Cale later said, "Superficially, I was thinking of it as a kind of a Brechtian landscape, and there were also elements of Blade Runner in it. There's a contradiction between all the longing that's going on - the lonesome kind of qualities – and the fact that it's a crowded piece, all the songs are sung by different characters."
Modern World
John Cale & Bob Neuwirth Lyrics
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The dawn, wrapped in coats of vanity. In the closets in the home hang the toasts
Of days gone by, breaking every haunted scheme confusing thoughts with fantasy.
This is the modern world, this is the modern world, this is the modern world.
In the back rooms where they wait, keeping time so patiently, playing cards and
Casting lots, sit the last of judgment's [all]? In their confusion to deceive,
They miss the point so handily, filling every secret need. They succeed perfectly.
The lyrics of John Cale & Bob Neuwirth's song Modern World suggest a dark and cynical perception of contemporary society. The opening line "In the shadows of the night come the friends of fantasy" suggests that people are trying to escape from the reality of the world they live in by indulging in fantasy. The phrase "coats of vanity" implies that they are wrapped up in their own self-importance and trivial concerns. Meanwhile, the "closets in the home" represent the hidden aspects of people's lives, where they keep the memories of "days gone by" that they are unable to let go of. The line "breaking every haunted scheme confusing thoughts with fantasy" suggests that people are struggling to find meaning and purpose in their lives, and are seeking refuge in illusions rather than facing the truth.
The second verse takes a more ominous turn, describing a group of people waiting "in the back rooms" who seem to be involved in some kind of shady activity. The phrase "keeping time so patiently" implies that they are waiting for something specific to happen. The line "playing cards and casting lots" suggests that they are trying to predict the future, perhaps in order to manipulate it to their advantage. The phrase "the last of judgment's [all]?" is somewhat ambiguous, but it may be suggesting that these people believe they are the only ones who can make decisions that matter. However, their confusion and tendency to deceive themselves means that they are fundamentally missing the point. The final repetition of "this is the modern world" reinforces the idea that the debauchery and corruption described in the song are an inevitable part of contemporary society.
Line by Line Meaning
In the shadows of the night come the friends of fantasy dancing forward toward
People who live in their own fantasy world come out at night.
The dawn, wrapped in coats of vanity. In the closets in the home hang the toasts
These people are self-absorbed and cling to memories of their past successes.
Of days gone by, breaking every haunted scheme confusing thoughts with fantasy.
They hold onto old ideas and refuse to move on, even if it means distorting reality.
This is the modern world, this is the modern world, this is the modern world.
This is the sad reality of our modern society.
In the back rooms where they wait, keeping time so patiently, playing cards and
These people are waiting for something to happen, while wasting time on mundane activities.
Casting lots, sit the last of judgment's [all]? In their confusion to deceive,
They are trying to manipulate the situation to their advantage, but they are failing miserably.
They miss the point so handily, filling every secret need. They succeed perfectly.
Their attempts at manipulation often backfire and only fulfill their own selfish desires.
This is the modern world, this is the modern world, this is the modern world.
This behavior is unfortunately all too common in today's society.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN DAVIES CALE, BOB NEUWIRTH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind