Gudrun Gut was an early member of Einstürzende Neubauten and later started two record labels Moabit Records and Monika Enterprises.
Releases:
Malaria! (Maxi, 1981)
New York Passage (Your Turn To Run) (Maxi, 1982)
Emotion (Album, 1982)
...Revisited (Live Album, 1983)
Beat The Distance (EP)
Malaria! Compiled (Compilation, 1991)
Elation (EP, 1992)
Cheerio (Album, 1993)
Versus (Remix Compilation, 2001)
Related Bands:
Einstürzende Neubauten
Mania D
Matador
Ocean Club
Zarah
Malaria! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of the heavy sweaty black
Malaria night
You can tell the shit
From the essence of heaven
In the smash and grab
In the sharp attack
You can say what you want
And somebody listens
There's laughter and glass and perfume and flags
And kisses and trains and roses and vaccine
I'm living in a neon house
I'm living in avalanche row
I'm living in hangover city
Whatever gets you acclimatized
Radiation and downcast eyes
Serious sight
We're looking for a world machine
Cybernetic rabies
Syndication and sympathy
My world for you but not for me
I love you best when it's all a mess
Will you lie for me, cry for me
Die for me, will you please?
Oh, never never never never never never never say no
I'm living in a neon house
I'm living in avalanche row
I'm living in hangover city
And all these unforseen things tumble down
I got a love and it won't stop burning
In the dumb fat sight
Of the heavy sweaty black
Malaria night
You can say what you want
And somebody listens
Gonna say what I really want
C'mon say what you really want
Gonna say what I really want
Yeah say what you really want
Wanna live with halo jones
Wanna home that's miles from home
Wanna drugs from the twilight zone
Wanna never never never never never never never say no
The song "Dabo" by Malaria! has a very cryptic and ambiguous message that requires careful interpretation. The opening lines "In the dumb fat sight of the heavy sweaty black/Malaria night" can be interpreted as a reference to the disease of malaria, which typically affects people in tropical, hot and sweaty conditions. The following lines "You can tell the shit from the essence of heaven" suggest that even in the darkest and most unpleasant of situations, there is always a way to distinguish between what is worthwhile and what is not.
The second verse "In the smash and grab in the sharp attack/Dishonest night/You can say what you want/And somebody listens" seems to be a reflection on the power of words and opinions, even in a world full of violence and deception. The following lines "There's laughter and glass and perfume and flags/And kisses and trains and roses and vaccine" presents a surreal and jumbled-up image that reflects the chaotic and unpredictable nature of the world.
The chorus "I'm living in a neon house/I'm living in avalanche row/I'm living in hangover city" seems to suggest that the singer is overwhelmed by and trapped within their surroundings, but still holding on to a sense of hope and passion. The rest of the song goes on to explore themes of desire, deception, and the complex relationships between people.
Line by Line Meaning
In the dumb fat sight
In the dull, unobservant gaze
Of the heavy sweaty black
Of the large, perspiring darkness
Malaria night
A night filled with the disease-ridden mosquito, malaria
You can tell the shit
You can distinguish the bad from the good
From the essence of heaven
By the very nature of what is divine
In the smash and grab
In the violent robbery
In the sharp attack
In the sudden, aggressive assault
Dishonest night
A night filled with deception
You can say what you want
You have the freedom to speak your mind
And somebody listens
And someone is willing to hear you
There's laughter and glass and perfume and flags
There's joy and fragility and elegance and symbolism all around
And kisses and trains and roses and vaccine
And love and travel and beauty and medicine
I'm living in a neon house
I'm living in a brightly-lit but artificial home
I'm living in avalanche row
I'm living in a place prone to sudden, overwhelming destruction
I'm living in hangover city
I'm living in a place of constant regret and pain
Whatever gets you acclimatized
Whatever makes you adjust to your surroundings
Radiation and downcast eyes
The harmful energy and depressed expressions
Serious sight
A place of gravity and importance
We're looking for a world machine
We're searching for a way to make sense of the world
Cybernetic rabies
The mechanical disease that infects us all
Syndication and sympathy
The spreading and understanding of emotions
My world for you but not for me
I dedicate my world to you but don't receive the same back
I love you best when it's all a mess
I love you most when everything is chaotic
Will you lie for me, cry for me
Will you deceive and weep on my behalf
Die for me, will you please?
Will you even give your life for me
Oh, never never never never never never never say no
Never refuse me, no matter what
Gonna say what I really want
I'm going to speak my mind authentically
C'mon say what you really want
Go ahead and honestly express yourself
Wanna live with halo jones
I want to live with the legendary comic book character, Halo Jones
Wanna home that's miles from home
I want a new and distant place to call home
Wanna drugs from the twilight zone
I want otherworldly and bizarre drugs
Wanna never never never never never never never say no
I don't want to miss out on anything and will always say yes
Contributed by Alice D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.