Both as a standalone and as part of the DSOTS album, you can take this lyric as read. As a matter of public record, Jourgensen's drug intake was legendary even in the 1980s. By the late 90s, in his own words, he was grappling with massive addiction issues and had lost almost everything: friends, spouse, money and had nearly died more than once. "Dark Side of the Spoon" is a both funny & sad title for an album made by a musical genius who was losing the plot; and this song is a message to his fans & friends saying he knows it. It's painful to listen to so I'm glad the "Keith Richards of industrial metals" wised up and cleaned up. Well done sir.
We take pride in our freedom, we take pride in our rights
But if you stand up for equality, it’s the cops who’ll start the fights
Those power tripping bastards, they know they’ve got it good
But they’ve left behind the values, for which this nation stood
They tell us that their mission is to serve and to protect
But from what I’ve seen of what they’ve done, I would definitely object
I can only take so much of their trampling on my head
If they silence my opinion, then I might as well be dead
If I can’t say the things I want to say
Then lock me in the nick and throw the key away
Lock me in the nick, lock me in the nick
Far away from all your bullshit
Throw away the key, throw away the key
Despite what you say I am not free
They bring riots guns and tear gas to a peaceful war protest
That they start that shit for the sake of it, I certainly do detest
And at Mardi Gras they stood aside, and let a young man die
They never raised a fucking hand, it makes me wonder why
They’ll throw down on the lower class, who possess a legitimate bitch
While they’re lining all their pockets from the coffers of the rich
I can only take so much of their trampling on my head
If they silence my opinion, then I might as well be dead
If I can’t say the things I want to say
Then lock me in the nick and throw the key away
Lock me in the nick, lock me in the nick
Far away from all your bullshit
Throw away the key, throw away the key
Despite what you say I am not free
But if you stand up for equality, it’s the cops who’ll start the fights
Those power tripping bastards, they know they’ve got it good
But they’ve left behind the values, for which this nation stood
They tell us that their mission is to serve and to protect
But from what I’ve seen of what they’ve done, I would definitely object
I can only take so much of their trampling on my head
If they silence my opinion, then I might as well be dead
If I can’t say the things I want to say
Then lock me in the nick and throw the key away
Lock me in the nick, lock me in the nick
Far away from all your bullshit
Throw away the key, throw away the key
Despite what you say I am not free
They bring riots guns and tear gas to a peaceful war protest
That they start that shit for the sake of it, I certainly do detest
And at Mardi Gras they stood aside, and let a young man die
They never raised a fucking hand, it makes me wonder why
They’ll throw down on the lower class, who possess a legitimate bitch
While they’re lining all their pockets from the coffers of the rich
I can only take so much of their trampling on my head
If they silence my opinion, then I might as well be dead
If I can’t say the things I want to say
Then lock me in the nick and throw the key away
Lock me in the nick, lock me in the nick
Far away from all your bullshit
Throw away the key, throw away the key
Despite what you say I am not free
Lyrics submitted by concreteblues
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