1979
Mandy Jones Lyrics


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Shakedown nineteen seven-nine
Cool kids never have the time
Live wire right up off the street you and I
Should meet

June bug skipping like a stone
With headlights pointed at the dawn
We were sure we'd never see an end, to it all
And I don't even care

To shake these zipper blues
And we don't know
Just where our bones will rest to dust I guess
Forgotten and absorbed to the earth below

Double cross the vacant and the bored
They aren't sure just what I have in store
Morphine city slippin' dues, down to see

That we don't even care
As restless as we are
And feel the pull in the land of a thousand
Guilts and poured cement
Lamented and assured
To the lights and towns below
Faster than the speed of sound
Faster than we thought we'd go

Beneath the sound of hope
And Justine never knew the rules
Hung down with the freaks and ghouls
No apologies ever need be made
I know you better than you take it, to see

And we don't even care
To shake these zipper blues
And we don't know
Just where our bones will rest to the dust I guess
Forgotten and absorbed to the earth below




The street heats the urgency of now
As you see there's no one around

Overall Meaning

Mandy Jones's song 1979 is a nostalgic and dreamy tale that reflects on the experiences of youth in that era. The opening line of "Shakedown nineteen seven-nine" sets the stage for a journey back in time. The song describes a group of restless and rebellious kids who are carefree and living in the moment. The "cool kids" are too busy with their lives and don't have time to waste. However, the singer finds solace in the company of someone who is equally as wild and free as they are.


The lyrics talk about the June Bug skipping like a stone, and the headlights pointing towards dawn, depicting a long night of adventures. They were sure they'd never see an end to it all. The sense of youth, a time of being invincible and carefree, is evident in the words. The song is about the present, and they don't even care about what the future holds. The chorus sings- "And we don't know Just where our bones will rest / To the dust, I guess / Forgotten and absorbed into the earth below." The singer realizes that life is fleeting, and in the grand scheme of things, they are insignificant.


"Double cross the vacant and the bored / They're not sure just what we have in store" talks about the unpredictability and confusion surrounding the youth's lives. The lyrics mention "Morphine city" and "slipping dues," which can signify trying to escape from the mundane life. The reference to "the freaks and the ghouls" paints a picture of going against societal norms and doing things one's way. The last stanza mentions the urgency of the present and the emptiness of the surroundings.


Overall, the song is about enjoying the present rather than worrying about the future or the past.


Line by Line Meaning

Shakedown nineteen seven-nine
This song is about events that took place in 1979.


Cool kids never have the time
The popular kids are too busy to care about what's going on around them.


Live wire right up off the street you and I Should meet
We should meet because we're young and full of energy, just like the city streets.


June bug skipping like a stone With headlights pointed at the dawn We were sure we'd never see an end, to it all And I don't even care
We were carefree and happy, with the whole world ahead of us. We didn't think about the future because we were too busy enjoying the present.


To shake these zipper blues And we don't know Just where our bones will rest to dust I guess Forgotten and absorbed to the earth below
We're restless and looking for something to do. We don't know what the future holds, but we're not worried about it because we'll eventually die and be forgotten.


Double cross the vacant and the bored They aren't sure just what I have in store Morphine city slippin' dues, down to see
We're rebellious and unpredictable. The people in charge don't know what to expect from us. We're exploring the city, taking risks and breaking the rules.


That we don't even care As restless as we are And feel the pull in the land of a thousand Guilts and poured cement Lamented and assured To the lights and towns below Faster than the speed of sound Faster than we thought we'd go
We don't care about anything except having fun and exploring. We're moving fast, experiencing new things, and not looking back.


Beneath the sound of hope And Justine never knew the rules Hung down with the freaks and ghouls No apologies ever need be made I know you better than you take it, to see
We're living in a world of hope, where anything is possible. We hang out with unconventional people, not caring what anyone thinks. We're confident in ourselves and don't feel the need to apologize.


And we don't even care To shake these zipper blues And we don't know Just where our bones will rest to the dust I guess Forgotten and absorbed to the earth below
We're still carefree and searching for adventure. We don't know what the future holds, but we're not worried about it because we'll eventually die and be forgotten.


The street heats the urgency of now As you see there's no one around
The city streets are alive with energy and excitement. Despite the constant motion, we feel alone and isolated.




Writer(s): Billy Corgan

Contributed by Jayden I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Ghetto TV Dragon

I was not expecting this, but it really put a smile on my face, especially the bass. Awesome job

Sergio Millan

Love this version!

PoshLifeforME

Man the amount of tunes I’ve shazzamed off foxtel channel selection moments.

Steve Franceschi

Gorgeous

Biggiedii

Thank you Foxtel lol

Scott Randall

That's what's uo

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