What is Axl talking about in Madagascar?

[TheAlien]

I was just reading Madagascar lyrics and had a thought...

What is Axl talking about in your opinion?

No I won't be told anymore

That I've been brought back in this storm

And left so far out from the shore

That I can't find my way back, my way anymore

Forgive that they teared down my soul

Bless them that they might grow old

A dream that's forgotten may know

That it's never too late

[TheAlien]

I've seen that nobody even try...

So I'll trow the stone...

Referring to old band mates?

Who else could have left him so far out from the shore for example?

And who are those who teared down his soul?

Girlfriends?

A love song for multiple women seams a little weird ...

[hasham1983]

[Alan Niveen]

There was a topic not so long ago about this.

Forum member Bach (not sure) wrote a great post about Madagascar being a metaphor for isolation.

[TheAlien]

There was a topic not so long ago about this.

Forum member Bach (not sure) wrote a great post about Madagascar being a metaphor for isolation.

How can I find it?

By the way...Madagascar is a country of rare beauty!

With great, rich nature.......maybe not the perfect place for an isolation metaphor ... ... or maybe it means that isolation is nice someway.........

[Alan Niveen]

The search function is not available for the moment, so you'll have to browse this section.

[TheAlien]

The search function is not available for the moment, so you'll have to browse this section.

Thank you

[slashplay]

Well for me, i always thought Madagascar was about Axl being alone against all the haters. The 'being alione' part fits the title, cos Madagascar is the metaphor for isolation. lyrics like 'forgive them that tear down my soul' etc all seem to point to Axl looking down on the haters and people who are his enemy.

The 'forgive' part seems weird from Axl to say about the haters, who are often from the media, which makes me think that maybe the song was directed at slash, matt, and duff's stories about the break up, in that they tore axls soul by blaming it all on him and bringing him negative press. He forgives them, as he's known them all his life, and perhaps indicates he is willing to make up at some point.

however, someone said that Axl told the NY crowd that madagascar has been written for 14 years? that may just blow out my idea of it being about the breakup.

[sixtus]

Here it is (I'm impressed Niveen..what a good memory you have! )

The other day I was thinking about my life, my life in general.

My friends, my ambitions, my regrets, my future, my past and my present...

It came to my mind that it's been a long time since I didn't have someone with who I share my true self.

Someone who gets to know me for what I really am.

It's the same with my friends.

I'm not such a good friend to have.

Sometimes I'd rather be lonely, and deep inside me I don't know if I'm cabable of loving my friends for what they are, or if I'm just a selfish fuck.

And while I was having these thoughts, I suddenly realized something.

I was drifting away.

Drifting away from people. Drifting away from my friends. Drifting away from the world.

When you don't show who you really are, what do people see when they see you?

If no one gets to know you, where are you standing?

What is your place in people's eyes?

If there was a map of their thoughts, where would I stand on it?

If there was a map of their feelings, where would I stand on it?

If there was a map of their love, where would I stand on it?

I was alone,all by myself on some remote island. How could they reach me?

I came here on my own, knowing that what protects you is also a prison.

Madagascar

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

No I won't be told anymore

That I've been brought back in this storm

And left so far out from the shore

That I can't find my way back, my way anymore

No, I..

No, I...

Forgive that they teared down my soul

Bless them that they might grow old

A dream that's forgotten may know

That it's never too late

For the many times

What seemed like a memory

I've searched and found the ways you use to lure me in

I've found the ways, oh why it had to be

Mired in denial, and so afraid

If we ever find it true

That we had the strength to choose

I'm freed of all the chains

We held together

I'm gonna tell you a story

-FBI Agent Monk (portrayed by Badja Djola), Chapter 35-A Razor Sharp Confession-1:40:06;Mississippi Burning, 1988; written by Chris Gerolmo

Stand up for righteousness!

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

What?

--Road Prison 36 Captain (portrayed by Strother Martin), Cool Hand Luke, 1967; written by Donn Pearce

Stand up for justice!

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

What?

Road Prison 36 Captain (portrayed by Strother Martin), Cool Hand Luke, 1967; written by Donn Pearce

Stand up for truth!

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

How can a person grow up with all this around them?

-Detective William Somerset (portrayed by Morgan Freeman), Chapter 19; Se7en, 1995; written by Andrew Kevin Walker

You got to call on that something

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Where does it come from?

- FBI Agent Alan Ward (portrayed by Willem Dafoe), Chapter 6-“where does it come from, all this hatred?”-00:20:25; Mississippi Burning, 1988; written by Chris Gerolmo[/ï]

That can make a way out of no way

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

All this hatred?

-FBI Agent Alan Ward (portrayed by Willem Dafoe), Chapter 6-“where does it come from, all this hatred?”-00:20:25; Mississippi Burning, 1988; written by Chris Gerolmo

What we've got here is

--Road Prison 36 Captain (portrayed by Strother Martin), Cool Hand Luke, 1967; written by Donn Pearce

Fear

-Detective William Somerset (portrayed by Morgan Freeman), Chapter 19; Se7en, 1995; written by Andrew Kevin Walker

That power that can make a way out of no way

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Failure to communicate

--Road Prison 36 Captain (portrayed by Strother Martin), Cool Hand Luke, 1967; written by Donn Pearce

I tell ya I seen the lightning...I've heard the thunder roll

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Everybody's acting like we can do anything and it don't matter what we do. Maybe we gotta be extra careful because maybe it matters more than we even know.

--Private Eriksson (portrayed by Michael J. Fox), Casualties of War, 1989; written by Daniel Lang

Sometimes...

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Hatred isn't somethinG you're born with

Mrs. Pell (portrayed by Frances McDormand); Chapter 29-Mrs. Pell Gives the Vital Information-- 1:29:22; Mississippi Burning, 1988; written by Chris Gerolmo

I feel discouraged

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

It gets taught

-Mrs. Pell (portrayed by Frances McDormand); Chapter 29-Mrs. Pell Gives the Vital Information-1 29:22; Mississippi Burning, 1988; written by Chris Gerolmo

Sometimes I feel discouraged

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

I felt this fear

-Detective William Somerset (portrayed by Morgan Freeman), Chapter 19 Se7en, 1995; written by Andrew Kevin Walker

He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone, no never alone, no never alone.

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Let's get something straight, alright ?

-Agent Rupert Anderson (portrayed by Gene Hackman), Chapter 27-- Ward and Anderson’s Frustration -1:24:58; Mississippi Burning, 1988; written by Chris Gerolmo

Promised never to leave me

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

This whole thing was fucked up-Agent Rupert Anderson (portrayed by Gene Hackman), Chapter 27-- Ward and Anderson’s Frustration -1:24:58; Mississippi Burning, 1988; written by Chris Gerolmo

Never to leave me alone

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

All men betray. All lose heart

--The Leper / Robert the 16th Earl of Bruce (portrayed by Ian Bannen), speaking to his son, Robert the 17th Earl of Bruce in a scene concerning the betrayal Robert the 17th Earl of Bruce committed toward William Wallace; Chapter 15-Lands of Death-2:13:57; Braveheart, 1995;written by Randall Wallace

I don't want to lose heart!...I want to believe

--Robert the 17th Earl of Bruce, (portrayed by Angus McFadyen) responding to his father (The Leper / Robert the 16th Earl of Bruce)’s nonchalant attitude toward betrayal; Chapter 15-Lands of Death-2:14:02; Braveheart, 1995; written by Randall Wallace

Black men and white men

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have A Dream, (Delivered as the keynote speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on 28 August 1963; written by Julian Bond)

Together at the table of brotherhood

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have A Dream, (Delivered as the keynote speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on 28 August 1963; written by Julian Bond)

I have a dream

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have A Dream, (Delivered as the keynote speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on 28 August 1963; written by Julian Bond)

Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty we are free at last!

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have A Dream, (Delivered as the keynote speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on 28 August 1963; written by Julian Bond)

I won't be told anymore

That I've been brought down in this storm

And left so far out from the shore

And I can't find my way back, my way anymore

No I won't be told anymore

That I've been brought back in this storm

And left so far out from the shore

That I can't find my way back, my way anymore

Loneliness kills and corrupts feelings.Betrayal, unfaithfulness and lies corrupt. Lack of love corrupt. A lonely heart is a decaying one. The World soon becomes an unfriendly place where you feel like an alien, and you're all by yourself...like on some remote island very very far away. Slowly you begin to hate everybody, including yourself

"But hatred isn't something you were born with" and "it''s never too late". You can overcome loneliness, and your disability of communicate ("it's a failure to communicate"). You can find your way back in the world, back in people's heart, so that people find their way back in yours.

I won't be told anymore

That I can't find my way back, my way anymore...

Madagascar is basically about when you're lost and all by yourself. Sometimes your heart and feelings are corrupted by loneliness, and you accept it because you think you won't be able to eradicate this loneliness, and open yourself to other people.

Madagascar, a bordeless island in the indian ocean is a metaphor for this irrepressible loneliness.

But the song is about fighting this loneliness and refuse to get your soul and feelings corrupted by it. Refuse to get love turned into hatred, and compassion into fear.

That's why Axl uses quotes from M. Luther King and from movies such as Seven or Mississipi Burning. The quotes from the movies describe the feelings of fear and hatred, wuhile the quotes from M. Luther King represent the "good side", the one that struggles to fight the bad feelings and to be able to love other people without being afraid.

The whole quote part is brillant and describes this struggle between fear and hop very well I think.

Let's analyze Madagascar lyrics a bit

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

This verse means:" I will find my way back among people, I will fight this loneliness"

Forgive that they teared down my soul

Bless them that they might grow old

A dream that's forgotten may know

That it's never too late

This verse is about love. Whatever the situation you're in, you have to love other people. It's never too late to open your heart and love people, even if they did harm you.

Really a beautiful song IMO. Much more optimistic and profound than Axl's past songs. Somehow mystical too. I love this song because it shows that Axl grew up to be a good person, and that he doesn't want bad feelings to dominate him and isolate him from other people.

I analyzed the quote verse a bit and decided to divide the quotes into two categories:

-Positive and Negative

Positive quotes describe the good part of our souls. The good feelings such as love, compassion, comprehension, empathy. They struggle with corrupted feelings so that we can still find a way, so that we can still love other people and open our hearts to them even when lost and all by ourselves.

Negative quotes describes the bad side of our souls. The corrupted feelings such as fear, hatred, and despair. They struggle with good feelings and often make us doubt in ourselves and in other people, so that we finally end up all by ourselves, with only our fear remaining.

I've added a Neutral reference to the quote from "Cool Hand Luke" wich was already used in Civil War. This quote refers to lucidity, when feelings aren't neither unbalanced in a way or another. It could also be interpretated as the point of view of someone else. This quote has a some "special meaning" to it...it's like you look back at your life to the light of what you've accomplished.

Ok, let's break it down.

Negative

I'm gonna tell you a story

-FBI Agent Monk (portrayed by Badja Djola), Chapter 35-A Razor Sharp Confession-1:40:06;Mississippi Burning, 1988; written by Chris Gerolmo

Positive

Stand up for righteousness!

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Neutral

What?

--Road Prison 36 Captain (portrayed by Strother Martin), Cool Hand Luke, 1967; written by Donn Pearce

Positive

Stand up for justice!

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Neutral

What?

Road Prison 36 Captain (portrayed by Strother Martin), Cool Hand Luke, 1967; written by Donn Pearce

Positive

Stand up for truth!

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Negative

How can a person grow up with all this around them?

-Detective William Somerset (portrayed by Morgan Freeman), Chapter 19; Se7en, 1995; written by Andrew Kevin Walker

Positive

You got to call on that something

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Negative

Where does it come from?

- FBI Agent Alan Ward (portrayed by Willem Dafoe), Chapter 6-“where does it come from, all this hatred?”-00:20:25; Mississippi Burning, 1988; written by Chris Gerolmo

Positive

That can make a way out of no way

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Negative

All this hatred?

-FBI Agent Alan Ward (portrayed by Willem Dafoe), Chapter 6-“where does it come from, all this hatred?”-00:20:25; Mississippi Burning, 1988; written by Chris Gerolmo

Neutral

What we've got here is

--Road Prison 36 Captain (portrayed by Strother Martin), Cool Hand Luke, 1967; written by Donn Pearce

Negative

Fear

-Detective William Somerset (portrayed by Morgan Freeman), Chapter 19; Se7en, 1995; written by Andrew Kevin Walker

Positive

That power that can make a way out of no way

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Neutral

Failure to communicate

--Road Prison 36 Captain (portrayed by Strother Martin), Cool Hand Luke, 1967; written by Donn Pearce

Positive———}Negative (fear)

I tell ya I seen the lightning...I've heard the thunder roll

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Negative———}Positive ("awakening")

Everybody's acting like we can do anything and it don't matter what we do. Maybe we gotta be extra careful because maybe it matters more than we even know.

--Private Eriksson (portrayed by Michael J. Fox), Casualties of War, 1989; written by Daniel Lang

Positive

Sometimes...

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Negative

Hatred isn't something you're born with

Mrs. Pell (portrayed by Frances McDormand); Chapter 29-Mrs. Pell Gives the Vital Information-- 1:29:22; Mississippi Burning, 1988; written by Chris Gerolmo

Positive——}{——Negative (doubt)

I feel discouraged

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Negative

It gets taught

-Mrs. Pell (portrayed by Frances McDormand); Chapter 29-Mrs. Pell Gives the Vital Information-1 29:22; Mississippi Burning, 1988; written by Chris Gerolmo

Positive

Sometimes I feel discouraged

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Negative

I felt this fear

-Detective William Somerset (portrayed by Morgan Freeman), Chapter 19 Se7en, 1995; written by Andrew Kevin Walker

Positive

He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone, no never alone, no never alone.

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Negative

Let's get something straight, alright ?

-Agent Rupert Anderson (portrayed by Gene Hackman), Chapter 27-- Ward and Anderson’s Frustration -1:24:58; Mississippi Burning, 1988; written by Chris Gerolmo

Positive

Promised never to leave me

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Negative

This whole thing was fucked up-Agent Rupert Anderson (portrayed by Gene Hackman), Chapter 27-- Ward and Anderson’s Frustration -1:24:58; Mississippi Burning, 1988; written by Chris Gerolmo

Positive

Never to leave me alone

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Why Jesus Called A Man A Fool, (Delivered at Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on 27 August 1967)

Negative

All men betray. All lose heart

--The Leper / Robert the 16th Earl of Bruce (portrayed by Ian Bannen), speaking to his son, Robert the 17th Earl of Bruce in a scene concerning the betrayal Robert the 17th Earl of Bruce committed toward William Wallace; Chapter 15-Lands of Death-2:13:57; Braveheart, 1995;written by Randall Wallace

Positive

I don't want to lose heart!...I want to believe

--Robert the 17th Earl of Bruce, (portrayed by Angus McFadyen) responding to his father (The Leper / Robert the 16th Earl of Bruce)’s nonchalant attitude toward betrayal; Chapter 15-Lands of Death-2:14:02; Braveheart, 1995; written by Randall Wallace

Positive

Black men and white men

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have A Dream, (Delivered as the keynote speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on 28 August 1963; written by Julian Bond)

Positive

Together at the table of brotherhood

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have A Dream, (Delivered as the keynote speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on 28 August 1963; written by Julian Bond)

Positive

I have a dream

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have A Dream, (Delivered as the keynote speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on 28 August 1963; written by Julian Bond)

Positive

Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty we are free at last!

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have A Dream, (Delivered as the keynote speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on 28 August 1963; written by Julian Bond)

Did you see how Positive and Negative quote follow each other? At The beginiing they even alternate, and in the End only the positive ones remain. It's when you finally get rid of corrupted feelings and find your way back home among people, thanks to the power of love and strong beliefs...mystical?

..wow motherfucker..this is a really great post..

..you should become a fuckin' scientist...

..but..you can also refer to the last sentence of "back off bitch"..great song....

..anyway thx for postin'..

[angryjanitor69]

well im not completely sure what its about.... but parts of it sounds as if Axl is praying to god for the people that have fucked him over... and parts of the song is a prayer to him. but also getting some really deep emotional shit off his chest. its a very emotional and heart felt song when u think about it

[TheAlien]

well im not completely sure what its about.... but parts of it sounds as if Axl is praying to god for the people that have fucked him over... and parts of the song is a prayer to him. but also getting some really deep emotional shit off his chest. its a very emotional and heart felt song when u think about it

Thank you for finding the madagascar post!!!!!! (I won't quote it again)

It's just brillant!

That's what I like about Axl lyrics, they're always very emotional, he actually share with us his deep feelings!

He talks with common people words to express how he feels, telling a story or just putting emotions in words

[thechaseison]

"A dream that's forgotten may know"??? who came up with that? that doesnt even make any sense...the line is "and free them so that they may know"...

i like what someone said about parts of the song being a prayer...there are a lot of lines in the new songs that seem that way...and the bridge in 'better' sounds like god talking to axl...'i never wanted you to be so full of anger', etc...

[.Seal]

Well you could basicly say the same of most of the new songs that they are in someway speaking to the old GNR members or something.. Simply amazing post Bach!

Now someone brought better up and Ive really been thinking all along since the first time I heard it that it really speaks for the old members.

Especially this part:

So bittersweet, this tragedy wont ask for absolution

This melody inside of me, still searches for solution

A twist of fate, the change of heart kills my infatuation

A broken heart can't hide the spark for my determination

[TheAlien]

Well you could basicly say the same of most of the new songs that they are in someway speaking to the old GNR members or something.. Simply amazing post Bach!

Now someone brought better up and Ive really been thinking all along since the first time I heard it that it really speaks for the old members.

Especially this part:

So bittersweet, this tragedy wont ask for absolution

This melody inside of me, still searches for solution

A twist of fate, the change of heart kills my infatuation

A broken heart can't hide the spark for my determination

I think better is more a love song...but I can't help, when i read new lyrics my mind always go to old members.... if it is this way for me I wonder how is it for Axl..

[steveysham]

" a dream thats forgotten may know"

doesn't make sense

is it not and free them so that they may know. this would add to the theme of freedom and inprisonment. which the song seams to be about with freqwuent references to "chains" being weighed down and escaping.

[sweet guy]

IRS is defenitely a song for the old members of GN`R...