This paper is on four song-texts from Kabir Suman, Nachiketa Chakraborty, Silajit Majumder and Anjan Dutt-the apostles of 'Jibonmukhee' Bengali songs in early 90s- as a form of cultural negotiation with the changing political-social-economic milieu within the country. Set in the backdrop of economic liberalization, rise of right-wing Hindutva nationalism and a strong left regime in the state for more than a decade, Bengal in the 90s reacted to the vista of 'change' in myriad ways-'Culture' being one and 'Jibonmukhee' being instantaneously vocal within it, the four harbingers of the new language of 'culture'-in four of their seminal texts arranged thematically and chronologically |1992-1995|- show an ideological demurral of the urban, middle class Bengali intelligentsia in reacting to 'change'-the 'old' is repudiated, the 'new' unacceptable. 'Jibonmukhee' posits a dilemma unique to Bengali literati: the journey from celebration→ trepidation→ rejection unhesitatingly culminates in escape: an escape from 'what-could-have-been' and not a refuge in 'what-will-be'. This paper thus analyses the tortuous relationship between the 90s' Bengali intelligentsia and its negotiation with the dwindling political vista it emanates from- a journey from 'left-liberal' to 'what-next?'.