WON'T YOU OPEN UP THE BORDER
TO RIVERS RUNNING GREEN?
I HAVE KILO LOADS OF PLASTIC
TO TRADE FOR PUMPKIN SEEDS.

I KNOW FOLKS IN WICHITA AS WELL AS SANTA FE,
ALL VETERANS OF THE TRADE.

OPEN IT UP.
OPEN IT UP.
OPEN IT.

LIVING FOR THE TRADE.

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
I SWAPPED FOR CANS OF SPAM
WHILE SIPPING FINE DARJEELING
WITH AN ENGLISHMAN.

I KNOW FOLKS IN LIVERPOOL AS WELL AS IN BOMBAY,
ALL VETERANS OF THE TRADE.

OPEN IT UP.
OPEN IT UP.
OPEN IT.

LIVING FOR THE TRADE.

IN A TENT ON THE CARAVAN ROAD YOU'LL FIND THOSE THINGS YOU THOUGHT WERE GONE.
BARTERED FOR JASMINE AND SILK AND FURS OF FROZEN MASTODONS.

I KNOW FOLKS IN WICHITA AS WELL AS BOMBAY,
ALL VETERANS OF THE TRADE.


Lyrics submitted by Silverdew

Open Up the Border Lyrics as written by Jean-paul Gaster Dan Maines

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Open Up The Border song meanings
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    My Interpretation

    Here's my interpretation. It's about free trade, capitalism, globalization, etc. He talks about people in Wichita, Liverpool, Santa Fe, Bombay, in an attempt to put the song in a global context, and talks about trading various goods across borders, oceans, etc.He talks about trading culture for mass production ('wives of windsor for spam') and mixing of cultures ("while sipping fine Darjeeling with an English man")

    Neil likes to wear many hats in his lyrics, and often he leaves his lyrics completely open, so it's hard to know exactly what statement he is trying to make. However, I'm sensing a kind of tongue in cheek sarcasm in the "open it up... living for the trade" parts of the song. My personal interpretation of these lyrics would be that of a criticism of globalist free trade, but there could be many other interpretations.

    silentryanon April 09, 2013   Link

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