Jenny Ondioline
Stereolab Lyrics
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As in the city the public wears,
I think the brilliant cast for insane realities to come
And that's a decisive battle that we, haven't we lost
I don't care if the fascists have to win
I don't care democracy's being sucked
I don't care socialism's full of sin (or, I don't care socialism's collapsing)
That what is exciting
Is a challenge as the new nation
But the tensions have to be creative with some time
The innocent suffer from the transformation in the (their)country
They balance asylum...Down and they run you
Obviously once more it could be culture
I bet a lot oh don't you get to
I don't care if the fascists have to win
I don't care democracy's being sucked
I don't care socialism's collapsing
The indubitable the system is so corrupt
(This sounds like immutable on the album version)
That what is exciting
Is a challenge as the new nation
But the tensions happy but
(That the tensions happy but creative are so tight)
Life on earth is a bloody,
In place of the,
The horrors of the war are keeping me free to,
It was like taking candy from a baby.
The lyrics of the song 'Jenny Ondioline' by Stereolab embody a call for change and challenge to the status quo. The opening lines suggest a grim reality that exists on Earth where there is bloodshed and violence. The reference to the 'public wears' in the city may refer to people's attitudes toward violence and indifference to the plight of others. The line "I think the brilliant cast for insane realities to come" might suggest the idea that people seem resigned to a future of insanity and chaos.
The subsequent lyrics reject established political ideologies such as fascism, democracy, and socialism, which are seen as systems that have failed to address the root issues, and have only engendered rot. The lyrics, "The indubitable the system is so corrupt," propose that the system is so fundamentally flawed that people are willing to look beyond the existing political spectrum for novel solutions. The final lines of the song, "Life on earth is a bloody, The horrors of the war are keeping me free," may infer that people have become inured to violence and war.
Overall, the song suggests a need for creative tension and challenge to current social and political systems that prevent people from creating a new, positive future.
Line by Line Meaning
Life on earth is a bloody
Existence on this planet is a brutal affair
As in the city the public wears,
Just like the way people in the city put on clothing, hiding their true nature
I think the brilliant cast for insane realities to come
I imagine a future where twisted truth prevails
And that's a decisive battle that we, haven't we lost
It's a significant conflict that we still have the opportunity to win
I don't care if the fascists have to win
It doesn't matter to me if authoritarianism prevails
I don't care democracy's being sucked
I am indifferent to the decline of democratic values
I don't care socialism's full of sin (or, I don't care socialism's collapsing)
I'm unconcerned with the moral depravity or downfall of socialist ideology
The unbeatable system engenders rot (or, the indubitable the system is so corrupt)
The prevailing establishment breeds decay and corruption
That what is exciting
By contrast, what's exhilarating
Is a challenge as the new nation
Is the opportunity to make a new society from scratch
But the tensions have to be creative with some time
But we must be inventive despite the difficulties and setbacks
The innocent suffer from the transformation in the (their)country
Ordinary people undergo pain and hardship during a period of rapid change
They balance asylum...Down and they run you
They provide refuge for refugees but in return, they control and manipulate them
Obviously once more it could be culture
This pattern seems to repeat due to cultural factors
I bet a lot oh don't you get to
I wager it happens frequently, don't you believe so?
The tensions happy but creative are so tight
The anxiety is high but it spurs us to be more innovative and imaginative
In place of the,
Rather than
The horrors of the war are keeping me free to,
The atrocities of war grant me freedom to do as I please
It was like taking candy from a baby.
It was easy, like taking advantage of someone weak and defenseless
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LAETITIA SADIER, TIMOTHY JOHN GANE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Andreas Dominguez
the great thing about the internet is how it filters through artistic fads to surface truly inventive, influential music. so so glad to see Stereolab, the most underrated rock band of the 90s, make a resurgence in the musical world!!
Ben Evans
I saw them play live to about 30 people in Reading in '97 or 98. Last year ('19) they played one of the big stages at Primavera to thousands of people at 0200. It was suitably epic.
Randy Leifer
They are epic in my mind. I have a small brain partition, just for them.
FawkesHole
Absolutely! I’ve been a fan of the 90s my whole life and was always aware of stereolab but never listened to them until recently. It’s so of the best music I’ve ever heard
George Hoffman
I love Latisha I miss Mary
George Hoffman
We love them it doesn't matter whether a f**** other people do
Boston Guy in the midwest
R.I.P. Mary Hansen
Also someone needs to do a full 18-minute video for the entire song.
Ionescu Florin
Some cuts in this video already get looped that it would not make much difference if they went with them all the way, but then again Part 2 has different lyrics... This video is neat, but a performance video would still probably be the most suitable, however they seemingly never tried to perform all the parts in any concert (including the ”out of phase” studio trickery), correct me if I am wrong.
Patrick Neylan
I used to hate it when people ripped off my favourite bands. Now I listen to this and think, "You took something by Neu! and made something new and different with it? Good call. Respect."
Yellow Choklit
i would hesitate to namedrop neu alone, rather the whole ‘motorik’ thing in general (which was, go figure, popilarized by klaus dinger from neu) but then also i think you’ll find their sound is similar to a band called young marble giants ! especially the song N.I.T.A from their album colossal youth.
another fantastic band with similar vibes and female singer is Broadcast!