Gorillaz: Momentary Bliss Meaning

Song Released: 2020

Featuring: Slowthai, Slaves

Momentary Bliss Lyrics

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Momentary bliss
We could do so much better than this
Mausoleum faces and momentary bliss
We could do so much better than this
Oh, Rita, oh, Rita
Lovely Rita, meter maid
Your potential, you lack credentials
And you...

1. Vic

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   Nov 8th 2020 !⃝

   I believe it’s about the obsession the younger generation (young adults, teens, and even kids) has with social media/being a star, and how it influences their body image and life.
   
   Posting a picture onto social media- especially an edited one (Photoshop, angles, lighting, etc) often results in compliments from other users; which releases a small dose of dopamine in the brain, a “momentary bliss”. However after the bliss has subsided, often- the poster, feels worse as either because they recognise that part of the reason they got so many “likes” and complements was because they changed how they look, and they feel “ugly” and “unworthy”. Or, bliss subsided because they become dependent on complements and attention, and they need more attention and more complements to get that “high”. Almost like an addiction.
   
   “We could do so much better then this” could be referring to someone looking in the mirror/photos thinking that about themselves about their body.
   
   “Mausoleum faces”, I feel refers to how people on social media seem to always make the same poses and pictures. Whenever i see my sisters take pictures, I always see the same 10 faces. Some of them look really strange or lifeless like the faces on the outside of a mausoleum. This could also be referring to the corpses inside a mausoleum, and an exaggeration of how corpses almost always have a strange appearance. It could also be referring to photos, and how they are frozen in time, again, like the statues on the outside of a mausoleum.
   
   As far as I know Rita does not refer to anyone in the band or features family/does relationships. She could just be a fictional girl, who could be dealing with some body image problems.
   
   “Your potential, you lack credentials and you were special, so fucking special”. This could be referring to how as a kid, people often have high hopes and dreams for the job they want when they are younger, and worked hard for it in school, but now, they’ve given that all up for their social media obsessions, and wild dreams of making money by posting pictures of themselves.
   
   “Oh how you need it, oh how your needing” - how they need need their “fix” of complements.
   
   “You part the seas but your arches, they ain’t golden” they try hard and try to get people to help you get bigger, but once you get there, there likely won’t be a pool of money and fame and recognition. Even if you get there.
   
   “Gagging for some gas, now you rolling” gas here can either mean weed. The life of chasing fame on the Internet brought them to drugs. Whilst many people argue they aren’t that bad, they are illegal in the U.K. they are normally one of the first illegal drugs teens and young adults consume/experiment with. It could also be another way they receive some dopamine. Gas, also, as a slang term, means “good”, which (admittedly as a bit of a stretch) could mean complements/the dopamine rush. The “now you rolling” is probably in terms of money or a high (momentary bliss or from the gas).
   
   “Complements make me blush”- dopamine rush- glad to get complements. It could also mean, that complements they receive In the real world make them happier, because they don’t have lighting, angles and photoshop apps to make them look different.
   
   “There’s a hole in your pocket, so you cannot find the change” chasing fame and being an online influencer often does not pay well for many people who attempt it, especially at first. It could also be referring to a really popular one (possibly from a few lyrics ago) and how they shelled out a lot for plastic surgery to look just as good in the real world.
   
   “Pull your strings and jump, hold your mouth...” strings often refer to puppets. Being forced/controlled into doing something for fame and money. Remain quiet about it “you won’t get famous/be popular unless you do this”- manipulation. Also, a popular pose, is holding your jaw I’m your hand, covering your mouth, nose or the “”undesirable parts from the lower part of your face”” so it looks “”nice”” and you look “”better””.
   
   “... and you say, what was scripted the day before it happened” coming out about me too, manipulated to do things to become famous. It could also mean, that the person is wondering what the “algorithm” that controls what posts get to “popular” or “hot” do. Was it scripted/an accident? Or were they not meant to be popular? - self doubt.
   
   “We all give applause when people open doors, but on the way out it did your back in” we all welcome people when they are helping others, being famous. We show appreciation and welcome them, but once there is a controversy, mistake or they simply lose relevance- it hurts. It hurts to have a taste of the famous life, and then lose it. It hurts twice more then before. “Do your back” in is also a common phrase for something that’s a pain in the arse, or painful/annoying.
   
   “See everything in life ent silver and gold” bad things happen to everyone.
   
   “But mining for metal gave you platinum” sometimes, when looking for a meaning or bit of good, can bring a change to your life, often it’s positive and good. Especially at first.
   
   “It makes me sick to think you ent happy in your skin” body dysmorphia/ body image problems/ wishing you were someone else. Body image problems can lead to anorexia or bulimia or other mental illnesses.
   
   “Your a turkey twizler,” turkey twizlers were an incredibly popular snack. Especially in the 90s-00s. But they ended up being incredibly unhealthy. This could be a reference to the unhealthy obsession they have with they have with their body image and with social media.
   
   “You deserve school dinners” could be an insult or encouragement. School dinners are supposed to be nourishing (and for some people it’s their only meal of the day/ their evening meal). So it could be saying “you deserve to eat”. However, they were, and still are, incredibly well known for being a pile of ass. (I still don’t know how they managed to make custard that solid and lumpy), so it could be saying “you get what you deserve. (Fall from fame, causing body image problems in other people who looked at the photos they posted, which were heavily doctored). It is also highlighting how young these kids are. Still having school dinners and being told this.
   
   “Posta boy, posta girl”- models, model worthy. Could, be on a poster.
   
   “In truth the bills, they must be paid” is it really worth it to go into a job where it would be really hard to earn money/ be famous? Is it worth not eating everyday, living payslip to payslip each fortnight?
   
   “And what is left is sodden cake, typical” very wet cake. I dunno if you’ve ever had a sodden cake, but it’s shit. Cake, which is usually a delicious thing, when soaking wet, is undesirable for most people. All they can afford after paying bills- sodden cake. Not enough money to live on in reality.
   
   “Oh you need to change your face” in the mirror. Self hatred. Possibly, the “bills, they must be paid” lyric could be someone debating wether they should pay the bills or get plastic surgery.
   
   “Your getting sold, it’s such a waste” being brought out by companies telling you what to do- I if you do make it to that point. It’s a waste what Great expectations they had, and how it’s no longer a possibility as you are too deep into the obsession.
   
   “Where you got to bite the bounty, cause everybody taking it” so many people are trying to become influencers and models, you shave to move quick and be unique. Stressful and you can’t think about any contracts before you sign it.
   
   “Meanwhile you keep on adding, how big you gonna grow” either, someone is wondering how big they will be one day (daydream) or someone is already famous and no one knows how big they can possibly be. They are wondering how big they will get.
   
   Damon Albarn, also mentioned how he lives in a completely different world from his daughter, and how obsessed teens are with social media, in an interview.
   
2. anonymous

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   Mar 5th 2020 !⃝

   I think it's about how closed off people are and anxious and insecure the generations are becoming "It makes me sick to think you are not happy in your skin"
   
   

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