Life on earth is a bloody
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)
The unbeatable system engenders rot
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.


Lyrics submitted by bocmaxima, edited by *AteMyHamster

Jenny Ondioline Lyrics as written by Timothy John Gane Laetitia Sadier

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Jenny Ondioline song meanings
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3 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    One of the more explicitly political songs for Stereolab. The title refers to a Moog-like organ invented in 1947 by a Frenchman named George Jenny. It was called "Jenny's Ondioline."

    bocmaximaon June 06, 2005   Link
  • +1
    Song Comparison

    This song is very, very, very similar to Hallogallo by Neu! (apart from one being an instrumental).

    Thunderbolton May 08, 2012   Link
  • +1
    My Opinion

    The lyrics are missing a lot of the words at the end of each line and many are wrong (copied from some incomplete lyrics that seem to be on most lyric sites). The demo version has clearer lyrics but some lines are different. Here's my best guess for the album version:

    Life on earth is a bloody hazard, it's unfair As in the city the republic was collapsing away, I think the brilliant crust hiding sad realities to come And as a decisive battle had been on, haven't we lost?

    I don't care if the fascists have to win I don't care democracy's being fucked I don't care socialism's full of sin The unbeatable system engenders rot But what is exciting It's the challenge and stimulation But the tensions have to be creative, not so tight

    The absence of profounder transformation in the country Make their hopes turn sour, feeling let down in a hurry Obviously once more it could be culture....[something] (à faire de l'ordre? [contrer de l'ordre? - in the demo]) don't you get to revolutionary

    I don't care if the fascists have to win I don't care democracy's being fucked I don't care socialism's full of sin The illegitimate system's so corrupt But what is exciting It's the challenge and stimulation But the tensions have to be creative, not so tight

    Life on earth is a bloody hazard, it's unfair [sounds French, or possibly "oppressive (something) identity"] The horrors of the war are to be repeated anyway, It was like taking candy from a baby.

    We got to keep the lift, hope, and struggle Where is the lift, the hope, and the struggle? Give me the strength the lift, hope, and struggle

    *AteMyHamsteron August 06, 2019   Link

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