The band name is a reference to "kissing and cuddling," which, according to Thrussell, symbolizes the Marxist concept of destroying barriers between people (see the lyrics to "Light, Yet Refreshing")
Their first album, Lies Inc., was released in 1992. Pieter Bourke joined the band soon afterwards, and Dear Valued Customer, which drew heavily on techno influences, was released in 1994. That same year, two sideprojects emerged: Soma was formed by Thrussell and Pieter Bourke, and Thrussell formed solo project Black Lung.
By 1997, the band had largely become a solo project for Thrussell (with guest musicians). Buy Me... I'll Change Your Life was a departure in style, featuring country western-style guitar and a cover of Lee Hazlewood's "Let the Little Flowers Grow". 1999's Third Mall from the Sun offered a unique blend of the style of the previous two albums, along with new influences. This was followed by the remix album Relax into the Abyss.
In 2003, Beyond the Valley of the Proles was released. This album offered a more refined version of the style found on Buy Me. Its 2006 follow-up, Snog Vs. the Faecal Juggernaut of Mass Culture, saw a return to a more electronic sound.
One notable feature about the band is Thrussell's lyrics — almost all songs contain themes of anti-capitalism, anti-fascism, anti-consumerism, individuality, and anti-big-brotherism. Thrussell also often includes references to conspiracy theories in his lyrics and song titles (for example, The Report From Iron Mountain or Rex 84).
The albums Third Mall from the Sun (1999), Relax into the Abyss (2000) and Beyond the Valley of the Proles (2003) featured artwork by Canadian artist Chris Woods, whose paintings lampoon the advertising tactics of major corporations such as McDonald's, The Gap, and Nike.
Discography
Albums
Lies Inc. (1992)
Dear Valued Customer (1994)
Live in the Global Village (limited-edition bonus disc, 1994)
Lies Inc. (limited-edition 2-disc reissue with early material, 1996)
Remote Control (anthology, 1997)
Buy Me...I'll Change Your Life (1997)
Third Mall from the Sun (1999)
Relax Into the Abyss (remixes, 2000)
Beyond the Valley of the Proles (2003)
Your Favourite Electro-Folk Swingers (limited-edition remix CD, 2003)
Sixteen Easy Tunes For The End Times (2-disc greatest hits collection with bonus unreleased material, 2006)
Snog Vs. The Faecal Juggernaut Of Mass Culture (2006)
Singles and EPs
Corporate Slave (1992)
Shop (1992)
Born To Be Mild (1993)
Hey Christian God (1993)
Cliché (1994)
The Future (1995)
Make the Little Flowers Grow (1997)
Hooray!! (1998)
The Ballad (1998)
The Human Germ (1998)
I Snog, Therefore I am (1999)
Justified Homicide (2001)
Crash Crash (Vs. Remixes & Exclusive Tracks CD Single - 2006)
Vs. The Faecal Juggernaut Of Mass Culture (2006)
City EP (2008)
Other
Adventures in Capitalism DVD (2003)
Angst (Movie soundtrack) (2000) (contributed four tracks)
Pearls Before Swine (Movie Soundtrack) (contributed tracks, along side NON and Death in June)
Big Brother
Snog Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Night is day
There ain't no explainin' er.
C.P.W. means freedom for me and you.
90210 is a pleasant thought control.
Hell, I'm in love with Big Brother,
Soothes my mind like no other.
Makes me feel safe,
Squeezes my mind and holds me tight.
There's a sleepin' sickness
As I'm your witness.
There's a two-headed hydra
But I wouldn't vote for neither.
There's a vague uneasiness
I think they call it Big Business.
There's a deep black hole
I think the ancients called it a soul.
But, I'm in love with Big Brother,
Soothes my mind like no other.
Makes me feel safe,
Makes me feel right.
Squeezes my mind and holds me real tight.
Down the way in Oceania
Night is day there ain't no explainin' ER
War is peace,
A piece of the profit.
Don't make sense,
Think I'll tell 'em to stop it...
The lyrics of Snog's "Big Brother" speak to a climate of confusion and unease in society, where the line between truth and propaganda has become increasingly blurred. The references to Oceania, C.P.W., and 90210 allude to different forms of control and manipulation. C.P.W. (presumably standing for Controlled Perimeter Watch) represents a form of surveillance that is purported to offer freedom and safety, while the affluent community of 90210 symbolizes the contrived narratives of the media that control and shape our perceptions of reality. The reference to Oceania may be a nod to George Orwell's novel 1984, where the government maintains control over citizens through surveillance and propaganda.
The singer's love for Big Brother is ironic, as it is through Big Brother's manipulation and control that the singer feels safe and secure. The line "Soothes my mind like no other" implies that the singer has become so accustomed to living in a state of fear and manipulation that anything else would feel unnatural or unsettling. The singer acknowledges the presence of a "sleeping sickness" and a "vague uneasiness" but chooses to remain ignorant of the truth behind these phenomena. The chorus repeats "Makes me feel safe, makes me feel right, squeezes my mind and holds me tight," underscoring the seductive and addictive nature of manipulation and control.
Line by Line Meaning
Down the way in Oceania,
In the fictional land of Oceania
Night is day
The concepts of day and night are reversed
There ain't no explainin' er.
This fact cannot be explained
C.P.W. means freedom for me and you.
The initials C.P.W. are a symbol of freedom
90210 is a pleasant thought control.
The numbers 90210, often associated with luxury, are used to control thoughts in a subtle way
Hell, I'm in love with Big Brother,
The singer is deeply devoted to Big Brother, the authoritarian figurehead
Soothes my mind like no other.
The love for Big Brother brings a sense of calm that is unmatched
Makes me feel safe,
The artist feels protected by Big Brother's authority
Makes me feel right.
There is a sense of moral correctness associated with being on Big Brother's side
Squeezes my mind and holds me tight.
There is a sense of mental control and manipulation
There's a sleepin' sickness
There is a pervasive sense of lethargy and complacency among the populace
As I'm your witness.
The artist is bearing witness to these events
There's a two-headed hydra
There are two opposing forces at play
But I wouldn't vote for neither.
The singer is not willing to take either side
There's a vague uneasiness
There is a sense of discomfort or anxiety
I think they call it Big Business.
The root of this discomfort stems from the corporate powers at play
There's a deep black hole
There is an unexplained emptiness within the artist
I think the ancients called it a soul.
This emptiness may be indicative of a lack of spirituality or soulfulness
War is peace,
The concepts of war and peace are contradictory and yet presented as one
A piece of the profit.
War is a means to increase profits for those in power
Don't make sense,
This twisted logic is nonsensical
Think I'll tell 'em to stop it...
The artist is urging those in power to put an end to their corrupt practices
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID LACHLAN THRUSSELL, JAMIE SAXE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind