The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
The (Downing Street) memo says
We gotta work to make the facts fit the false charges
Pull the wool over the eyes of the filthy masses
Stab the people in the back for the corporate choice
Roll the propaganda out using The People's Voice
We don't want to talk about it
The press scribble scribble every half-truth spoke
Then shoot it round the country like an April Fools joke
Hype the nation for a Desert Storm love affair
Wave the stars and stripes like you just don't care!
They talk it up all day, talk it up all night
Talk until their face turns blue - Red white and blue!
But when the truth escapes the night and crawls into the day
We find the picture still askew
They don't want to talk talk talk talk talk about it
They want tiptoe, walk around it
Wave the flag and mindlessly salute
They don't want to talk about it
They want tiptoe, walk around it
Wave the flag and cowardly salute
And on the TV screen
Diversion and aversion is the flavor of the day
Was it WMDs? Or Democracy?
Blame it on MI-6 or the CIA
The White House Press Corpse only has one thing to say...
"We don't want to talk about it!"
The White House boils over, "Al Jazeera got it wrong!"
The Press Corpse jumps onboard singing the White House song
While over in Iraq thousands are dead because of lies
The spineless war drumming-press corpse have taken lives
They talk it up all day, talk it up all night
Talk until their face turns blue - Red white and blue!
But when the truth escapes the night and crawls into the day
We find the picture still askew
They don't want to... talk talk talk talk talk about it
They want tiptoe, walk around it
Wave the flag and mindlessly salute
They don't want to talk about it
They want tiptoe, walk around it
Wave the flag and cowardly salute
Fires fueled on endless lies
Black shrouds coat desert skies
A nation's viewpoint blurred and led
As embeds report what they're fed
We don't want to talk about it
We don't want to talk about it
We don't want to talk about it
We don't want to talk about it
(We don't want to talk about it)
We don't, don't want to, we don't wanna talk about it
(We don't want to)
We don't, don't want to, we don't wanna talk
They don't want to, talk talk talk talk talk about it
They want tiptoe, walk around it
Wave the flag and cowardly salute
They don't want to talk about it
They want tiptoe, walk around it
Wave the flag and cowardly salute
We gotta work to make the facts fit the false charges
Pull the wool over the eyes of the filthy masses
Stab the people in the back for the corporate choice
Roll the propaganda out using The People's Voice
We don't want to talk about it
The press scribble scribble every half-truth spoke
Then shoot it round the country like an April Fools joke
Hype the nation for a Desert Storm love affair
Wave the stars and stripes like you just don't care!
They talk it up all day, talk it up all night
Talk until their face turns blue - Red white and blue!
But when the truth escapes the night and crawls into the day
We find the picture still askew
They don't want to talk talk talk talk talk about it
They want tiptoe, walk around it
Wave the flag and mindlessly salute
They don't want to talk about it
They want tiptoe, walk around it
Wave the flag and cowardly salute
And on the TV screen
Diversion and aversion is the flavor of the day
Was it WMDs? Or Democracy?
Blame it on MI-6 or the CIA
The White House Press Corpse only has one thing to say...
"We don't want to talk about it!"
The White House boils over, "Al Jazeera got it wrong!"
The Press Corpse jumps onboard singing the White House song
While over in Iraq thousands are dead because of lies
The spineless war drumming-press corpse have taken lives
They talk it up all day, talk it up all night
Talk until their face turns blue - Red white and blue!
But when the truth escapes the night and crawls into the day
We find the picture still askew
They don't want to... talk talk talk talk talk about it
They want tiptoe, walk around it
Wave the flag and mindlessly salute
They don't want to talk about it
They want tiptoe, walk around it
Wave the flag and cowardly salute
Fires fueled on endless lies
Black shrouds coat desert skies
A nation's viewpoint blurred and led
As embeds report what they're fed
We don't want to talk about it
We don't want to talk about it
We don't want to talk about it
We don't want to talk about it
(We don't want to talk about it)
We don't, don't want to, we don't wanna talk about it
(We don't want to)
We don't, don't want to, we don't wanna talk
They don't want to, talk talk talk talk talk about it
They want tiptoe, walk around it
Wave the flag and cowardly salute
They don't want to talk about it
They want tiptoe, walk around it
Wave the flag and cowardly salute
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More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Obviously if you are a republican you wouldnt like most of the songs Anti-Flag likes because they are anti-bush/ anti-government. Regardless, this is my 3rd favorite songs on the album. I think it has a lot of meaning to it.
I think this song means that the government wants to talk about all of the good stuff that they are doing, hence the lines:
They talk it up all day, talk it up all night Talk until their face turns blue – Red white and blue!
But when the truth gets out about what they're doing they dont want to talk about it:
But when the truth escapes the night and crawls into the day We find the picture still askew They don’t want to… talk talk talk talk talk about it They want tiptoe, walk around it