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Kalie Hord

Prof Metivier

English 1111

04/02/2023

A Dance Anthem of No Remorse

‘Kangaroo Court,’ a noun that Merriam-Webster defines as “a court that uses unfair

methods or is not a proper court of law. (“Kangaroo court”)” In the 2012 synth-pop song of the

same name, Capital Cities sings the praises of letting your inhibitions go to the wayside in favor

of your own desires. Kangaroo Court is the third track on the album, “In a Tidal Wave of

Mystery,” which also homes the band’s most known hit, “Safe and Sound.” The duo behind

Capital Cities, Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian, wrote and produced both the song and their

music video. Merchant and Simonian tell a tale of having a new experience despite naysayers’

judgments using vibrant lyrics, a unique sound, and a symbolic music video.

In Capital Cities’ story, they paint a bold picture. The narrator in their song wants to

experience something new; he wants to go to “the dark side of town” (Cities) a unique place for

him to let his inhibitions free. They sing, “…every excuse to dance these blues away. Ain’t

coming home…” and “I admit defeat, then I move my feet. My history will never be repeated.”

These lines state boldly that our storyteller is going to dance, and he is not going to shy away as

he has done in the past. Although he is accomplishing his goals, he also knows he is guilty, “…
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Yes, I am guilty. Don’t misunderstand me.” In this scenario, the Kangaroo Court are the

onlookers, judging him for being out of place, or perhaps his skills. The knowledge of doom

comes early on; in the first verse the line “I got my bad luck shoes…” proves the narrator knows

his fate. The bold statement within the lyrics speaks to public perception. Similarly, I find myself

outside of societal norms in many aspects of my own life. I do not like being put into a box or

being told what I cannot do. Because the lyrics mean so much, paired with an excellent sound, it

has become my dance anthem of “who cares what you think.”

Most bands of the indie-pop genre use vocals, guitars, and drums. Capital Cities adds

synth to their music, which is “characterized by the use of synthesizers and electronic

instruments…” (Grey). Synth-pop was very popular in the late 70’s and throughout the 80’s but

has seen a resurgence in bands like Capital Cities, M83, CHVRCHES, and Charli XCX, who

have all hit Top 50 pop hits on various charts. Capital Cities also uses a trumpet to add a jazz

flare, making their sound completely unique. It is easy to look past their lyrics when their sound

is so easy to be lost in. Halfway through “Kangaroo Court,” is an instrumental piece that is near

impossible not to move to. The chorus, “Shut up, shut up, shut up. Sit up, sit up, sit up, it's a

kangaroo court. A kangaroo court,” amps up the unique sound, with the synth keyboard driving

home the feeling of adventure in the tune.

Finally, the corresponding music video directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada wraps Kangaroo

Court up, turning the story told in words and sounds into a four minute and 42 second video

(Cities). The narrator is now a zebra. We watch as the zebra gets the idea to disguise himself as a

horse in order to gain access to a “no zebra” club. In a dark club, appropriately titled “The

Kangaroo Court,” the zebra is seen dancing in the middle of the floor, catching the attention of

everyone around him. When a jealous bulldog notices his love interest is more interested in the
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dancing, outspoken zebra then himself, he sits up with a fit of rage. “Sit up, sit up, sit up,” is

aptly sung as the bulldog stands. The zebras lies are exposed during the instrumental solo; he is

whisked away to court in a jail suit and sings as the lyrics, “I commit the crime of wasting time”

start up. The video has beautifully narrated the lyrics, acting them out in an imaginative, yet still

literal way. Every word in the song is being acted out literally down to a court who already finds

him guilty. No matter what he says or does, there was a judgement on him from before he

stepped into this club. Now that he is faced with a court system, he cannot escape the judgement.

As the song ends by repeating the chorus twice, the zebra is executed. The graphic imagery is

spliced with pink and red confetti, adding to the cartoon nature of the rest of the video.

Overall, Capital Cities has created a song that does not mince words. They tell a well-

written story of letting go of judgements and accepting fate. Using their unique sound, well-

formed lyrics, and imaginative video only adds to why this song is one of my most played in my

dancing playlist. Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian have fun with their art form, as seen in their

song, “Kangaroo Court.” I am sure as artists, they find themselves in the spot of their character;

they do not have typical 9-5 jobs as society pushes. “Kangaroo Court” will forever be my anthem

of not fitting in, but not minding how other people judge me for that.
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Works Cited

Cities, Capital. YouTube. 5 September 2013. Video. 31 March 2023.

Grey, Aaron. https://playalonerecords.com/blogs/news/history-of-synth-pop#:~:text=Synth

%2Dpop%20is%20a%20genre,sci%2Dfi%2Dinspired%20aesthetic. 08 December 2022.

31 March 2023.

“Kangaroo court.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/kangaroo%20court. Accessed 31 Mar. 2023.