Mr. Roboto Lyrics
Mata au hi made
Domo arigato misuta Robotto
Himitsu wo shiritai
With parts made in Japan, I am the modern man
My heart is human, my blood is boiling, my brain I.B.M.
So if you see me acting strangely, don't be surprised
I'm just a man who needed someone, and somewhere to hide
To keep me alive, just keep me alive
Somewhere to hide to keep me alive
I've come to help you with your problems, so we can be free
I'm not a hero, I'm not a savior, forget what you know
I'm just a man whose circumstances went beyond his control
Beyond my control, we all need control
I need control, we all need control
So no one else can see my true identity
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, domo, domo
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto
Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto
For doing the jobs nobody wants to
And thank you very much, Mr. Roboto
For helping me escape to where I needed to
Thank you, thank you, thank you
I want to thank you, please, thank you, oh yeah
Machines to save our lives. Machines dehumanize.
To throw away this mask
Now everyone can see
My true identity
I'm Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy!
I suspect there is more to it than meets the eye. Writers tend to base their work off of personal experience. They will modify the circumstances to fit a storyline.
My theory is that Mr.Roboto is actually based on identity issues.
Mr. Roboto is the Alter ego Kilroy is the true inner self
The song is between Mr. Roboto and Killroy. This is likely a moment of self-awareness by Kilroy.
"You're wondering who I am-machine or mannequin" He is displaying his alter ego here. Mr. Roboto is perceived as cold and uncaring.
"With parts made in Japan, I am the modren man" Parts made in Japan is used for story continuity. Modren likely is a play on the word modern. His alter ego is common amongst modern men to this day.
"I've got a secret I've been hiding under my skin" Mr.Roboto is telling us that he is in fact an alter ego, not the persons real self.
"My heart is human, my blood is boiling, my brain I.B.M." Here he is telling us that while he has feelings, his mind has full control over them. Kilroy is the flesh and blood of man, Mr. Roboto dwells within the more logical brain.
"So if you see me acting strangely, don't be surprised I'm just a man who needed someone, and somewhere to hide To keep me alive-just keep me alive Somewhere to hide to keep me alive" Kilroy is explaining Mr. Roboto is a defense mechanism. Though he admits from time to time he gets caught off guard and lets his true feelings show.
"I'm not a robot without emotions-I'm not what you see" Further establishing that his alter ego is not the true man.
"I've come to help you with your problems, so we can be free I'm not a hero, I'm not a saviour, forget what you know" Mr. Roboto is explaining his function. It is thankless, but important. Not "we" is used, they rely on each other as they are one in the same.
"I'm just a man whose circumstances went beyond his control Beyond my control-we all need control I need control-we all need control" Kilroy is here explaining his reasoning for developing Mr. Roboto. It saves him from having to deal with emotional issues. He is able to manipulate his perception. This gives him control of the world as it exists in his mind.
"I am the modren man, who hides behind a mask So no one else can see my true identity" Repeating what he has been saying all along, He is a modern man hiding behind an alter ego and he rarely if ever lets anyone see who he really is.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto For doing the jobs that nobody wants to And thank you very much, Mr. Roboto For helping me escape just when I needed to Thank you-thank you, thank you I want to thank you, please, thank you" Here he is expressing thanks to his alter ego for dealing with the emotional times in his life. Helping Kilroy "escape" from the emotionally trying times. It is the context of a parting of ways, a "goodbye".
"The problem's plain to see: too much technology Machines to save our lives. Machines dehumanize." This could simply be part of the story, or is a comment that seems to be a bigger issue today than in 1983, the idea that we are desensitized by the machines and technologies that surround us. It is a double edged sword as technologies are also able to preserve life.
"The time has come at last To throw away this mask So everyone can see My true identity... I'm Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy! Kilroy!"
Here he is saying he wants to do away with his alter ego, Mr. Roboto and be his true self.
Beautiful explanation.
Beautiful explanation.
You know, I always wondered how people could adore <I>Come Sail Away</I> (still constantly hear THAT one on the radio) and then totally dismiss this song as fanciful eighties garbage.
You know, I always wondered how people could adore <I>Come Sail Away</I> (still constantly hear THAT one on the radio) and then totally dismiss this song as fanciful eighties garbage.
Angels and aliens...okay. We can handle that concept.
Angels and aliens...okay. We can handle that concept.
Robots/cyborgs... whoa man. Way too far out there. LOL.
Robots/cyborgs... whoa man. Way too far out there. LOL.
"'The problem's plain to see: too much technology Machines to save our lives. Machines dehumanize.' This could simply be part of the story, or is a comment that seems to be a bigger issue today than in 1983, the idea that we are desensitized by the machines and technologies that surround us. It is a double edged sword as technologies are also able to preserve life."
"'The problem's plain to see: too much technology Machines to save our lives. Machines dehumanize.' This could simply be part of the story, or is a comment that seems to be a bigger issue today than in 1983, the idea that we are desensitized by the machines and technologies that surround us. It is a double edged sword as technologies are also able to preserve life."
Going by your other observations, I'd say that, "The problem's plain to see: too much technology", might refer to the fact that almost everyone had created their own "Mr. Roboto" persona, and...
Going by your other observations, I'd say that, "The problem's plain to see: too much technology", might refer to the fact that almost everyone had created their own "Mr. Roboto" persona, and that anyone looking from the outside would easily notice that.
"Machines to save our lives", might refer to the fact that everyone used their personae to save them from all of the difficult situations in their lives, the same way that Kilroy had.
"Machines dehumanize", might refer to the fact that their personae would rob them of their natural selves or their humanity in other words.
Anyways, your interpretation is one I'd have never thought of.
I always thought the song was just about a dystopian world, with a guy who happened to save everyone while pursuing his own goals, and who was mistaken for a hero and a robot along the way.
Interpretation
[From the album liner notes:]
The Past Dr. Everett Righteous, founder and leader of the MMM, (The Majority for Musical Morality) became influential in American politics through the use of his own cable T.V. network. He spoke about the evils of rock 'n' roll music, and how its permissive attitudes were responsible for the moral and economic decline of America. He was charismatic, entertaining, and above all, he understood the media. The MMM soon gained enough power to have rock 'n' roll banned.
Rober Orin Charles Kilroy was a world famous rock 'n' roll star. As this new law was passed, Kilroy and his band were finishing a national tour. Their last performance, at the Paradise Theatre, would serve as the test case. On the night of the concert, as Kilroy played to a packed house, the MMM marched in and stormed the stage. When it was over, a MMM protester was dead...Kilroy was convicted of murder and sent to a prison ship with other rock 'n' roll mistfits...
The Present ...is a future where Japanese manufactured robots, designed to work cheaply and endlessley, are the caretakers of society. "Mr. Robotos" are everywhere, serving as manual labor in jobs that were once held by humans.
Dr. Righteous enforces his own morality by holding nightly rallies where crowds hurl rock 'n' roll records and electric guitars into huge bonfires...Jonathan Chance, the rebel leader of an underground movement to bring back rock 'n' roll, has made Kilroy the symbol of his cause. Meanwhile, Kilroy has spent a number of years in prison. With no hope of release, he is subjected to the humiliation of mind control via the MMM cable network. In an attempt to contact Kilroy, Jonathan jams the airwaves of the MM network, replacing a mind control session with outlawed footage of a Kilroy concert. Inspired by Jonathan's message, Kilroy plots his escape. Late one night, he makes a daring attept to free himself by overpowering a Roboto guard. Disguised as a Roboto Kilroy moves freely throughout the city leaving graffiti coded messages for Jonathan. Jonathan discovers the "Rock Code" which leads him to the old Paradise Theatre, now the site of Dr. Righteous' Museum of Rock Pathology. There he sees the last Kilroy concert mechanically depicted by Kilroy look-alike robots as the violent end of rock 'n' roll...and there, he and Kilroy meet for the first time.
This song tells of Kilroy's escape from prison disguised as a Roboto. It exposes the thoughts in Kilroy's mind during his escape, as he reflects on the irony of his circumstances.
Here is a translation of the Japanese:
Doomo arigato, Mr. Roboto [Thank you very much, Mr. Robot]
Mata au hi made [Until the day we meet again...]
Himitsu wo shiritai [I want to know your/the secret]
Kilroy was a man who scribed his name on boxes during WWII, writing on all of them, "Kilroy was here." He made his impact on the world and influanced many Americans increasing nationalism and, on the all, helping the whole nation, even though no one knew who he was... I can see, quite plainly, how that relates...
A Comment About the Word "MODREN"
The movie "Westworld" was released in 1973. Mr. Roboto was recorded by Styx in 1982.
Westworld was a movie about a futuristic, adult-themed amusement park, populated by extremely lifelike robots, where you could live out your fantasies, by role playing amongst these robots. In the movie, they bounced between a "Medieval World" (Western European life during Medieval times), a "Roman World" (life in Rome during the Roman Empire), and Westworld (life in in the Old West of the United States). Although very lifelike, the robots weren't entirely perfect. The robots are programmed not to hurt any of the vacationers, but by the end of the movie, all the robots are malfunctioning and killing everyone.
The tagline from the movie was "Westworld...where nothing can possibly go worng!" (Note, the word "wrong" is misspelled "worng".)
The word "modern" in Mr. Roboto is deliberately misspelled "modren" as a tip of the hat to the movie Westworld. It also hints that our alter-egos, although employed to shield the inner-self, are still fallible and subject to malfunction.
Actually, I read on a page that discussed the meanings of the Styx lyrics, that this was part of a story. The story was on the album "Kilroy was here". The entire album was a protest to censorship and the anti-rock movement. It told of a story between an evil person who tried to prohibit all rock, and Kilroy a rock star. It is quite interesting, though I can't seem to find the page right now, as soon as I do, I will post it.
First off, to the best of my knowledge, Styx was always named Styx. Second, the WWII Kilroy Was Here part may or may not be significant to the song. Kilroy Was Here was a concept album, and tells a story. It's about censorship, and a man named Kilroy, who was a rock artist, portrayed by Dennis DeYoung. He was imprisoned by the MMM (Majority for Musical Morality), because he was a rock artist. At his last performance, a murder was staged, and the MMM believed that Kilroy killed an MMM protestor. However, it turned out that a member of the MMM had killed them. To get back on track, this song is about Kilroy's escape. He finds a roboto suit -- robots who are officers of the MMM -- and uses it to escape. "The problem's plain to see -- too much technology / Machines to save our lives. Machines dehumanise" shows that the robotos, who are taking over the manual labour tasks of humans as well, are forcing humans to become something they aren't. The fanfiction based on the story is called "Whispers in the Night", and you should be able to find it on most any search engine.
WWII Kilroy Was Here legends
WWII Kilroy Was Here legends
The Legends of "Kilroy Was Here" WWII Kilroy Was Here legends Horizontal Line
The Legends of "Kilroy Was Here" WWII Kilroy Was Here legends Horizontal Line
There was one person who led or participated in every combat, training or occupation operation during WWII and the Korean War. This person could always be depended on. GI's began to consider him the "super GI." He was one who always got there first or who was always there when they left. I am, of course, referring to Kilroy Was Here. Somehow, this simple graffiti captured the imagination of GI's everywhere they went. The scribbled cartoon face and words showed...
There was one person who led or participated in every combat, training or occupation operation during WWII and the Korean War. This person could always be depended on. GI's began to consider him the "super GI." He was one who always got there first or who was always there when they left. I am, of course, referring to Kilroy Was Here. Somehow, this simple graffiti captured the imagination of GI's everywhere they went. The scribbled cartoon face and words showed up everywhere - worldwide. Stories (some even true) abound.
Legend #1: This Legend of how "Kilroy was here" starts is with James J. Kilroy, a shipyard inspector during WWII. He chalked the words on bulkheads to show that he had been there and inspected the riveting in the newly constructed ship. To the troops in those ships, however, it was a complete mystery – all they knew for sure was that he had "been there first." As a joke, they began placing the graffiti wherever they (the US forces) landed or went, claiming it was already there when they arrived. Kilroy became the US super-GI who always got there first – wherever GI's went. It became a challenge to place the logo in the most unlikely places. It was said to be atop Mt. Everest, the Statue of Liberty, the underside of the Arch de Triumphe, and scrawled in the dust on the moon. An outhouse was built for the exclusive use of Truman, Stalin, and Churchill who were there for the Potsdam conference. The first person to use it was Stalin. He emerged and asked his aide (in Russian), "Who is Kilroy?"
Trolley being delivered Click image for larger view Image thanks to Brian Fitzgerald (Kilroy grandson)
WWII UDT (Under Water Demolition - later Navy Seals) divers swam ashore on Japanese held islands in the Pacific to prepare the beaches for the coming landings by US troops. They were sure to be the first GIs there! On more than one occasion, they reported seeing "Kilroy was here" scrawled on make shift signs or as graffiti on enemy pillboxes. They, in turn, often left similar signs for the next incoming GIs.
The tradition continued in every US military theater of operations throughout and following WWII.
Boston American, December 23, 1946 Click image for larger view Image thanks to Brian Fitzgerald (Kilroy grandson)
In 1946 the Transit Company of America held a contest offering a prize of a real trolley car to the person who could prove himself to be the "real" Kilroy. Almost forty men stepped forward to make that claim, but James Kilroy brought along officials from the shipyard and some of the riveters to help prove his authenticity. James Kilroy won the prize of the trolley car which he gave it to his nine children as a Christmas gift and set it up in their front yard for a playhouse.
What the hell does Kilroy mean in this song? OR does it even have any significance?
kilroy was the computer that the japanese was to use to win ww2, yes i am correct
kilroy was the computer that the japanese was to use to win ww2, yes i am correct
why does he say modren?
SAKI!
SAKI!
The real name for "post-modernism" It's the stage we got to after the "modern" age
The real name for "post-modernism" It's the stage we got to after the "modern" age
Often misnamed the "digital" age, or the "age of information" by academic historians and other pitiful creatures who spend most of their short days trapped in a small room with a computer screen, we often forget that most of the world's population has no access to "digitalism" or even gives a shit about it since they're still worried about getting access to basic medication or food on the table or not dying in some kraut's imperialist wet dream (cheney, bush, reagan,...
Often misnamed the "digital" age, or the "age of information" by academic historians and other pitiful creatures who spend most of their short days trapped in a small room with a computer screen, we often forget that most of the world's population has no access to "digitalism" or even gives a shit about it since they're still worried about getting access to basic medication or food on the table or not dying in some kraut's imperialist wet dream (cheney, bush, reagan, mugabi, obama, putin, and all the world's rich cocksucking warmongers). And I'll be damned if you guys think we have any information worthy enough to name our collective existence after given the present state of affairs.
"Modrenism": (What emerged out of "modernism" )The idea that we have vast amounts of resources to feed and make the world function and use them "rationally" to serve a purpose with the least amount of resources possible. And so it came to pass that, in the year 2011, at the dawn of the modren age...thirty percent of the population of the USA were self-destructively obese while children on the other side of the world were still dying of malnutrition. We live in ugly shitholes but use most of our metal on making cellphones and copious quantities of cars that are going to A)break down shortly, B) ferry us around to our little appointments with our little lives while we might be better off to chill a bit.
-Billydear, have you seen the new housing developments? They're so exciting and modren!
-Wow, that's some really impressive modern art!
>
@realplastictrees A Comment About the Word "MODREN"
@realplastictrees A Comment About the Word "MODREN"
The movie "Westworld" was released in 1973. Mr. Roboto was recorded by Styx in 1982.
The movie "Westworld" was released in 1973. Mr. Roboto was recorded by Styx in 1982.
Westworld was a movie about a futuristic, adult-themed amusement park, populated by extremely lifelike robots, where you could live out your fantasies, by role playing amongst these robots. In the movie, they bounced between a "Medieval World" (Western European life during Medieval times), a "Roman World" (life in Rome during the Roman Empire), and Westworld (life in in the Old West of the United States). Although very lifelike, the robots weren't entirely perfect. The robots are...
Westworld was a movie about a futuristic, adult-themed amusement park, populated by extremely lifelike robots, where you could live out your fantasies, by role playing amongst these robots. In the movie, they bounced between a "Medieval World" (Western European life during Medieval times), a "Roman World" (life in Rome during the Roman Empire), and Westworld (life in in the Old West of the United States). Although very lifelike, the robots weren't entirely perfect. The robots are programmed not to hurt any of the vacationers, but by the end of the movie, all the robots are malfunctioning and killing everyone.
The tagline from the movie was "Westworld...where nothing can possibly go worng!" (Note, the word "wrong" is misspelled "worng".)
The word "modern" in Mr. Roboto is deliberately misspelled "modren" as a tip of the hat to the movie Westworld. It also hints that our alter-egos, although employed to shield the inner-self, are still fallible and subject to malfunction.
although your story about kilroy may be true it isnt relevant here. Kilroy was here was a common grafitti well known when styx first started and it was the original name of the band.