| Primus – American Life Lyrics | 18 years ago |
|
The Distorted had the whole song practically all right. The first stanza is just setting up the whole seen of America of people coming over that were so proud and happy and just wanting what everyone says is the American Dream. It isn't really too dark but it sets up his subsequent images of what American life truly is. Les then goes on in the second stanza trying to make a strong point of what American life ends up becoming. It might be said that he is drawing a similarity between the Laotian refugee and the boy because he ends both lines with boy, but that is not as impactful of him saying that the refugee is living on MINIMUM WAGE inhaling fumes that are obviously destroying him. Of course the people here are trying to criticize the immigrants but he is not doing that at all. The refugee goes than and buys hookers probably because that is the only sort of comfort but I think that might be looking to much into it. The fact is that he goes and gets hookers and than goes home writing the letters of the greatness of America which is just a lie. The last line is what makes sure the person knows that it is not complimenting American life. The veteran is living in a cardboard box all alone collecting cans. He is the typically bum and what a life for a VETERAN. This happens all the time and yet we ignore the poor and homeless because they didn't try hard enough. Yet that man still is a man because he still holds on to his diginity in the only way he can by saying that he is an American. How sad...... Les is a genius but a little sneaky with the lyrics. |
|
* This information can be up to 15 minutes delayed.