Madagascar

[evergreen_layne]

There's already a thread pn

The Blues would be twice the song without 'street of dreams' and 'stardust on my feet'. Ewww. Still... Madagascar, Better, T.W.A.T... lyrically spot on. Now what are T.W.A.T and Better about? Same again?

There's already a thread for those songs holmes use the search function!     And  that line "stardust on my feet" is one of my favorite lyrics ever.  It makes the song for me.

[Bostonrose]

The reason it is called Madagascar, is because Madagascar broke off of Africa and became it's own island with it's own ecosystem vastly different than that of Africa.

Axl broke off with old GNR, and is now vastly different than anything they are doing




left so far off the shore, that I can't find my way back, my way anymore..

[bitch_slap_rappin]

Only Axl himself knows what the lyrics are about but I must say I believe he writes about other stuff going on in his life as well that don't relate to GNR. However, this Madagascar theory makes sense. He questions the old saying that no man is an island I guess.

He must have had some hope of returning to the mainland though. There are thousands of islands out there, say in the Pacific, that are far more remote and cut off than Madagascar.

Do you think he's ever been there btw?

[Naltav]

Madagascar is an island that - geographically speaking - drifted off the continent of Africa a long, long time ago. Hence the flora and fauna on it are very unique and different from what you'd find on the continent of Africa.
Think Axl and the rest of (old) Gn'R. Then read the samples part (here). Questions?

(I think Axl said somewhere that he did feel the old band breaking apart, and that Estranged kind of was expressing that. He was referring to "I've seen the storm was getting closer". Read Madagascar: "I've seen the lightning flash. I've heard the thunder roll."
The whole song is so full of hints i could write a fucking book about it...)

Yeah, I think u nailed it best!  All the samples are racial-related speaches, but I don't think that is why it's used in the song. The old members leaving the band: (You promised NEVER to leave me, NEVER to leave me....)  Now being able to or feeling "free" to express himself and doing the music-scene again with a band that feels right: (Free at last, free at last, thank god allmighty...etc..)

[pilferk]

Here's your answer:

"I won't be told anymore
that I've been brought down in this storm
And left so far out from the shore
That I can't find my way back, my way anymore".

[CheapJon]

Here's your answer:

"I won't be told anymore
that I've been brought down in this storm
And left so far out from the shore
That I can't find my way back, my way anymore".

so axl is madagascar and the old members are africa?

[andypa1]

Hmm i always thought it was steph that promised to never leave him alone, after all they were engaged but yeh it hink the moving island is right so cheers

[Origen]

He must have had some hope of returning to the mainland though. There are thousands of islands out there, say in the Pacific, that are far more remote and cut off than Madagascar.

I don't think it would of had the same effect if Axl had of called the song somethink like "Isle of Wight" 

[Six Strings]

Axl has always been a great poet. He's not just a singer, he's a poet. He always writes about the inside feelings, emotions and problems that he has. It was the same in the Appetite with songs like It's So Easy and Sweet Child O'Mine for example, the same with the Lies, Illusions and it is the same now. He wrote One In A Million when he felt fucked up from people that were stealing and doing drugs. He wrote Garden Of Eden after St. Luis, so it is normal his lyrics now to be about the breaking up with the old guys. It was not easy for him. However, this is the reason Axl's lyrics are so different from other stuff. My opinion though, but look Metallica stuff for example, or Iron Maiden, or Motorhead...I don't say I hate Metallica, not at all - I love them, but come on...I'm not saying Axl is the best, but he is saying what he thinks in a such way that you have to realise the music and to go deep inside it. That's why I love Guns N' Roses so much. 

[Lara]

Axl has always been a great poet. He's not just a singer, he's a poet.

I've always wanted to ask:
What is the difference between someone who writes lyrics and a poet?
Is it objective?

[deanaxlrose]

I read it somewhere, the song first called MAD AT NASCAR.

[pilferk]

Here's your answer:

"I won't be told anymore
that I've been brought down in this storm
And left so far out from the shore
That I can't find my way back, my way anymore".

so axl is madagascar and the old members are africa?

I think it's a bit more than that.? I think the old band is certainly a factor, but I think Axl's being a bit more broad minded here.? He's not JUST talking about the old band, but the music world in general, and his career.? Sure, the old band is sort of referred to in the song, but it's not JUST about them (unlike CD, I think).

It's Axl talking about how the world has told him he can't be successful without the old band, and maybe even with them.? That he's not relevant anymore and that he's drifted away from the "mainstream" been battered and distracted by the shit storm around him, so that he can't actually create good music, or be productive, anymore.? Madagascar is him railing against that perception, I think.

The metaphor he's using, IMHO, definitely refers to the island.

[CAFC Nick]

Madagascar according to the dictionary means something like "Edge of the world", although yes, there is the country although I doubt the song has anything to do with the country.

[younggunner]

I read it somewhere, the song first called MAD AT NASCAR.

lol na, Axl was just joking around when he said that. It was on the 02 tour i think in Ohio when he was talking about those pesky seatbelt rules. Madagascar was always the song title

[tonya_ytzerman]

Why not just any island? Well, as I mentioned above, Madagascar broke off Africa. And it's still drifting away, towards the Indian subcontinent.
The Hawaii islands (for example) were never part of the mainland. They erupt in the ocean on top of underwater volcanos. So you can't just take ANY island as a metaphor.
Moreover, i think it's important that Madagascar has a unique ecosystem (i think the Isle of Wright doesn't really, so sorry, no song for you ). Australia is similar in that way (that thing broke off the other land maasses even wayyy before, and they have animals and plants you'll never find in other places on the planet). I guess calling the song "Australia" just would not have made the point clear enough, as there are too many things that could be associated with Australia. For us european/northern-american-influenced people, "Madagascar" has kind of a single association (just read this thread to figure out how many people have had the same thought).

[Soori]

what do you guys think of the sampled voices used in madagascar? i think its pretty coool that axl used martin luther king in the track? what about you lot?

[DaNutz]

MLK=good...
the rest=bad

[Skinflick]

I dig the whole song all the way through.....Madagascar is going to be an amzing track to listen to....

[duga]

Madagascar and TWAT = classics 

[russtcb]

MLK=good...
the rest=bad

What don't you like about the rest of it?

My personal favorite part is the "Lets get something straight alright? This whole thing is fucked up".

I love that.