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.
So, you've been to school
For a year or two
And you know you've seen it all
In daddy's car
Thinking you'll go far
Back east your type don't crawl
Playing ethnicky jazz
To parade your snazz
On your five-grand stereo
Braggin' that you know
How the niggers feel cold
And the slum's got so much soul
It's time to taste what you most fear
Right Guard will not help you here
Brace yourself, my dear
Brace yourself, my dear
It's a holiday in Cambodia
It's tough, kid, but it's life
It's a holiday in Cambodia
Don't forget to pack a wife
You're a star-belly snitch
You suck like a leech
You want everyone to act like you
Kiss ass while you bitch
So you can get rich
While your boss gets richer off you
Well, you'll work harder
With a gun in your back
For a bowl of rice a day
Slave for soldiers
Till you starve
Then your head is skewered on a stake
Now you can go where the people are one
Now you can go where they get things done
What you need, my son...
What you need, my son...
Is a holiday in Cambodia
Where people are dressed in black
A holiday in Cambodia
Where you'll kiss ass or crack
Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot
It's a holiday in Cambodia
Where you'll do what you're told
It's a holiday in Cambodia
Where the slums got so much soul
Pol Pot
For a year or two
And you know you've seen it all
In daddy's car
Thinking you'll go far
Back east your type don't crawl
Playing ethnicky jazz
To parade your snazz
On your five-grand stereo
Braggin' that you know
How the niggers feel cold
And the slum's got so much soul
It's time to taste what you most fear
Right Guard will not help you here
Brace yourself, my dear
Brace yourself, my dear
It's a holiday in Cambodia
It's tough, kid, but it's life
It's a holiday in Cambodia
Don't forget to pack a wife
You're a star-belly snitch
You suck like a leech
You want everyone to act like you
Kiss ass while you bitch
So you can get rich
While your boss gets richer off you
Well, you'll work harder
With a gun in your back
For a bowl of rice a day
Slave for soldiers
Till you starve
Then your head is skewered on a stake
Now you can go where the people are one
Now you can go where they get things done
What you need, my son...
What you need, my son...
Is a holiday in Cambodia
Where people are dressed in black
A holiday in Cambodia
Where you'll kiss ass or crack
Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot
It's a holiday in Cambodia
Where you'll do what you're told
It's a holiday in Cambodia
Where the slums got so much soul
Pol Pot
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So, you've been to school For a year or two And you know you've seen it all In daddy's car Thinking you'll go far Back east your type don't crawl (Addressing the liberal elite and children of the socialite class who claim to support equality and civil rights but have lived a privileged and sheltered life)
Playing ethnicky jazz To parade your snazz On your five-grand stereo Braggin' that you know How the niggers feel cold And the slum's got so much soul (Addressing the racism inherent in the ideas held by these performative liberals who thing they can save oppressed minorities despite never getting to know their culture or beliefs.)
It's time to taste what you most fear Right Guard will not help you here Brace yourself, my dear Brace yourself, my dear (Telling them to go to the poor and impoverished areas to see what it's like for themselves, mentioning how Right guard [deodorant] won't help them)
It's a holiday in Cambodia It's tough, kid, but it's life It's a holiday in Cambodia Don't forget to pack a wife (Using the imagery of the Khmer Rouge genocide to force the harsh reality into the face of these sheltered college kids)
You're a star-belly snitch (it's actually "sneech") You suck like a leech You want everyone to act like you Kiss ass while you bitch So you can get rich While your boss gets richer off you (Sneeches come from a Dr. Seuss book, where the star bellied sneeches would discriminate against those without stars, saying that the college kid he's talking to has led a privileged life and knowingly or not been a part of an oppressive system. Then addresses how these types of people act as if "we should all just get along" but will participate willingly in the two-faced backstabbing nature of climbing the corporate ladder.)
Well, you'll work harder With a gun in your back For a bowl of rice a day Slave for soldiers Till you starve Then your head is skewered on a stake (Saying they should try seeing what it really means to work hard, busting your ass every day with no guarantee you'll make it to tomorrow.)
Now you can go where the people are one Now you can go where they get things done What you need, my son... What you need, my son... (This is where JB begins to narrow in on his criticism of the Khmer Rouge)
Is a holiday in Cambodia Where people are dressed in black A holiday in Cambodia Where you'll kiss ass or crack
Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot
It's a holiday in Cambodia Where you'll do what you're told It's a holiday in Cambodia Where the slums got so much soul Pol Pot (Hits his criticism in this last section drawing lines to the horrid oppression and genocidal nature of militaristic authoritarian powers)