Leeds University art students Jon Langford and Tom Greenhalgh formed the Mekons in 1977, taking the band's name from the Mekon, an evil, super-intelligent Venusian featured in the British 1950s-1960s comic Dan Dare (printed in the Eagle). The band first gained widepread popularity with the single "Never Been in a Riot," a satirical take on the Clash's "White Riot." For several years the loose-knit band played noisy, bare-bones post-punk in the vein of fellow Leeds students Gang of Four. Yet Langford and Greenhalgh never hewed closely to genre conventions, and by the mid-80s (now augmented by vocalist Sally Timms and violinist Susie Honeyman) they began to experiment with musical styles derived from traditional folk and country. 1985's watershed Fear and Whiskey, 1986's The Edge of the World and 1987's Honky Tonkin' exemplified the band's new sound, which built on the innovations of Gram Parsons and blended punk ethos with the minimalist country of Hank Williams. This style, sometimes referred to as "post-modern country", is a direct forerunner of the alt-country genre represented by bands like Uncle Tupelo.
Jon Langford has been busy as an artist and as founder of several solo and band projects: namely the Waco Brothers (a country-like ensemble) and the Pine Valley Cosmonauts (exploring the music of Bob Wills, Johnny Cash and others). Besides his solo albums he has released CDs with Richard Buckner and Kevin Coyne.
Subsequent albums such as The Mekons Rock 'n' Roll, while containing several straightforward rock songs, continued to explore the boundaries of the punk genre by utilizing diverse instrumentation (notably the fiddle and slide guitar) and Timm's haunting vocals.
The Mekons Rock 'n' Roll was the band's first major label release. Issued by A&M Records in 1989, it was not a commercial success, but it was met with critical acclaim. Arguably the best album of their career (alongside Fear and Whiskey), it is perhaps the most accessible synthesis of their experiments in country, rock and punk.
Just as the Mekons began to grow in critical stature, their relationship with A&M Records became more tense, and unable to fulfill their commercial expectations, the Mekons were soon dropped by the label. However, not only did the band remain intact, they continued to record at a prolific rate, releasing such notable albums as 1991's Curse of the Mekons, 2000's Journey to the End of the Night, and 2002's OOOH!.
The band continues to tour under an altered lineup, and has a highly devoted following.
Amnesia
The Mekons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tossing and turning and rolling in our bunks the first mate the boss and me
From bristol to the ivory coast then on to jamaica
Down in the hold there is no sound we're taking rock n' roll to america
Bless my soul what's wrong with me I forgot to forget to remember
The king of england waits in exile in the crack fields of bolivia
Burning white house shining path back to reconquer americay
Mardi gras indian segregation 1964
Up the river wah wah throbbing heavy artillary
Blackface painted floodlit jungle gringo military
Any old army high on drugs fighting that rock n' roll war
Truth justice and led zepplin heavy metal marine corps...
The lyrics of The Mekons’ song Amnesia are a vivid portrayal of the chaos and confusion that characterize life and society. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song, describing a dark and stormy night and a ship rocking on the open sea. The singer, along with the first mate and the boss, finds themselves tossing and turning in their bunks as they journey from Bristol to the Ivory Coast and then on to Jamaica. The cargo they are carrying is “rock and roll to America,” which speaks to the cultural influence of the genre and its global reach.
The next few lines of the song are a mixture of seemingly unrelated phrases, such as the king of England waiting in exile in the crack fields of Bolivia, the Burning White House, the Shining Path, and Eric Burdon stunned in Mississippi on the Animals’ U.S. tour. These disparate images suggest a confused and fragmented society, where nothing seems to make sense, and everything is in a state of flux.
Similarly, the lyrics about Mardi Gras Indian segregation in 1964 and the military fighting a “rock and roll war” highlight the political and social turmoil that have characterized various periods in American history. Taken as a whole, the song suggests a sort of collective amnesia, where people are forgetful about the past and ignorant of the present, leading to a state of confusion and chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
It was a dark and stormy night and the ship was rockin' on the open sea
The night was filled with darkness and bad weather, causing the ship to sway back and forth on the rough sea.
Tossing and turning and rolling in our bunks the first mate the boss and me
The passengers and crew on the ship were feeling sick from the constant movement of the ship.
From bristol to the ivory coast then on to jamaica
The ship's journey started in Bristol, went to the Ivory Coast, and then continued on to Jamaica.
Down in the hold there is no sound we're taking rock n' roll to america
In the cargo hold of the ship, there is no noise except for the rock music that is being transported to America.
Bless my soul what's wrong with me I forgot to forget to remember
The artist is confused about why they cannot stop remembering certain things.
The king of england waits in exile in the crack fields of bolivia
The king of England is in Bolivia waiting in exile in a place filled with drug activity.
Burning white house shining path back to reconquer americay
There is a group of people who want to regain control over America and are planning to burn down the White House.
Eric burdon stunned in mississippi on the animal's u.s. tour
Eric Burdon, while on tour with his band, The Animals, was shocked by the situation in Mississippi.
Mardi gras indian segregation 1964
In 1964, during Mardi Gras, there were still signs of segregation in America.
Up the river wah wah throbbing heavy artillary
There was military action happening up a nearby river, with weapons creating a rhythmic and overwhelming sound.
Blackface painted floodlit jungle gringo military
Members of the American military were dressed in blackface paint, standing out in the jungle at night.
Any old army high on drugs fighting that rock n' roll war
The soldiers were heavily influenced by drugs as they fought a war that seemed to resemble the rock n' roll culture.
Truth justice and led zepplin heavy metal marine corps...
The singer references patriotic ideals and Led Zeppelin as the symbols of the American marine corps.
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