El Mañana

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“El Mañana”
“El Mañana” cover
Single by Gorillaz
from the album Demon Days
A-side "Kids with Guns"
B-side "Stop the Dams"
Released April 10, 2006 (UK)
April 11, 2006 (US)
Format 7", CD, Maxi-CD, DVD
Recorded 2004
Genre Electronic
Length 3:50
Label Parlophone
Producer Gorillaz, Danger Mouse, Jason Cox, James Dring
Gorillaz singles chronology
"Dirty Harry"
(2005)		 "Kids with Guns" / "El Mañana"
(2006)
Demon Days track listing
  1. "Intro"
  2. "Last Living Souls"
  3. "Kids With Guns"
  4. "O Green World"
  5. "Dirty Harry"
  6. "Feel Good Inc."
  7. "El Mañana"
  8. "Every Planet We Reach Is Dead"
  9. "November Has Come"
  10. "All Alone"
  11. "White Light"
  12. "DARE"
  13. "Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head"
  14. "Don't Get Lost in Heaven"
  15. "Demon Days"

"El Mañana" is a song from the Gorillaz' second album, Demon Days. It was released as a single on April 10, 2006 in the UK as double A-side with "Kids With Guns" as the fourth and final single from the album. Unlike its Top 10 predecessors from Demon Days, "Kids with Guns"/"El Mañana" reached #27 upon its release in the UK.

Contents

[edit] Overview

"El Mañana" translates to "the tomorrow" from Spanish. Mañana, when put with the feminine article "la", means "morning", and when put with the masculine article "el", means "the tomorrow". Depending on context, it can also mean Tomorrow. In early August 2005, the winner of the "Search for a Star" competition was announced to collaborate with Gorillaz on this single. In early November 2005, Gorillaz' co-creator Jamie Hewlett announced the release of "El Mañana" as the fourth single to be taken from the album. This video was also used in Blue Man Group's "How to be a Megastar" tour in Grand Rapids at Van Andel Arena; however, a different song was used.

[edit] Track listings

[edit] British versions

  • Promo CD CDRDJ6685 released in early February 2006
  1. "Kids With Guns" – 3:45
  2. "El Mañana" – 3:50
  • 7" R6685, CD CDR6685
  1. "Kids With Guns" – 3:45
  2. "El Mañana" – 3:50
  3. "Stop the Dams" – 5:41 (CD only)
  • DVD DVDR6685
  1. "El Mañana" (video) – 3:58
  2. "Kids With Guns" (Manchester visuals) – 3:45
  3. "Don't Get Lost In Heaven" (original demo version) – 2:29
  4. "El Mañana" (animatic) – 3:58

[edit] Japanese version

  1. "Kids With Guns" – 3:45
  2. "El Mañana" – 3:50
  3. "Stop the Dams" – 5:41
  4. "Don't Get Lost In Heaven" (original demo version) – 2:29
  5. "El Mañana" (video) – 3:58

[edit] European and Australian versions

  • Promo CD released in early February 2006 by Parlophone in the EU
  1. "El Mañana" – 3:50
  2. "Kids With Guns" – 3:45
  • CD 360942 released 2006-04-12 by Parlophone in Sweden
  1. "Kids With Guns" - 3:50
  2. "Stop The Dams" - 5:41
  1. "El Mañana" – 3:50
  2. "Kids With Guns" – 3:45
  3. "Stop the Dams" – 5:41
  4. "El Mañana" (video) – 3:58

[edit] US El Mañana iTunes EP

  1. "El Mañana" (Demon Days live in Harlem -video)
  2. "Kids with Guns (Manchester visuals)
  3. "Hong Kong" (live in Manchester - audio only)
  4. "Stop the Dams" (audio)

[edit] Additional cover images

EU (promo)

[edit] Music video

"El Mañana" has a full-budget video from Passion Pictures, directed by Jamie Hewlett and Pete Candeland. According to Gorillaz.com, the video was to be released March 11, 2006. It is now available on the website and can be seen in the UK on Channel 4. On March 10, 2006, the video was released on Yahoo! Music. The video is (at least seemingly) a continuation of the Feel Good Inc. video, which Murdoc claims was intentional. Noodle is floating along peacefully in the sunshine on her floating island. Suddenly the two helicopters (these closely resemble RAH-66 Commanche helicopters, rather than the Korean War era Bell H-13s used in "Feel Good Inc") finally catch up to the island and begin to fire upon Noodle with machine guns. As Noodle flees into the windmill, the helicopters fly into the sails, thus destroying two of them. When Noodle comes out of the windmill, the windmill is now in flames from the onslaught of the attacking helicopters. The helicopter pilots see her and start to attack again, so she is forced back inside the windmill. The stricken island then starts to make a sickening descent towards the barren land below. Noodle pulls out a parachute, and the island explodes, and crashes. Murdoc Niccals the bass player for the band has stated Noodel is alive. But later in his Facebook page he has said she is traped in hell and he is on a mission to save her.

[edit] Themes

 This article may contain original research or unverified claims.
Please improve the article by adding references. See the talk page for details. (June 2007)

Many themes seem to be displayed throughout the video. Two of such themes are the struggle between childhood innocence and adulthood war, as well as the idea that when kept in a paradise too long, one would rather stay in that paradise as it goes up in flames rather than move on. Also, the turning of the windmill may symbolize the ticking of a clock, more so as the clock of life or something similar. As 2-D said in Feel Good, Inc, "It is sinking, falling down."

“ Noodle is killed off in the last video, for "El Mañana". She's on the island from the "Feel Good Inc." video — which represents mental freedom — and in the end it gets blown out of the sky by black helicopters. … And Noodle is on the island, and she goes down in a ball of flames into the abyss. And it's fitting because the song is about the end of something. But it's got some hope in it. …Maybe in time something good will happen.
—Damon Albarn on the video for El Mañana[1]		 ”

Some of the themes, which are continued from the "Feel Good Inc." video, are once again the "dumbing down" of mass culture and how mental freedom can be destroyed by a "corporation". This is shown when the floating island (mental freedom) is destroyed by the helicopters (media/"Corporation"). With Noodle on the island when being attacked, another theme is how children are being desensitized by images of violence and war. This particular theme can also be heard in the song and seen in the music video for "Dirty Harry."

The video also seems to reflect Damon Albarn’s views against war. The windmill burning not unlike an oil well and the helicopters, that are similar to the Comanche helicopters, can be interpreted as a reference to the War in Iraq. The attack on Noodle and the island itself seems to be a comment on the targeting of innocent by-standers in times of war and that war destroys all things that are peaceful in the world. Finally, in the end, the dropping of the bomb onto Noodle, who is Japanese, can be interpreted as a reference to The Bombing of Hiroshima, or nuclear weapons in general.

In addition, it is shown that the floating island seems to have the only green environment around, while the world below is only a barren land. With the floating island also representing nature and the helicopters representing industry, the theme of ecological destruction is also apparent, which 2-D hinted at in "Feel Good Inc", with the lyrics "Windmill, windmill, for the land...".

The themes in the single, as well as the themes in the entire album are all based on Damon Albarns observations over the state that the world is in today.[2]

[edit] Noodle's "Death"

For a few weeks before the video release, a series of strange events had been taking place. First, at Kong Studios on the Gorillaz Website, boxes and other packing materials were seen in the lobby on 2006-02-16. A few weeks later, they were moved into Noodle's room. Subsequently, Noodle apparently began to pack the contents of her room into those boxes, and the windmill from the "Feel Good Inc." video was seen tethered to the balcony. After 7 March, as an intro before entering Kong Studios, a movie would play depicting the windmill flying away.

Shortly after the video release, many Gorillaz fans speculated whether Noodle was actually dead. Whether or not Noodle survived the crash is not shown, though when considering the magnitude of the crash and the bomb, it is not unlikely that she was in fact killed. On the Gorillaz Forum, clearly outlined rules for posting behaviour included knowing that Noodle was in fact dead. Whether or not the events in the video would become a part of the Gorillaz story and timeline or was simply another staged video (as the "Feel Good Inc." video was) had remained to be seen.

Currently, at Gorillaz website, Noodle's room is largely barren, although the links associated with her belongings are still accessible and Shaun Ryder's head (introduced in the music video for "DARE") is still hooked up behind the partition. As of 13 March, her room started to crack around the corners on the walls. Additionally, the "Armageddon clock" on the wall had appeared to have slowed down and had an additional fourth hand. Currently, the clock has fallen off the wall and a part of the ceiling has collapsed, somewhat revealing what appears to be a corridor from both Noodle's room and the Map.

It was theorized that the events of the video are not merely staged because the helicopters change in appearance. In "Feel Good Inc." they are lighter, and seem to more closely resemble Bell 47Gs. In "El Mañana", they appear heavier and more armoured, seemingly modeled more like the Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters. This would seem to indicate that Noodle was pursued in the Feel Good Inc. video, stayed at Kong Studios, packed up, departed, and was then pursued by two different helicopters in the "El Mañana" video. (NOTICE: This Wikipedia article is mentioned in the Gorillaz "autobiography" Rise of the Ogre. The paragraph about the difference of helicopters is quoted, with Murdoc replying with, "Er... yeah. That sounds about right.")

Noodle's "death" could have been related to her past. According to the fictional history of the band, Noodle found that she was in fact a test subject in a secret government super soldier project. This also suggested that Noodle could have survived the blast of the bomb, given her super-human nature.

The limited edition of Demon Days includes a DVD full of bonus features, including the "Feel Good Inc." video with audio commentary by the band members, confirming that "Feel Good Inc." was indeed staged. This supported the theory that "El Mañana" was similarly staged, as "El Mañana" is the "sequel" to "Feel Good Inc."[citation needed]

Since the video was released, an interview with Damon Albarn by MTV[1] had confirmed that Noodle had been "killed off", though he added that she "may return." When rumours of the band splitting up began to spread, some fans thought that the video would signal the end of the Gorillaz[2]. Although what Albarn seemed to have meant is that Noodle was killed in the context of the "Feel Good Inc."-"El Mañana" story, but is in fact alive in "real life," and that she may be "coming back" in subsequent videos continuing the story. This could mean that the story will be continued into the music videos for the next album or even into the planned Gorillaz movie.

Many fans cite interviews or videos released after the premier of the "El Mañana" video were used as evidence against Noodle's death. One such piece was an interview with the Gorillaz that included Noodle[3]. Another example was an issue of Teen People magazine which contained a brief interview with Noodle under the list of "25 hottest stars under 25"[4]. Furthermore, an official mailout was sent out that featured Noodle congratulating Jamie Hewlett for winning the Designer of the Year Award 2006 [5]. There had also been an interview with the Gorillaz in the Australian video music show Video Hits. Shortly after the video was released, Gorillaz also performed on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, with Noodle present. However, these may simply have been mere advertisements unrelated to the band's storyline. In fact, another recent mailout (released on 6 June 2006) had reported that she was "missing." This seemed to have indicated that the events of the music video were in fact "real" and not staged.

After seven months since the video was released, the truth was finally revealed in the Gorillaz autobiography Rise of the Ogre. On October 24, Gorillaz-Unofficial released an article containing the contents of the book. In it, Murdoc finally revealed that the "El Mañana" video was indeed "staged" and that Noodle is still "alive." The entire interview can be found here.[6]

“ I guess you've waited long enough. Noodle's safe, she was just acting as planned… Jamie Hewlett gave Noodle the command, and she parachuted safely off the island.
—Murdoc Niccals on the video for "El Mañana"		 ”

It turns out that the entire "El Mañana" conspiracy was calculated specifically to get rid of an enemy of the band: Little Jimmy Manson, a psychotic hippie turned industry exec who was set on sabotaging Gorillaz. Jimmy auditioned for Gorillaz a few years back, but was turned down after Noodle got the job. He had a grudge with Gorillaz ever since. Murdoc saw Jimmy's plan and decided to get rid of Jimmy before it's too late. Murdoc told Jimmy that he has a plan to "help him" to kill off one of the band members so that 1) Gorillaz would end with a bang and 2) Jimmy could start a new band with Murdoc. Noodle was to do the "El Mañana" video with Manson stowed away on the island and then, while the windmill was crashing around them, Jimmy would shoot the guitarist whilst taking the parachute for himself. However, Murdoc turned the tables on Jimmy by not only "forgetting" to leave the weapon aboard the island but by also locking him in the windmill; Jimmy supposedly died within the crash while Noodle parachuted to safety (as seen in the video itself, if looked at closely enough[7]). His statement has followed:

“ There's no way on earth I'm killing Noodle. Are you mad? She's Noodle. We're Gorillaz! The greatest band on earth. I'm arrogant, ruthless even but I'm not stupid. I'm not having some two-bit mouldy despot record company nut killing off my band. No way, José. That clown got what he deserved. . . He set himself up and burned all the evidence in the process. Instant Karma for Mr. Jimmy Manson
—Murdoc Niccals, Rise of the Ogre		 ”

It was stated by Murdoc that Noodle had been planning to leave after Demon Days, although leaving what, the band or the country, was never answered. Though it had been planned for months (the packing boxes had begun showing up in Kong Studios the previous February), she had neglected to tell anyone of her plans (though Murdoc said it was obvious what she was doing). Murdoc, in order to run with his plan to off Jimmy, made a deal with Noodle: she could disappear for some R & R with no fuss if she did the video. According to the bass player, Noodle is in the Maldives "chilling out".

However, Murdoc also stated the helicopters in "El Mañana" were not the planned ones, and that the original helicopters arrived shortly after the shoot, due to bad weather. It is still unknown where the helicopters came from, and if the bomb was real and the bullets were authentic. Throughout Rise of the Ogre it says that all through phase two they were being tailed by the helicopters. The helicopters also seem similar to the ones in the celebrity takedown DVD intro. It is thought they may play a part in the Gorillaz movie.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Montgomery, James. "Goodbye, Gorillaz? Frontman Wants To Exit Hip-Hop-Style", MTV News, 2006-04-10. Retrieved on 2006-04-10. 
  2. ^ Gorillaz-Unofficial album webpage. Retrieved on 2006-05-01.

[edit] External links

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Gorillaz
2D · Murdoc Niccals · Noodle · Russel Hobbs
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"Clint Eastwood" · "19-2000" · "Rock the House" · "911" · "Tomorrow Comes Today" · "Lil' Dub Chefin'" · "Feel Good Inc." · "Dare" · "Dirty Harry" · "Kids with Guns" / "El Mañana" ·
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