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)
Go to Sleep
Snog Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
Your government is rimming you from the rear, oh dear
So go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
In the new slavery
The new slavery
Plenty of toys
In the new slavery
The new slavery
Plenty of toys
For all the girls and boys
Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
Open your anus wide
And welcome little Johnny inside
Then go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
Open your anus wide
And welcome little Johnny inside
Then go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
All is well if you buy and sell
So go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
All is well if you buy and sell
So go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
Now
Johnny's hunkered down behind you
And he's sweating just like a pig
So open up wide
Open up big
And go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
In the new slavery
The new slavery
Plenty of toys
For all the girls and boys
In the new slavery
The new slavery
Plenty of toys
For all the girls and boys
Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
The lyrics of "Go To Sleep" by Snog depict a bleak, dystopian view of Australia, where the government is actively exploiting and controlling its citizens. The song starts with a gentle lullaby-like melody and a repeated refrain, "Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep," which creates an eerie and unsettling atmosphere. The lyrics suggest that the Australian government is "rimming [its citizens] from the rear," indicating that they are being taken advantage of in a most humiliating and invasive way. The reference to "plenty of toys for all the girls and boys," implies that the government is using material possessions to placate the population and keep them subdued.
The lyrics go on to state that this is the "new slavery," and that Australia's citizens are being exploited through a combination of materialism and sexual manipulation. The line "Open your anus wide and welcome little Johnny inside," is a shocking and direct reference to the kind of control that the government is exerting over its people. The phrase "buy and sell" is used as a way of describing the economic system that reinforces the slavery that the government has imposed on its citizens. The song ends on a sinister note, with the imagery of "Johnny's" presence behind the listener, evoking the idea that the government is always there, watching and waiting for any chance to exert more control.
Overall, "Go To Sleep" is a powerful commentary on fascism, authoritarianism and the dangers of a society that has given up too much power to its rulers.
Line by Line Meaning
Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
A call for Australia to fall asleep and forget their troubles
Your government is rimming you from the rear, oh dear
The government is taking advantage of the people
In the new slavery
People are being enslaved in a new way
Plenty of toys
There are plenty of distractions for the people
For all the girls and boys
Not just men are being distracted, but women and children too
Open your anus wide
A vulgar invitation to the people to accept wrongdoing from the government
And welcome little Johnny inside
Accept the policies of John Howard, the Prime Minister at the time this song was released
All is well if you buy and sell
As long as people are consuming and contributing to the economy, everything is considered good
Johnny's hunkered down behind you
The government is constantly behind the people, exerting control
And he's sweating just like a pig
The government is struggling to maintain control
So open up wide
Accept the government's actions
Go to sleep, little Australia, go to sleep
Reiterating the call for the people to fall asleep and forget their troubles
Contributed by Adeline Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.