Little Dark Age by MGMT Lyrics Meaning – A Labyrinth of Modern Malaise
Lyrics
Lying on its side
The ruins of the day
Painted with a scar
And the more I straighten out
The less it wants to try
The feelings start to rot
One wink at a time
Oh
Forgiving who you are
For what you stand to gain
Just know that if you hide
It doesn’t go away
When you get out of bed
Don’t end up stranded
Horrified with each stone
On the stage, my little dark age
Picking through the cards
Knowing what’s nearby
The carvings on the face
Say they find it hard
And the engine’s failed again
All limits of disguise
The humor’s not the same
Coming from denial
Oh
I grieve in stereo
The stereo sounds strange
I know that if you hide
It doesn’t go away
If you get out of bed
And find me standing all alone, open-eyed
Burn the page, my little dark age
I grieve in stereo
The stereo sounds strange
You know that if it hides
It doesn’t go away
If I get out of bed
You’ll see me standing all alone, horrified
On the stage, my little dark age
Giddy with delight
Seeing what’s to come
The image of the dead
Dead ends in my mind
Policemen swear to god
Love’s seeping from the guns
I know my friends and I
Would probably turn and run
If you get out of bed
Come find us heading for the bridge, bring a stone
All the rage, my little dark age
I grieve in stereo
The stereo sounds strange
I know that if you hide
It doesn’t go away
If you get out of bed
And find me standing all alone, open-eyed
Burn the page, my little dark age
All alone, open-eyed
Burn the page, my little dark age
In their 2018 track ‘Little Dark Age,’ MGMT fabricates a haunting anthology of the psyche’s nether regions, taunting listeners with eerie synths and lyrics saturated in the anxiety of an era. The song stands as a testament to the inner turmoil that festers beneath the veneer of contemporary life—a stark hymn for the digital generation.
Peeling back the layers of ‘Little Dark Age’ reveals an intricate tapestry of meaning; it’s a commentary on societal pressures, personal demons, and the search for authenticity in the shadow of existential dread. It’s a journey that must be taken beneath the surface to confront what lies in the ‘dark age’ of the soul.
Into the Abyss: Decoding the Darkness
Breathing in the darkness, MGMT’s opening lines set a chilling stage of reflection, introducing a landscape of ruins—an emblem of the past’s scars that fails to straighten. This intense visual poetry conjures a sense that the perpetrators of this ‘dark age’ aren’t just external entities or situations, but elements within us, struggling against a desire to heal.
The recurring theme of avoidance and the beckoning to face the concealed truths play throughout the song. It’s an internal monologue, perhaps, urging a confrontation with the parts of ourselves that scar, rot, and ultimately, transform with every wink of denial.
A Siren Call to Authenticity Amidst Societal Noise
‘Forgiving who you are for what you stand to gain’—MGMT starkly challenges the listener to consider the cost of societal conformity. The allusion suggests that there’s an inherent sacrifice in suppressing one’s identity for material or social profit, and the longer we cloak our truths, the more persistent they become.
As we attempt to navigate the precipice between personal authenticity and societal expectations, ‘Little Dark Age’ serves as a reminder that the stage of life is unforgiving. It demarcates a clear line where the facade ends, and the true self begins, urging us to not be ‘stranded’ or ‘horrified’ by our own truth.
The Engine’s Failed Again: The Repeated Cycles of Denial
MGMT uses the metaphor of a failing engine and the limits of disguise to symbolize the unsustainable nature of living in denial. Much like a car needing repairs, the human spirit needs introspection and honesty to thrive. The humor transforming within denial depicts how perspectives warp when we refuse to face our realities.
By delving into the familiarity of these cycles, where disguises become ever-more transparent, the band exposes the absurdity of maintaining a facade while everything around—and within—is crumbling.
Lyrical Lamentations: The Most Haunting and Memorable Lines
‘I grieve in stereo, the stereo sounds strange’—these lines capture the dissonance of mourning a loss that isn’t universally acknowledged or even singular. Grief in stereo, a surround sound of sorrow, characterizes a shared, yet isolated experience of pain.
‘All the rage, my little dark age’ reflects the explosive reaction to the containment of true emotions, offering a glimpse into the release that inevitably follows suppression. In these lines, the band doesn’t just paint a picture of internal conflict; they create a soundscape that resonates with the feeling of tension just before it snaps.
Unveiling the Hidden Meanings: A Digital Generation’s Reckoning
Amidst the sweeping analogies and metaphoric riddles of ‘Little Dark Age,’ there lurks a commentary on the zeitgeist of the digital age. The song reads like a modern psalm of disconnection, illustrating the alienation and surreal quality of a life lived increasingly online. MGMT taps into the peculiar melancholy of the era, reflecting the contemplative dread that comes with hyperconnectivity and the resultant distancing from the self.
The disquieting sentiment of ‘police men swear to god, love’s seeping from the guns’ jolts the listener into a recognition of the absurdity and horror of our present circumstances. These moments within ‘Little Dark Age’ codify it not just as a musical piece, but as a cultural artifact, encapsulating the gloomy tide of the times we’re navigating.
