The roots of Mando Diao date back to 1995 when Björn Dixgård was a member of a band called Butler. Band members came and went; four years later, the remaining line-up chose to proceed more seriously in their musical efforts. Björn Dixgård and Gustaf Norén locked themselves up in a summer house and spent six months writing songs. The now-renamed band, along with Samuel Giers and Carl-Johan Fogelklou, made their first public performances in the clubs of their hometown Borlänge in 1999. A local writer described them in an article as the best unsigned band he had ever seen. This was soon followed by a record deal with EMI Sweden. In 2002 their first album Bring 'em In was released in Sweden. It contains early demo versions of their songs, partly recorded in the basement of keyboarder Daniel Haglund who left the band later in 2003. In 2003 the album was released internationally, along with their debut single Sheepdog. In 2004, Mats Bjorke officially joined the band to replace Haglund's departure. In the same year, the band is hailed enthusiastically by the music press as one of the most sanguine newcomer bands of the year. The album Hurricane Bar was released in 2005. Their third album, released in Europe and Japan in September, 2006 is called Ode To Ochrasy, which the band say has a "darker" feel, and features the single Long Before Rock 'n' Roll. To promote the release of the album, the band toured Germany, supported by Razorlight and Johnossi. They also supported Dirty pretty things on their tour in England. The album was a big success and they won many prizes in their home country Sweden. Ode To Ochrasy was released in spring 2007 in US and Mando Diao toured the US to promote it.
The band released a new album titled "Never Seen The Light Of Day" on October 24th 2007.
The band supported The Bravery on their 2005 tour, along with Los Angeles band The Colour.
Their songs Down in the Past and The Wildfire (If It Was True) feature on the EA Sports games NHL 2006 and NHL 08 respectively, whilst God Knows features on FIFA 06.
www.mandodiao.com
Men
Mando Diao Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
sina sjuka drag och miner
se, hur döden lömskt och sakta
härjar oss till grå ruiner
det är pina utan ände
spanska stövlar, hjul och stegel
- bäst att le åt sitt elände
Bäst att taga bördan på sig
le åt åldern, som förtorkar
män till gubbar, bäst att slå sig
fram, så länge hoppet orkar
Håna livet, när det hånar
kallt och hatfullt: vrid dig, sväng dig
undan ödet, håret grånar,
du är utnött, gå och häng dig!
The lyrics of Mando Diao's song "Men" are almost like a philosophical analysis on life and death, emphasizing how death lurks like a steady predator trying to prey on its victims who do not even seem to care about the decay and malice plaguing them. The song implies that the bitterness of life is an ever-present agony that people must endure until they are nothing but lifeless gray shadows of their former selves.
The lyrics push the listener to use humor to shield themselves from the pain of the world. The song implies that one's misery is best to be laughed at and to smash one's mirror to avoid seeing the despair in their reflection. The idea is that one should carry the weight of misery and laugh at oneself as the years wear them down until their hope runs out.
The song emphasizes the need to defy fate and make the best of the time one has left, even as age and infirmity eat away at them. It encourages the listener to fight back with all their might as their mortality seemingly looms larger, and they face the possibility of despair and death itself.
Line by Line Meaning
Men att evigt krankt betrakta sina sjuka drag och miner
But to constantly scrutinize one's sickly features and expressions
Se, hur döden lömskt och sakta härjar oss till grå ruiner
See how death insidiously and slowly ravages us into gray ruins
Det är pina utan ände spanska stövlar, hjul och stegel
It's endless agony; Spanish boots, wheels and the rack
- Bäst att le åt sitt elände bäst att slå itu sin spegel
- Best to smile at one's misery, best to shatter one's mirror
Bäst att taga bördan på sig le åt åldern, som förtorkar
Best to bear the burden, to laugh at age that withers
Män till gubbar, bäst att slå sig fram, så länge hoppet orkar
Men turn into old geezers, best to persevere, as long as hope lasts
Håna livet, när det hånar kallt och hatfullt: vrid dig, sväng dig
Mock life, when it sneers coldly and spitefully: twist and turn
Undan ödet, håret grånar, du är utnött, gå och häng dig!
Evade fate, your hair turns gray, you're exhausted, go hang yourself!
Contributed by Avery D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.