Ballad Of The Bangkok Novotel

Manic Street Preachers

The ballad of the Bangkok Novotel

No scream, no smile,
No nothing for me
It's so hot that I can't breathe
Nine stone two and six foot three
Rats are crawling on my feet
Shrivel to nothing for the company
Lizards and geckos cover me
Military Police are after me
But everybody else seems so happy

Mini sized apples filled with disease
Even the water tastes like tea
On a diet of Gaviscon
Look at me I'm fucking gone
A light watch, my time today
Madonna's fucking on the car again
On the phone ten times a day
Hiding under the table again

Breakfast, my mouth tastes like piss
Masturbation, there's nothing left
In a daze, anorexic haze
Look outside and join the insane
The bug inside of me won't go
Egg and chips is all I want
So hungry I can taste home
Wake up screaming on all fours

Knocking knock knocking on my door
My life is a disaster
Giant ice cubes rolling on the floor
Someone help me dear God
Everybody has fake smiles
I am losing my fucking mind
I've had enough of being alone
I'd give anything to save my soul

I think that I have seen the Devil
Satan smiles at me in the mirror
Revolution in the Golden Palace
Four sickly boys are losing resistance
So much porn and alcohol
I'm so numb to my hormones
But my liberty is winning
Five years later I'm still shaking




Lyrics submitted by Songmeaningsuser

Ballad Of The Bangkok Novotel song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

3 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    My OpinionThe song I think most likely relates to experiences abroad touring. If I had to be specific: Manics in Bangkok 1994. The single was released 2001, but the song was likely recorded/written earlier, ('Five years later I'm still shaking', so it was probably written in 2000).

    I don't usually like to assume a lyric directly relates to the author's own life, but it's pretty plain to see here. Nicky has mentioned that particular tour as being really awful, the start of a downward spiral, that they all came back with some kind of 'bug', etc.

    The lyrics particularly refer to a number of issues. Quite prevalent is the fear Nicky had of being abroad, in Thailand. He hated the food, didn't eat anything apart from apples reportedly, it was all too weird. The fauna, the customs, the disorientation that comes with being surrounded by things you don't understand in the heat. At this point also he has said that his hypochondriac tendencies were a problem, especially in Bangkok, being preoccuopied with all the unkown food and places. Nicky was said not to leave his room if he could help it.

    There was an incident to do with disrespecting the royalty which caused some disturbance I gather. They played Repeat, and Nicky followed up with 'Long live the King! May he reign in hell!'. This does not make for good for publicity in Thailand. From this stemmed a paranoia of arrest, by military police.

    So the basis for the song seems to be the chaos of that time, not helped by tensions within the band. Bangkok saw Richey get given a set of knives by a fan, cut his chest onstage, and get a handjob from a hooker much to the scandal of the British music press. Nicky was not a very happy bunny, so he wrote a song about it five years later.
    chalkedon June 08, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI Hear What You're Saying "i_am_the_law" And It's The Complete Truth.
    But Also I Think It's An Illusion To Nicky Being Threatened With The Death Penalty In Thailand (An Extremely Monarchistic Country) When He Said "...Let Your King Reign In Hell" Before Ripping Into 'Repeat.'
    Particularly Typfied As It Was Written And Sung By Nicky Himself.
    ManicMartin1989on July 05, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Commentis this only a live song or is it available on a disc or to download
    Koalablubblubon April 06, 2008   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top