The Meaning Behind “Going Shopping” by The Strokes and Surviving in the Modern Age

In April, The Strokes released “Going Shopping” as the first single from their seventh studio album, Reality Awaits. Out now, the new LP finds the New York band and its front man, Julian Casablancas, responding to a modern world in tumult. And if you can’t beat ’em, you might as well join ’em at the mall.

A Worse Reality Awaits

Casablancas is no stranger to causing a fuss with controversial takes. But here, he sings about various predators, cultural and the like. He also acknowledges the current and depressing state of affairs and the instinct to ignore it to keep one’s sanity.

Also, he sings how it’s easier to rebel when you’ve got nothing to lose.

Like a tiger, they will chase you down,
With words instead of claws.
They will seduce you till you reach the point,
To let yourself get mauled, oh.
The worse reality gets, the less you wanna hear about it,
Solidarity can be difficult when you got cool stuff to lose.

Perhaps ambling around as a massive, reanimated figure is better than absorbing the decline. And here, Casablancas may be using the mall as a metaphor for the human experience. Once thriving, busy, and socially engaged, malls are now vacuous relics that appear to be begging someone or something to put them out of business.

I wanna be a seven-foot zombie,
The pay is low, but I gotta do something.
I’m at the mall, and the song is bumping,
There goes my future wife in the little red jumpsuit.

Getting Rid of Plans

Many structure their lives and then become disappointed by the results. Not only do they fail in their designs, but they’ve missed the fleeting moments of life because they were too busy planning for the future or thoughtlessly consuming slavish commercialism.

I’m going away to the country,
Don’t wander off too far,
I’m going out my mind.
Throwing all my plans out the window,
Don’t wanna waste my life,
I’ll see you on the other side.

Finally, Casablancas reflects on whether he should voice opinions as a 47-year-old man. But as Casablancas has aged, he’s only become more fascinating as the punk scold in the corner who’s already seen this movie before.

I’ve been thinking about what I wanna say.
But I’m an old man now,
At least that’s what they tell me anyway.

Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images