Line-up
Jason Beebout (vocals)
Sergie Loobkoff (guitar)
Johnny Cruz (drums)
Sean Kennerly (guitar)
Jeremy Bergo (bass)
Discography
Samiam (1990)
Soar (1991)
Billy (1992)
Clumsy (1994)
You Are Freaking Me Out (1998)
Astray (2000)
The New Red Years (2000)
Whatever's Got You Down (2006)
Trips (2011)
El Dorado
Samiam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bottles buried in the snow lay hidden until spring
Monuments abandoned, wet dreams unfulfilled
Inspired us to descend when goes on down the hill
In the county of el dorado by the old casino
From a jail cell phone so crowded and so alone
Failed by memory, robbed of technology
I wish you'd get me out of here
Come get me out of here
Prepared for the adventure
Braced ourselves for the cold
Winter coats, pockets filled with ammo for the road
Out into the twilight we braved the icy streets
We never reached our destination
That would not be our destiny
The song 'El Dorado' by Samiam speaks of a wild and crazy party that lasted for seven days, fuelled by alcohol and drugs, which came to an abrupt end leaving its participants with a sense of emptiness and unfulfilled desires. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the aftermath of the party with bottles buried in the snow and abandoned monuments. The experience acted as a catalyst for the singer and his friends to embark on a new adventure fueled by the memories of the party, as they head out into the cold streets of El Dorado. The adventure remains incomplete, but the tale of the party and the adventure will stay forever ingrained in their memories.
The verse "Monuments abandoned, wet dreams unfulfilled, inspired us to descend when goes on down the hill" referring to the aftermaths of the party, implies that they were inspired to pick themselves up and move on from the tragedy of the party. As the song progresses, the singer appears to be locked up in a prison cell from where he calls out to someone who could be a friend or partner asking them to come and bail him out. The final verse suggests that they had a plan to do something adventurous, possibly even illegal that hasn't quite worked out, but that they will carry the memories of their attempts with them forever.
Line by Line Meaning
The party raged for seven days until it was complete
The occasion lasted for seven whole days until it was finally over.
Bottles buried in the snow lay hidden until spring
Some containers that were concealed in the snow were buried and stayed that way until springtime.
Monuments abandoned, wet dreams unfulfilled
Some structures that were abandoned and aspirations that never came to be a reality.
Inspired us to descend when goes on down the hill
What we saw motivated us to move downward along the slope.
In the county of el dorado by the old casino
At a location in El Dorado, close to the abandoned casino.
From a jail cell phone so crowded and so alone
Making a call from a cramped and lonely prison cellphone.
Failed by memory, robbed of technology
Unable to recall information, and without technological resources.
Can't remember your number
Not being able to remember someone's phone number.
I wish you'd get me out of here
Expressing a desire for someone to rescue the artist from their current situation.
Come get me out of here
Making a plea for someone to come and help them escape their current predicament.
Prepared for the adventure
Ready for the journey ahead.
Braced ourselves for the cold
Mentally and physically prepared for the frigid weather.
Winter coats, pockets filled with ammo for the road
Wearing appropriate winter attire, and bringing supplies for the journey.
Out into the twilight we braved the icy streets
We ventured out into the streets during the dawn hours, despite the icy road conditions.
We never reached our destination
Unfortunately, we were not able to arrive at our intended location.
That would not be our destiny
Our fate did not lie in reaching that particular destination.
Contributed by Hunter V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.