Sixteen military wives
Thirty-two softly focused brightly colored eyes
Staring at the natural tan of thirty-two gently clenching wrinkled little hands
Seventeen company men
Out of which only twelve will make it back again
Sergeant sends a letter to five
Military wives whose tears drip down from ten little eyes

Cheer them on to their rivals
'Cause America can, and America can't say no
And America does, if America says it's so
It's so
And the anchor person on TV
Goes la di da di da

Fifteen celebrity minds
Leading their fifteen sordid, wretched, checkered lives
Will they find the solution in time
Using their fifteen crispy moderate liberal minds

Eighteen academy chairs
Out of which only seven really even cares
Doling out the garland to five
Celebrity minds, they're humbly taken by surprise

Cheer them on to their rivals
'Cause America can, and America can't say no
And America does, if America says it's so
It's so
And the anchor person on TV
Goes la di da di da
La di da di da

Fourteen cannibal kings
Wondering blindly what the dinner bell will bring
Fifteen celebrity minds
Served on a leafy bed of sixteen military wives

Cheer them on to their rivals
'Cause America can, and America can't say no
And America does, if America says it's so
It's so
And the anchor person on TV
Goes la di da di da
La di da di da
La di da di da
La di da di da


Lyrics submitted by themunkel

16 Military Wives Lyrics as written by Colin Meloy

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Sixteen Military Wives song meanings
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  • +1
    General Comment

    I can't help but interpret the music video as a sort of parody of a parody. The "Bully USA" is so over the top that they can't possibly think this is what the US actually does.

    The song itself I didn't think was about politics at all but more about the news. Academy awards, soldiers dying in combat, cannibals eating people, and the public watches it with the same reaction: La-di-da-di-da. "I don't care as long as I'm entertained," that's what I got as the message.

    I do admit that the chorus kind of suggests it's about American foreign policy but I took it to refer alternatingly to the media then the public:

    America (media) can America (public) can't say no America (public) does America (media) says it's so (says to do it)

    Ninsanejaon October 23, 2008   Link

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