Rumour from Blabbermouth.net

[holidayidol]

who has turned your argument into Swiss Cheese..a common tactic of those who have lost an argument (and make no mistake about it..you have).

So, there's no reason to consider this the initial insult? No reason to consider you smirk?

Yes, Axl is using the guise of politics as his allegory.  Yes, you probably have to have some rudimentary knowledge of current world politics to understand the allegory

Alright.

that, in and of itself, doesn't make the song political.

To you it doesn't, to me it does. The only problem is there is no official authority to say you are right or I am right. No "official" list of political songs, and non-political songs.  So, no need to beleaguer this point any further.

At least what we both can agree on is that Axl uses political imagery to express himself. And that is the topic at hand here.

And going back to the original rumor, and point of this argument, IF the rumor holds any weight, I can easily see why "Geffen found too many songs about news articles that the average guns fan would not remember nor care about". This is blatently what Axl does.

"You can use your illusions...let them take you where they may.."

Geee, how unique and creative that was.

Here's my attempt:
"This time I'll have the last word, you hear what I say. I tried to see it your way, it won't work today".  

[grog mug]

Again, no confirmation on this rumor.  Taking it as bullshit until proved otherwise by someone that has correct info such as MANAGEMENT!

[the dirt]

The song CD is political in the sense that Axl, allegorically, may be describing his frustrations with the old band,and comparing the situation to a CD while he is (or may not be) the Falun Gong trying to grasp and make sense of what he has found himself in, and battling within the peramiters set out before him.

All music can be considered in the same fashion. If you were to put yourself in the shoes of someone who felt the constraints of a communist regime that really affected your life. The song in question could be about that, period.

It's more convenient for us to assume that it's about him alone, and that's fair enough, and it's probably the case.

Fuck (although a cover) Down on the Farm is the same type of song. Is he actually singing about a farm? It's possible, but probably not------hence the allegorical aspect found in all music.

Many people I knew didn't used to like Megadeth, for "they're too political".                    Maybe it was all about Dave Mustaine. Wheather or not it was, heis lyrics had heavily political overtones.

So we may not know exactly what CD is about, but for these reasons it's probably the most "politically" influenced song Axl ever wrote.

[holidayidol]

Well, no doubt the two words Chinese Democracy mean some serious shit. Axl has chosen these words to name a SONG, an ALBUM, and a TOUR.  Basically ten years of his life will be summed up in the 2 words "CHINESE DEMOCRACY".

All the merchandising, logos, stage setups, etc etc, all revolve around the new Chinese theme.

Axl even took a special trip to China to channel some lyrical inspiration.

For heaven sake, you cannot downplay the political/cultural undertones and aspirations of the name "Chinese Democracy".

[MonkeySama]

The line "even with your iron fist - our baby got, to rule the nation," I believe, referances the Dalai Llama's selection in exile of the "re-incarnated" child, Panchen Llama in tibet and the Chinese governments subsequent imprisonment of the child in Beijieng because of the fact that the Dalai Llama didn't get government approval to appoint the child. All of this took place in '95 so the timing is certainly correct. So on one level he seems to be talking about his opinions of the Tibetan peoples oppression under Chinese rule. The song is probably allegorical, as well, in that the persecution he feels in his personal life may mirror his impressions of these events.

To say the song is not political because it it contains elements of allegory makes no sense to me though. Just because he relates the events to his experiences, does not erase the fact that he clearly has an opinion about the matter, so while not blatently political, he is expressing an opinion towards the politics of the Chinese government based on his knowledge of the situation.

Madagascar on the other hand doesn't seem to be political at all. I believe the title relates to the song in the sense that Madagascar; similar to the Galapagos Islands (the place where Darwin originally developed his theory of evolution) had a completely unique evolutionary development due to it's seperation and subsequent isolation from the continent. Due to this "uniqueness" caused by the seperation, Madagascar evolved several distinct forms of life not found elsewhere in the world. Judge for yourself what Axl is trying to say here...

As someone else said, there is no real "correct" spelling of Riyadh in English. The Aramaic (?) alphabet has little resemblance to the standard western alphabets therefore if it sounds correct when spelled phonetically it'll work. I have a globe that was made in the mid 60's  in which it is spelled "Rhiad." It's just a matter of common usage. As to the meaning of this song, who the fuck knows? It's barely coherent...

---thanks to AXE for the correction! Doh!

[Jizzo]

What about Oklahoma, that is kinda something that isn't as well known anymore.

[axe]

Madagascar on the other hand doesn't seem to be political at all. I believe the title relates to the song in the sense that Madagascar; which as has been said is off the coast of Africa,  is the place where Darwin developed his theory of evolution. Madagascar had a completely unique evolutionary development due to it's seperation and subsequent isolation from Africa. Due to this "uniqueness" caused by the seperation Darwin was able develop his revolutionary theories. Judge for yourself what Axl is trying to say here...

Very very off-topic here, but I have to make a correction. Darwin started to develop his evolution theory in Galapagos Islands, not Madagascar.

[kockstar99]

who the fuck knows what CD is about... Try to read the lyrics... they make no fucking sense... Its just fucking words put together...

[jarmo]

who the fuck knows what CD is about... Try to read the lyrics... they make no fucking sense... Its just fucking words put together...

Here's what he says, or what I think he says, at the HOB in Vegas:

"This next songs is... something new. You know, right before I came here... When I left L.A. The movie Kundun was on about the Dalai Llama.

Kinda like the idea that were playing the House Of Blues because it's kinda associated with that. That came about that the House Of Blues in Chicago and Vegas called me. Do you wanna do a warm-up gig for Rio at the House Of Blues? Sure....

So, you know, I was getting ready to leave and, you know, the tv was on. It was the end of the movie and Dalai Llama is about to cross over the border, you know, to be in exile for the rest of his life from his own country. And he looks back at the men who helped him. You know, escape the Chinese goverment, and he looks back at them and waves and they wave at him. And then they show a scene where he looks back at them again and he sees everyone of them dead. Because he knew that they would be killed, they knew that in helping him they would be killed.

You know the emotion in this next song it's.... That's all that's about it. It's not like an intelligent song, it doesn't have an answer to anything. But it's the title track of the record, which, God willing we will finish.

And it's not necessarily pro or con about China. It's just that right now China symbolizes one of the strongest, yet most opressive countries and goverments in the world. And we are fortunate to live in a free country. And so in thinking about that......"

AXL! AXL! WOOOO!



Las Vegas, 010101.


/jarmo

[ppbebe]

one more off- topic  
silly question I wanted to clear up for a long time
about Chinese democracy lyric

why        "It DO?t matter"
instead of "It DOESN't matter"

is this supposed to be a Chinese person speaking English???
or do you say like this in America??

Or ?No, it,.......Don?t matter.? ?  

[norway]

The main man dude, hope thats the end of the off-topic discussion.

As going back... this is the buisness policy... SELL SELL SELL

We all like the old epics and stuff, but the record companies primary target is the mainstreem rigtht?
so... this may turn out true\ didn't axl hoped for the album to be put out before christmas 03 at that party too?
But anyway, GH is getting tv commercials all over and selling like hell.... hope they soon release the album in the shaddow of that and that axl not (like the stubborn fuck he is) don't refuses cause he's pissed for loosing the battle

[inotherealu]

This is my first message on this board, although I have checked it out several times.
I have a few questions and comments for pilferk who flames everyone who disagrees with him.
What does pilferk mean? Does it mean you're rude and arrogant, because that's how you sound.
What kind of life do you have? You obviously spend most of your time on here. Either your professional or personal life (or both) don't satisfy you or you are a fat ugly slob with no life. Which is it perverk?
How about describing your self (looks and lifestyle) to the group?
If you don't lie I guarantee you are the pathetic loser that I described above.
Bring it on pilfreak!  

[jarmo]

This is my first message on this board

And last.



/jarmo

[killingvector]

""even with your iron fist - our baby got, to rule the nation," "

i don't think that is the correct line in the song. 'even with your iron fist, more than you got to rule the nation......"

[AdZ]

I'm pretty sure it's 'baby'

Because later he says 'our baby got, to fool the nation' wait.. 'more than you got, to fool the nation' makes more sense.. damn.

[Jabi]

why        "It DO?t matter"
instead of "It DOESN't matter"

It's just slang.  

[LeftToDecay]

This is my first message on this board, although I have checked it out several times.
I have a few questions and comments for pilferk who flames everyone who disagrees with him.
What does pilferk mean? Does it mean you're rude and arrogant, because that's how you sound.
What kind of life do you have? You obviously spend most of your time on here. Either your professional or personal life (or both) don't satisfy you or you are a fat ugly slob with no life. Which is it perverk?
How about describing your self (looks and lifestyle) to the group?
If you don't lie I guarantee you are the pathetic loser that I described above.
Bring it on pilfreak!  

Heheheheheheh.
So, is there ANYONE here who DOESN'T think  think this is a female Alter ego of PISSED OFF holidayidol?  
Lack the guts to insult people with your "real" name, eh? Tsk tsk.
It's remotely interesting that you felt the urge to change your sex for this.

[holidayidol]

Huh?

I've talked to Pilferk several times on AIM before....if I wanted to tell him off I would have there. It's not like we're enemies because we disagree on this issue!  We've been friendly in the past.

Anyway, he's right about the Madagascar thing, I can admit that. I'm not here to win arguments or bitch at people with alter-egos.

(however, I did laugh when pilf and booker seemed to have vanished over the last page. I thought my argument was Swiss cheese )

[jarmo]

So I get banned for criticising Pilfreak?

You get banned for coming here, going off topic in threads by attacking a board member.

If you're not here to discuss other things than Pilferk, I suggest you find some other place.



/jarmo

[ppbebe]

It's just slang.  

 Slang?     I see. Ta! Jabi.

 Why don?t you guys, start a new tread on Chinese democracy lyrics? I wanna learn more.
and it?s really fun to know various interpretations.