In 1991 the band was completed by the guitarist Lars Lundevall. The new line-up recorded these albums:
Varme mennesker (Warm People) (1991), Neste sommer (Next summer) (1993), Mere (More) (1994), Sent og tidlig (Late and early) (1995), Stakkars (Miserable) (1997), Kast alle papirene (Throw away all the paper) (1999) and Midt i begynnelsen (In the middle of the beginning) (2002). Their debut LP "Suser avgårde" (1986), is regarded as one of their most popular records. The lyrics are very popular because they are very naïve & philosophic. They released their final record in 2002; "Midt i begynnelsen". In 2005, they released a compilation which is named "Festen er ikke over... det er kake igjen." ("The party ain't over... There's more cake left"). New album out now: "Trist å være glad" 2011.
Mandarinskall
deLillos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
jeg må ha vært på en diett
men lunsj var bare rett og slett
en mandarin
Jeg trasket ned Bygdøy allè
jeg klarte nesten ikke se
da en forferdelig stemme hveste
En gammel dame sto å banket med sin stokk
hun sa nå far det bare virkelig være nok
nå får du se å komme her og ta å plukke opp skallet der
ja det virket som hun nesten gikk amokk
Det varte kanskje et minutt
jeg ble en bitteliten gutt
som hadde gjort noe forbudt
og som ble tatt
hun sa du må da ha forstand
jeg ser du er en voksen mann
jeg kunne falt og slått en tann
det skallet er glatt
jeg plukket opp og gjorde jakkelommen våt
men jeg gikk videre og hadde nå forstått
at når de gamle damer vågner her på gamle fine Frogner
bør man passe på og alltid te seg flott
Det skjer så alt for mye galt
i denne verden overalt
og ingen hjalp til når det gjalt
når det var krise
Men kanskje hjalp det likevell
den dag jeg plukket opp mitt skrell
man må jo ta litt hensyn
selv når man skal spise
en enkel dag er jeg blitt gammel syk og sur
blir holdt i live av en fandens pillekur
både ensom og forlatt vil jeg sikkert mene at
unge mennesker er helt blottet for kultur
The song Mandarinskall by deLillos tells a story about a man who is walking down a street in the snow while on a diet. He has a lunch of a mandarin, but suddenly, an old lady stops him and scolds him for littering the peel on the ground. She makes him pick it up, chastising him for not having the foresight to avoid accidentally hurting himself or someone else by leaving the slippery peel on the street. The man learns an important lesson and gains a new perspective on how to behave in the world, realizing that every action has consequences and that he must be more mindful in his daily life.
The lyrics also touch on the theme of aging and how the man fears becoming old and alone, held alive only by medication. He contemplates how younger generations lack culture and regards his experience with the old lady and the mandarin as a valuable lesson in manners and thoughtfulness that he hopes they will also learn. The song conveys a sense of nostalgia and longing for a simpler time when people had more consideration for others and a greater connection to their surroundings.
Line by Line Meaning
Det var en dag det snødde tett
It was a day when it was snowing heavily
jeg må ha vært på en diett
I must have been on a diet
men lunsj var bare rett og slett
but lunch was simply
en mandarin
a mandarin
Jeg trasket ned Bygdøy allè
I walked down Bygdøy avenue
jeg klarte nesten ikke se
I could hardly see
da en forferdelig stemme hveste
then a horrible voice hissed
hei ditt svin
hey you swine
En gammel dame sto å banket med sin stokk
An old lady stood banging with her stick
hun sa nå far det bare virkelig være nok
she said now it's really just enough
nå får du se å komme her og ta å plukke opp skallet der
now you come here and pick up the peeling there
ja det virket som hun nesten gikk amokk
yes, it seemed like she almost went crazy
Det varte kanskje et minutt
It lasted maybe a minute
jeg ble en bitteliten gutt
I became a tiny boy
som hadde gjort noe forbudt
who had done something forbidden
og som ble tatt
and who was caught
hun sa du må da ha forstand
she said you must have some sense
jeg ser du er en voksen mann
I see you are a grown man
jeg kunne falt og slått en tann
I could have fallen and knocked a tooth
det skallet er glatt
the peel is slippery
jeg plukket opp og gjorde jakkelommen våt
I picked it up and made my jacket pocket wet
men jeg gikk videre og hadde nå forstått
but I walked on and had now understood
at når de gamle damer vågner her på gamle fine Frogner
that when the old ladies wake up here in old, fine Frogner
bør man passe på og alltid te seg flott
one should be careful and always behave nicely
Det skjer så alt for mye galt
So much goes wrong
i denne verden overalt
in this world everywhere
og ingen hjalp til når det gjalt
and no one helped when it mattered
når det var krise
in times of crisis
Men kanskje hjalp det likevel
But perhaps it helped anyway
den dag jeg plukket opp mitt skrell
the day I picked up my peel
man må jo ta litt hensyn
one must be considerate
selv når man skal spise
even when one is eating
en enkel dag er jeg blitt gammel syk og sur
on a simple day I have become old, sick, and grumpy
blir holdt i live av en fandens pillekur
kept alive by a damn pill cure
både ensom og forlatt vil jeg sikkert mene at
both lonely and abandoned I will certainly think that
unge mennesker er helt blottet for kultur
young people are completely devoid of culture
Contributed by Lucy V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.