This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
What?
Behave yourself
Behave yourself
You need to behave yourself, boy
Yeah, she's built for speed like a black Castrum Doloris
Good for the needy, like Nietzsche, Freud and Horace
But I'm skin, flint, broke, making no money, making jokes
But baby, I won't joke with you
My feet are burning like I roll 'em in hypocaust
But the Roman's are gone, they changed their name because their lost
She writes letters like a jack chick comic
Just a bunch of propaganda, make my fingers histrionic, like this, and this
I mean, she's my baby
But she makes me get avuncular
And when my monkey is jumping
I got no time for making up for her
I fantasize about the hospital
The army, a silo, confinement, in prison
Any place where there's a time to clear my vision
I spit it out
Whatever's in my mouth
Just like that Black Bat Licorice
Yeah, that Black Bat Licorice
That Black Bat Licorice
That Black Bat Licorice
Yeah
I wanna cut out my tongue and let you hold onto it for me
Cause without my skull to amplify my sounds it might get boring
I've got the wit of the stickers with atomic lock precision
And the faces of the moon directing all of my decisions like this
Women need to know, I play dumb like a Columbo
And get my feelings hurt and move to NY like I'm Dumbo
Don't you want to lose the part of the brain that has opinions?
To not even know what you are doing
Or care about yourself or your species in the billions
Yeah, I have to spit it out
Oh, whatever's in my mouth
I have to spit it out (behave your self)
Just like that Black Bat Licorice
That Black Bat Licorice
That Black Bat Licorice, I never liked it, I never will
Now state the same damn thing with the violin
Whatever you feed me
I feed you right back
But it will do no good
Behave yourself
Behave yourself
You need to behave yourself, boy
Yeah, she's built for speed like a black Castrum Doloris
Good for the needy, like Nietzsche, Freud and Horace
But I'm skin, flint, broke, making no money, making jokes
But baby, I won't joke with you
My feet are burning like I roll 'em in hypocaust
But the Roman's are gone, they changed their name because their lost
She writes letters like a jack chick comic
Just a bunch of propaganda, make my fingers histrionic, like this, and this
I mean, she's my baby
But she makes me get avuncular
And when my monkey is jumping
I got no time for making up for her
I fantasize about the hospital
The army, a silo, confinement, in prison
Any place where there's a time to clear my vision
I spit it out
Whatever's in my mouth
Just like that Black Bat Licorice
Yeah, that Black Bat Licorice
That Black Bat Licorice
That Black Bat Licorice
Yeah
I wanna cut out my tongue and let you hold onto it for me
Cause without my skull to amplify my sounds it might get boring
I've got the wit of the stickers with atomic lock precision
And the faces of the moon directing all of my decisions like this
Women need to know, I play dumb like a Columbo
And get my feelings hurt and move to NY like I'm Dumbo
Don't you want to lose the part of the brain that has opinions?
To not even know what you are doing
Or care about yourself or your species in the billions
Yeah, I have to spit it out
Oh, whatever's in my mouth
I have to spit it out (behave your self)
Just like that Black Bat Licorice
That Black Bat Licorice
That Black Bat Licorice, I never liked it, I never will
Now state the same damn thing with the violin
Whatever you feed me
I feed you right back
But it will do no good
Lyrics submitted by Qras, edited by StopRemembering
That Black Bat Licorice Lyrics as written by Jack White
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This amazing song seems to have a sub-textual obsession with, among other things, the Roman Empire. He rhymes castrum doloris (Latin for "castle of grief," basically an elaborate funeral bier) with Horace (the Roman lyric poet), casually mentions a Roman hypocaust (a sub-floor heating chamber), and then mocks the Romans for changing their names because they lost (to the barbarians, presumably). So that's why they go by "Italian" now!
Licorice, incidentally, was given its name by Dioscorides, Roman physician and botanist. Coincidence? I think not!
By the way, if you've never seen a Jack Chick comic, Google around until you find some because they are unintentionally hilarious. "Dark Dungeons" is my personal favorite, warning kids of eternal damnation for the sin of playing D&D.
Now state the same damn thing with the violin!