Formed in 1988 in Melbourne, Australia, Snog is a primarily the work of mus… Read Full Bio ↴Formed in 1988 in Melbourne, Australia, Snog is a primarily the work of musician David Thrussell, with frequent guest musicians. Musically, they are a fusion of many styles--including industrial, techno, ambient, experimental, even sometimes including country and funk. Lyrically, Snog has strong themes of nihilism, anti-capitalism, anti-fascism, anti-consumerism, individuality and anti-big-brotherism.
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)

Empires
Snog Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

from the cadillac soup-kitchens
to the impovserished boardrooms
this orwellian nightmare
is now every man's dream

burn the empires down (x3)
there is no heaven

as we stand in line
at the efficiency drive
a voice from the checkout screams

thats this orwellian nightmare
is now an everyday scene

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Snog's song "Empires" highlight a dystopian reality where the divide between the privileged and the impoverished is gradually diminishing. The song draws a comparison between the cadillac soup-kitchens and the impoverished boardrooms, emphasizing the fact that the gap between the two is no longer as wide as it used to be. The lyrics suggest that the Orwellian nightmare, a concept inspired by George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984, has now become the dream of every man. This could be interpreted as a comment on the capitalist system where the rich become richer while the poor become poorer, with oppression being the norm.

The chorus "burn the empires down" implies a need for revolution and uprising against the oppressive systems in place. The idea of there being no heaven suggests that there is no paradise or salvation to be found in the current state of the world. The line "as we stand in line at the efficiency drive" further emphasizes the power dynamic between the rich and poor, as the latter are forced to queue up for basic necessities. The final line of the song "this orwellian nightmare is now an everyday scene" drives home the message that the oppressive systems have become normalized and accepted, with individuals accepting their lot in life without questioning the status quo.

Line by Line Meaning

from the cadillac soup-kitchens
From the luxurious yet necessary social services provided by the state, to the extravagance of high-end vehicles.

to the impovserished boardrooms
From the barren and deprived settings of poverty, to the lack of wealth and resources within corporate offices.

this orwellian nightmare
A world dominated by totalitarian and oppressive forces, as described in George Orwell's book 1984.

is now every man's dream
This dystopian reality has become what people desire and strive for, to the point of overlooking its negative consequences.

burn the empires down (x3)
Destroy the oppressive powers and institutions that hold society back from progress and freedom.

there is no heaven
There is no redemption or hope in blindly following or accepting oppressive systems.

as we stand in line
As we wait and comply with the oppressive systems in our daily lives.

at the efficiency drive
In the pursuit of maximizing productivity and efficiency at all costs.

a voice from the checkout screams
A cry for attention and acknowledgement of the negative and oppressive nature of the current reality.

thats this orwellian nightmare
Describing the reality as one akin to the world Orwell envisioned in his book.

is now an everyday scene
This oppressive and dystopian world has become a normal and accepted part of everyday life.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DAVID LACHLAN THRUSSELL, PIETER ALAN BOURKE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS