I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
You spend your life on welfare lines
Or looking for handouts
Why don't you go find a job
You birth more kids to up your checks
So you can buy more drugs
Cash in food stamps and get drunk
[Chorus:]
Uncle Sam takes half my pay
So you can live for free
I got a family and bills to pay
No one hands money to me
You can go to school for nothing
Got that government grant
Get money in advance
When you're sick from shooting up
Medicaid pays full portion
When little Maria gets knocked up
She gets a free abortion
[Chorus]
How come it's minorities who cry
Things are too tough
On TV with their gold chains
Claim they don't have enough
I say make them clean the sewers
Don't take no resistance
If they don't like it go to hell
And cut their public assistance
Or looking for handouts
Why don't you go find a job
You birth more kids to up your checks
So you can buy more drugs
Cash in food stamps and get drunk
[Chorus:]
Uncle Sam takes half my pay
So you can live for free
I got a family and bills to pay
No one hands money to me
You can go to school for nothing
Got that government grant
Get money in advance
When you're sick from shooting up
Medicaid pays full portion
When little Maria gets knocked up
She gets a free abortion
[Chorus]
How come it's minorities who cry
Things are too tough
On TV with their gold chains
Claim they don't have enough
I say make them clean the sewers
Don't take no resistance
If they don't like it go to hell
And cut their public assistance
Lyrics submitted by roniecaster
Public Assistance Lyrics as written by Nicole Maki Vergel De Dios Joshua Werner
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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no comments? this is one of the worst "punk" songs in history. and this coming from someone who is a moderate Agnostic Front fan. yeah Roger Miret is latino, but there are still a lot of people on welfare who are working minimum wage trying to make end's meet.
That's the problem with punk rock, it ridiculously simplifies issues sometimes.
It's clearly attacking a very specific type of person on welfare, the type who ruin the system for everyone and cheat off it, but then puts all who receive it with the same brush. Also is single
Thing is this song is apparently in response to an incident where Roger and Vinnie both applied for public assistance. Vinnie didn't get is "because he is white". Now I don't know how New York's welfare system works but I am guessing there isn't a 'tick here if you are white' box that automatically voids your claim.
Obviously you have never applied for welfare or disability. If you are white it is damn near impossible to get...
This is a dumb, boneheaded, counter-liberation song. When the lyricist was asked about it, he gave a half-assed answer about someone smoking crack in his apartment building, and thus, fuck everybody on welfare?
"Get a job"? How square. Get fucked.