 |
| Soviet Kitsch (2004) |
"Us" lyrics
They made a statue of us
Then put in on a mountain top
Now tourists come and stare at us
Blow bubbles with their gum
Take photographs of fun, have fun
They'll name a city after us
And later say it's all our fault
Then they'll give us a talking to
Then they'll give us a talking to
Cause they've got years of experience
Living in a den of thieves
Rummaging for answers in the pages
Living in a den of thieves
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
And it's contagious
We wear our scarves just like a noose
But not cause we want eternal sleep
And though our parts are slightly used
New ones are slave labor you can keep
They made a statue for us
They made a statue for us
The tourists come and stare at us
The sculptor's marble sends regards
They made a statue of us
They made a statue of us
Our noses have begun to rust
__________________________________
- "Us" refers to Soviet leaders, particularly Lenin and Stalin.
- There were cities that bore the name of these dictators: Stalingrad (1925-1961; now Volgograd) and Leningrad (1924-1991; now St. Petersburg).
- The statues "on a mountain top" are examples of Soviet kitsch.
- The line about fault relates to Tomas's Oedipus article (avoidance of responsibility)
- Tourists trivialize the history, struggles, and Soviet kitsch associated with the cities and take photos for fun.
- The Soviet Union is called "a den of thieves" because of its corruption and the usual capitalist argument that socialism is theft of private property.
- Although it can confusing and open to many interpretations, the song as a whole denounces kitsch and oppression of individuality, as the Soviets had done to artists.
No comments:
Post a Comment