Who can kill a general in his bed?
Overthrow dictators if they're Red?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!

Who can find a counter-agent quick?
Especially the ones, themselves, of it?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!


Who can plan a riot in Vietnam?
Who can have the troops restore the calm?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!


Who can buy a government so cheap?
Change a cabinet without a squeak?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)

CIA Man!

Who can get a budget that's so great?
Who will be the 51st state?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)

CIA Man!


Who has got the secret-est Service?
The one that makes the other service nervous?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)

CIA Man!

Who can cypher anything with zeros?
Not well known, but simply worth the heros.
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)

CIA Man!

Who can take the sugar from its sack
Pour in LSD and put it back?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!

Who can squash republics like bananas?
Simply if they do not like their social manners?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!

Who can train guerrillas by the dozens?
Send them out to kill their untrained cousins?
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!

Who can mine the harbors Nicaragua?
Out hit all the hitmen of Chicag-ua.
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!


Who can be so overtly covert?
Sometimes even covertly overt.
Fucking-a man!
(Fucking-A! C-I-A!)
CIA Man!


Who's the agency well-known to God?
The one that copped his staff and copped his rod?
Fucking-a man! CIA Man!
Fucking-a man! CIA Man!
Fucking-a man! CIA Man!
CIA Man! CIA Man!
CIA Man! CIA Man!
CIA Man!
C I A


Lyrics submitted by othatzsokewl, edited by AClarke

CIA Man Lyrics as written by Tuli Kupferberg

Lyrics © SYNDICORE MUSIC

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CIA Man song meanings
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    Song Meaning

    First of all, the lyrics continually repeat, “Fucking A man! CIA man!” in response to questions that accuse government authority of corruption. If that doesn’t accurately express their frustration with the government, I’m not sure what does. The reference to America’s distaste for communism is early on in the song with “Who can kill a general in his bed? Overthrow dictators if they’re Red?” The Fugs accuses America of wrongly sending troops into countries/parts of countries where we don’t belong with the lines, “Who can train guerrillas by the dozens? Send them out to kill their untrained cousins?” Since the song was originally released in 1965, it’s likely that this line was first created in opposition to America’s involvement in the Vietnam War; numerous Americans didn’t understand the purpose of sending troops to Vietnam, and several troops themselves didn’t understand their purpose overseas, leading to the intense antiwar movement of the time. Finally, they also reference the scandal with Nicaragua toward the end with the lines, “Who can mine the harbors of Nicaragua? Outhit all the hitmen of Chicag-ua?” This last line refers to an event that did not occur until 1984, so it is most likely that this stanza wasn’t added until the song was rereleased on The Fugs’ 1994 album, The Real Woodstock Festival.

    AClarkeon September 25, 2014   Link

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