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Pretenders' stage

from Myopia (2007) by Utopia Now

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"Pretenders' stage" was inspired by the new emo movement a few years back. It must have been written around 2006/07. At the time, Myspace was basically EmoSpace, and you couldn't go to any rock club in the city without being surrounded by all these ridiculous little kiddies with their ridiculous, absolutely uniform clothing, make-up, whatever style. But the song might just as well be about parts of what was the punk movement. It criticizes the idea that any movement could claim to celebrate individuality and uniqueness by essentially creating a uniform and ideology of its own for its members to wear and endorse. It's silly, to say the least.

The "monument" alluded to in the bridge is true individuality. I only noticed when it was too late that there is probably no way for any listener or reader to infer that.

lyrics

Buried alive, ready to dive
into shallow water
while painting our lives
with the same set of colors.
It’s the freedom to be but yourself.
The more we try, the more we become someone else.
Someone else!

The masses proclaim they’re bucking the game,
yet the machine runs,
but insisting “I’m different”,
in safe unison.
It’s the freedom to take what you please.
The more we try, the more we learn to want what we receive.


Chorus:
Acting badly on this pretenders’ stage
we build our own cultural cage.
The air is filled with waving placards reading “freedom” and “resistance”,
but no one picks up the gage and works towards change.


Bridge:
Socio-culturally it’s a catastrophy.
Time for a Great Awakening and cataclysmic changes.
An ancient statue of gold, portioned, packed up and sold
as blueprints for uniqueness in our mass-marketing age.
In disgust I look down on what they made of this monument.
I shut down my senses to be only by myself.
Where will it all end?

credits

from Myopia (2007), released April 1, 2007
Music and lyrics written by Stephan Serowy
Vocals: Stephan Serowy
Guitars: Stephan Serowy, Fynn Freyschmid
Bass: Sebastian Strij
Drums: David Neuhaus

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Utopia Now Berlin, Germany

Utopia Now started out in 2006 but had been known under the name Indigo since 2002, sharing the stage with bands such as Lagwagon, Anti Flag, A Wilhelm Scream, No Trigger, Good Clean Fun, Venerea and many more. However, the band was short-lived and split in 2007. Today the band lives on in the form of an online solo project by the band’s founder, singer, and songwriter, Stephan Serowy. ... more

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