Teen Gothic

For context, I am Gen Z

When I talk to my dad (who would be considered somewhere between a boomer and Gen X) about bands like The Sisters of Mercy, who would indisputably be called goth today (even if they don't identify themselves as such, haha), he argues that they aren't. I know goth in the 70s was originally called post-punk or new wave, which is what he calls it, but if that's the case, then what would someone his age think of as goth? I'm interested in how the meaning of the word has changed, and also would love to learn the history of the genre, including the things that once might have been called "goth", but now might not be labelled as such. I'm especially interested in perspectives from older goths, as, like I mentioned, I'm pretty young and only got into the scene around 6-8 months ago.

Thanks!! 🖤

this song is one of my favorites by bauhaus. the lyrics are very unique and i know peter likes to write poetic and meaningful songs. anybody know what this song is about?

lyrics: Oh classic gentlemen Say your prayers To the wind, of prostitution To your faces, and Rex complexes Riddle my breast Full of the oppressed puss

Oh gentlemen, with your fish The you surround, all around And you man, will always point Your fishes, at me

But I will always exist Because I always exist Damn good too

The rat race begins The fat face stings I hold the fresh pink baby With a smile I slice off those rosy cheeks Because I feel so thirsty

And Oedipus Rex complexes Riddle my closed bloated breast

Background info: Originally recorded in 1987. Released as the second single from Floodland in 1988. First of all, a link to the video. Here's yet another opportunity to watch Patricia Morrison rocking her glam look. Lyrics – Extended Version.

You've heard this song five hundred times. You might have idly wondered what Andrew Eldritch is rambling about. So I did a little bit of sleuthing. Oh my, this song did not age well at all. Once again, Eldritch proves to be insufferable. From this article on Songfacts.com:

Written by Sisters of Mercy lead singer Andrew Eldritch, this apocalyptic track was inspired by Percy Bysshe Shelley's 1818 sonnet Ozymandias. Eldritch told MTV: "The song is about erecting monuments in outrageous places to one's own personal power and then crumbling away."

The 7-minute album version was remixed and released as "Dominion" in the UK.

The "Mother Russia" segment was influenced by the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, in which an explosion at the Ukrainian nuclear facility sent dangerous levels of radioactive particles into the atmosphere, endangering the [former] western USSR and Europe.

Eldritch told The Melody Maker in 1987: "I made the mistake of getting caught in central Europe when Chernobyl started sprinkling it's residue over the land. It's sort of a carry on (and 'Carry On') from 'Black Planet' – part of my hate/hate relationship with America. I just had this idea of all them huddled in their mobile homes while Mother Russia rained down on them. They deserve it. I suppose the song is really about the prostitution of Europe by the Americans." The music video depicts a tale of intrigue with Eldritch passing information to bass player Patricia Morrison. But what does it all mean? "It means absolutely nothing," director David Hogan laughed. "Just the impression of a story."

It was Eldritch's idea to shoot the clip in Petra, Jordan – not the safest idea considering Iran and Iraq were warring on the Gaza Strip. Hogan told Songfacts in a 2015 interview: "We were told by the State Department that they never recommend Americans going over there at the time because it's a war and because of all the stuff going on in Israel. So we said, 'Okay, well, tough titty, we're going.'" Luckily, the location manager was friends with the king's brother. "So they hooked us up with the king, and they said, Well, if they're coming, we're going to supply them with bodyguards. So I had an armed bodyguard with me with a machine gun at his side the entire time following me everywhere, even into the bathroom."

He added: "And the helicopter shot, we didn't have a helicopter budgeted, and I said, 'Man, it would be great to get a helicopter shot of this place.' And the location manager said, 'Well, I'll call the king's brother.' He called the king, and he sent a gigantic helicopter for us, just landed in the middle of Petra, and I thought oh, this is cool."

I know the song is mocking the KKK and their beliefs. But is the song telling a story? Either it's obvious and I'm just dense or I'm reading too much into it. Besides the underlying message I always felt it's sort of a tragic love song. You know with the "Romeo's Distress" "after dark hand for a kiss" "your days are numbered with the love in your eyes". I don't know but I love the song and whenever I listen to it, I go through many emotions.