY, PARTY

Änglarna är som oåtkomliga väsen för pojkarna i baren, Dom pojkarna som aldrig ville bli som sin far Pojkarna som vikarierar som sin egen Älskarinna natt efter natt efter natt efter natt Nu står dom på en exakt linje och dödar sina drinkar I takt med musiken
The angels are like unattainable beings for the boys at the bar, The boys who never wanted to be like their fathers The boys who substitute their own Mistress night after night after night after night Now they stand in a straight line killing their drinks To the rhythm of the music

I morr'n kommer dom vakna utan namn Och utan minne och golvet kommer va blött av öl Och Rock'n roll Och utanför snurrar Sverige
Tomorrow they'll wake up without a name And without memory and the floor will be wet with beer And Rock'n roll And outside, Sweden is spinning

Hundrasextio-hundrasjuttio-hundranittio-hundraåttio- Tvåhundra-tvåhundratjugo-tvåhundrahundratrettio
Listing numbers from 160 to 230 in increments of 10

Och utanför snurrar Sverige Sverige Sverige fosterland
And outside, Sweden is spinning Sweden Sweden fatherland

Contributed by Mason J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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