S.O.S. In Bel Air

Album: Bankrupt! (2013)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Bankrupt! was born out of the negative influences after the international success of Phoenix's previous album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. On this song, frontman Thomas Mars is crying out for help after being enticed by a Californian temptress. He doesn't want to cross the line but Mars has been seduced by the West Coast lifestyle and is struggling to resist his emotions "Put my name on your list, SOS in Bel Air!", he cries. "At that time, we started talking about success and not music," Mars told The Associated Press. "I guess it was time to protect ourselves and focus on music again."
  • Mars denied to The Guardian that this song is a diss aimed at Hollywood. "It's more a sadness," he said. "There is a similarity to Versailles where we grew up, which has this upper-class loneliness and a jaded lifestyle."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

AC/DC

AC/DCFact or Fiction

Does Angus really drink himself silly? Did their name come from a sewing machine? See if you can spot the real stories about AC/DC.

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many Songs

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.

Grunge Bands Quiz

Grunge Bands QuizMusic Quiz

If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.

Kerry Livgren of Kansas

Kerry Livgren of KansasSongwriter Interviews

In this talk from the '80s, the Kansas frontman talks turning to God and writing "Dust In The Wind."

Songs Discussed in Movies

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.