QRSTUV
The Quantitative Roland Stephen Taylor Ubiquitous Volume

Songs: Meltdown (At Madame Tussaud's)

Recording Info

Meltdown (At Madame Tussaud's) has had 5 different recorded versions released over the years. The versions are:

  1. studio version recorded for the Meltdown Project. This version was used for a concept video. It appeared on the following audio and audio/visual recordings:
  2. Extended Version - Remix of the studio version recorded for the Meltdown Project. It appeared on following recordings:
  3. Instrumental Extended Version - Remix of the studio version recorded for the Meltdown Project. It appeared on following recordings:
  4. Edited Version - Remix of the studio version recorded for the Meltdown Project. It appeared on following recordings:
  5. live version recorded and filmed at Castle Ashby, England on 26 August 1985. It appeared on the following audio and audio/visual recordings:

Lyrics

Meltdown (At Madame Tussaud's)

written by Steve Taylor in London
Copyright © 1984 Birdwing Music/Cherry Lane Music Publishing Co., Inc./C.A. Music (ASCAP)

Meltdown at Madame Tussaud's--the queen is losing face
Meltdown at Madame Tussaud's--a national disgrace
It's the middle of the night at the London shrine
Could have been the janitor, could have been divine
Someone said the thermostat never did work
Now we've got the temperature going berserk

Meltdown at Madame Tussaud's--the queen is losing face
Meltdown at Madame Tussaud's--a national disgrace
Celebrities, statesmen, history's elite
They're dripping in the hallways, they're starting to secrete
They're pouring out the pores, they're shrinking on the spot
Someone take a photograph--get 'em while they're hot

Meltdown at Madame Tussaud's--the president looks alarmed
Meltdown at Madame Tussaud's--a general's been disarmed
Feverish at Fleet Street--story of the year
"Get the Facts--House of Wax Photo Souvenir"
"Shameful" Says the Times. "Maybe Done By Vandals"
Panic on Wall Street--put your stock in candles

I thought I heard a ghost say
"Had my hands in my pockets on the Judgment Day
Nobody told me there's fire in the hole
Had the world by the tail but I lost my soul"

Meltdown at Madame Tussaud's--a rock & roll hotel
Meltdown at Madame Tussaud's--they're blending very well
Elvis and the Beatles have seen a better day
Better off to burn out than to melt away
Dylan may be fillin' the puddle they designed
Is it gonna take a miracle to make up his mind?

Meltdown at Madame Tussaud's--athletes on the floor
Meltdown at Madame Tussaud's--they're running out the door
Bad boy McEnroe couldn't keep his cool
Now he's with the rest of 'em, wading in the pool
"Howard Hughes--Billionaire" says the written guide
Pity that his assets have all been liquified

"Celebrity status only got in the way
Had my hands in my pockets on the Judgment Day
You can't take it with you--there's fire in the hole
Had the world by the tail but I lost my soul"

Meltdown at Madame Tussaud's--the queen is losing face
Meltdown at Madame Tussaud's--a national disgrace
Down in the dungeon--the Chamber of Horrors
Look at all the criminals soften to the cores
They're mixing with the head of state floating down the lane
Good, bad, there they go down the same drain

Notes and Interpretations

Madame Tussaud's is a world famous max museum in London. The museum is also known for their extraordinary security precautions in the area of climate control.

The basic idea behind the song is that no matter how famous one becomes, it will not save one from the fires of hell. There are varying degrees of fame but those depicted in Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum are the most famous people. When exposed to enough heat, like, say, oh, from the fires of hell, wax melts. Thus a meltdown.

Return to: Songs: Not Just The Lyrics
Return to: QRSTUV Main Page

Site author and maintainer: Andrew D. Taylor
Current page URL: http://www.renc.igs.net/~adt/qrstuv/songs/meltdown/track01.html
Current page last modified: 18 July 2001