Disappear
Madness Lyrics


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Count on me to come while the getting's good, no fear
But give me someone to love, and watch me disappear
You know the dawn of time
I was there
Crawling from the slime
I was there
T-rex and me we was thick
I was there
The meteor came quick
I was there
You read about them cavemen
I was there
Yeah, we went clubbin' daily
I was there
I've seen a million sites
I was there
But you say you wanna stay the night and I'm like
Yikes
Count on me to come while the getting's good, no fear
But give me someone to love, and watch me disappear
Oh, the woolly mammoths froze
I was there
The seven wonders they rose
I was there
JC and Judas was drama
I was there
Uh, but ooh, you wanna introduce me to your mama
Bye
Count on me to come while the getting's good, no fear
But give me someone to love, and watch me disappear
Two thousand years go by
I was there
A bunch of people they die
I was there
They never caught me crying
But I was there
And then you texted me a picture of a diamond
Why
Count on me to come while the getting is good, no fear
But give me someone to love, and watch me disappear
Here's to me, I'm leaving, its
History repeating again
Here's to me, I'm leaving, its
History repeating again
Cheers to me, I'm leaving, its
History repeating again
Here's to me, I'm leaving, its
History repeating again and
Count on me to come while the getting's good, no fear (Here's to me, I'm leaving, its)
But give me someone to love, and watch me disappear (History repeating again)
Count on me to come while the getting's good, no fear (Here's to me, I'm leaving, its)
But give me someone to love, and watch me disappear (History repeating again and)
Count on me to come while the getting's good, no fear (Here's to me, I'm leaving, its)
But give me someone to love, and watch me disappear (History repeating again and)




Count on me to come while the getting's good, no fear (Here's to me, I'm leaving, its)
But give me someone to love, and watch me disappear (History repeating again)

Overall Meaning

The Madness song "Disappear" is a playful yet cynical take on the changing landscape of urban life. The lyrics paint a picture of a neighborhood slowly disappearing under the guise of progress, as the buildings and landmarks that once defined it are demolished and replaced with more sterile, modern constructions. The walls are "signed with autographs" and the ceilings echo with laughter, but these nostalgic artifacts are being eradicated one by one. Meanwhile, there are "gurus on roller skates" and "capital for swinging fetes", a wacky and fun atmosphere that is being displaced by a more conservative and deathly serious outlook.


The song suggests that everything is vanishing before our eyes, with only the smoke and dust left behind. The singer seems resigned to this fate, but there is a hint of regret and a yearning for the past. The lyric "a stab in the back, the smoke and the black" could reference a knife wound or betrayal, but it may also be a metaphor for the stab in the back that the community is experiencing as the bulldozers roll in. The line "disappear with the fun and the fear" is a poignant reminder that we are losing not just our memories but also our sense of joy and wonder. However, there is still a glimmer of hope, as the song ends with the singer promising to "mess about just you and me" and to return home before tea, clinging to the values of family and fun amidst the turmoil of the world.


Line by Line Meaning

Walls signed with autographs
The walls are decorated with signatures and messages from past events, representing a history of fun and chaos.


Ceilings full of echoed laughs
The laughter from past good times still echoes within the room, adding to the nostalgia and memories of those moments.


Something's disappear
There is a sense of loss and change in the air, as things that used to exist are no longer there or are disappearing.


Gurus on roller skates
People who were once seen as wise leaders or role models are now reduced to comical figures skating around, suggesting a loss of respect or credibility.


Capital for swinging fetes
The money and resources that were once used to throw big parties and events have been wasted or misused, resulting in a lack of enthusiasm and motivation for such activities.


The area is to be cleared
There is a sense of urgency to remove everything from the area as if to start fresh or erase past mistakes.


A stab in the back, the smoke and the black
The feeling of betrayal and deceit leads to a cloud of confusion and negativity, making it hard to see past the current situation.


As it smolders to its grave
The situation is dying down and coming to an end, almost like a burning flame fading away.


Disappear with the fun and the fear
As the situation fades, so do the emotions of joy and apprehension that were associated with it.


Another chance to misbehave
As the situation comes to an end, there is a sense of anticipation for the next opportunity to break rules and rebel.


Organ tinkling organ
Music is playing, but there is a sense of emptiness to the sound. The repetition of the word 'organ' adds to this hollow feeling.


Marriage planning children
There is talk of future plans and growth, but it feels forced and hollow, lacking in genuine emotion.


Spinning, round and round
Life can feel like a pointless circle, going through the motions without any clear direction or purpose.


Rusty swings and roundabouts
The once exciting and enjoyable elements of life have become rusty and neglected, representing a loss of enthusiasm and energy.


Disco's full of layabouts
The once lively and energetic disco scene has become stagnant and lazy, with people no longer putting in effort or enjoying themselves.


Nowhere to be found
Everything seems to have disappeared, both physically and emotionally, leaving a void and sense of emptiness.


Come on then we'll go down there
Let's go to the place where all of this is happening, almost like an invitation to see the aftermath for ourselves.


Let's see the local ash tray
The ash tray represents a place where all the evidence of the past can be seen, like a remnant of the good times that have passed.


Let's see if we can be happy
There is almost a challenge to find joy and happiness in this bleak atmosphere, as if trying to prove that it is still possible to feel good despite everything else.


We'll mess about just you and me
Even in this gloomy setting, there is a sense of playfulness and camaraderie between two people, adding an element of hope to the situation.


I must try to make it home before tea
Despite the chaos and despair of the world around him, the artist still has mundane concerns and responsibilities that ground him in reality.




Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Jeremy Jordan

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Patrick Stocks

Walls signed with autographs
Ceilings full of echoed laughs
Somethings disappear
Gurus on roller skates 🛼
Capital for swinging fetes
The area is to be cleared

A stab in the back, the smoke and the black
As it smoulders to its grave
Disappear with the fun and the fear
Another chance to misbehave

Organ tinkling organ
Marriage planning children 👶
Spinning, round and round
Rusty swings and roundabouts
Discos full of layabouts
Nowhere to be found

A stab in the back, the smoke and the black
As it smoulders to its grave
Disappear with the fun and the fear
Another chance to misbehave

Come on then we’ll go down there
Let’s see the local ashtray
Let’s see if we can be happy 😃
We’ll mess about just you and me
I must try to make it home before tea ☕️

Walls signed with autographs
Ceilings full of echoed laughs
Somethings disappear
Gurus on roller skates 🛼
Capital for swinging fetes
The area is to be cleared

A stab in the back, the smoke and the black
As it smoulders to its grave
Disappear with the fun and the fear
Another chance to misbehave
(X2)



All comments from YouTube:

tweedy151

hello to anyone who comes here to listen to this great tune and reminisce.

sonet66

yes yes and yes

Andy Ramage

one of the greatest tracks ever by Madness

John Stark

I would love to see the maddies do a one step beyond/absolutely tour. hear stuff like this live for the first time in 30 years!

baddacoodoo

So many memories ...12 years old when this came out. Me and the 1st girl i ever fancied used to sit and listen to this album at hers while her parents went out on a friday night. Wonder if she ever thinks back to those days...!

Patrick Stocks

Walls signed with autographs
Ceilings full of echoed laughs
Somethings disappear
Gurus on roller skates 🛼
Capital for swinging fetes
The area is to be cleared

A stab in the back, the smoke and the black
As it smoulders to its grave
Disappear with the fun and the fear
Another chance to misbehave

Organ tinkling organ
Marriage planning children 👶
Spinning, round and round
Rusty swings and roundabouts
Discos full of layabouts
Nowhere to be found

A stab in the back, the smoke and the black
As it smoulders to its grave
Disappear with the fun and the fear
Another chance to misbehave

Come on then we’ll go down there
Let’s see the local ashtray
Let’s see if we can be happy 😃
We’ll mess about just you and me
I must try to make it home before tea ☕️

Walls signed with autographs
Ceilings full of echoed laughs
Somethings disappear
Gurus on roller skates 🛼
Capital for swinging fetes
The area is to be cleared

A stab in the back, the smoke and the black
As it smoulders to its grave
Disappear with the fun and the fear
Another chance to misbehave
(X2)

Rufus Carne

Best Era ever for Music Madness, The Specials and the rest of the movement fucking rocked:)

Steven Don

Such a great song

Kieran McAleer

Good work OxBlood66, some truly great uploads. Absolutely is my favourite Madness album, ever. Cheers for loading it all up on here mate.

Paul Jenkinson

one of the best madness sonds not to get put in the charts

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