I had a golden ring and I kept it with golden things
In the Bank of Million dreams that was bursting at all the seams
I had a golden ring. It was such an important thing
That I kept it beneath my bed, and I carried it in my head

I had a golden dream, and the way it came down to me
Was through Captains of Alchemy, who came up from a steely sea
And I dreamed through the rainy night, and I managed to sleep alright
And my body became so light, that I managed to give it flight

Because I know gold is just a trick of the light
And lead is light as a feather
So, leave me where the kids are alright
And we will all go down together

I had a golden dream, and they took it away from me
And they pulled it out of my head, and they showed me that it was lead

But I know gold is just a trick of the light
And lead is light as a feather
So, leave me where the kids are alright
And we will all go down together

And that's the way it's going to be

And there's water in wine
And there's nickel in dimes
And they knew all the time

But gold is just a trick of the light
And lead is light as a feather
So, leave me where the kids are alright
And we will all go down together

And gold is just a trick of the light
And lead is light as a feather
So, leave me where the kids are alright
And we will all go down together

And that's the way it's going to be
That's the way, it's going to be


Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery

Better Dead Than Lead Lyrics as written by Theodore F Leo

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Better Dead Than Lead song meanings
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14 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    I love the way he sings: "and light as a feather" it make a rumble in my pants.

    tsucolon November 25, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    err.. "and lead is light as a feather".

    tsucolon November 25, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I have no idea waht this song is about but I agree that the chorus of 'because I know gold is just a trick of the light and lead is light as a feather' is really beautiful. I don't know about rumblings in my pants, but it's a beautiful chorus.

    Fionar2001on January 22, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It seems like it's just about how people (or possibly the government) will always lie to you and make certain things seem more valuable than others for their own benefit. That's how I understand it at least.

    It seems like about half the lyrics are missing here.

    cmanon October 09, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I thought it was a The Who tribute at first. On account of the lines 'Trick of the Light' and 'The Kids Are Alright' which are both Who songs.

    dibleighon January 06, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Having your dreams crushed by others perhaps.

    Skunkindanon February 25, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    There are a lot of Alchemy references in this song. An Alchemists main goal was to turn lead into gold and it seems to me the whole song is sort of saying that he's got something that he thinks is good, his mind or his thoughts or beliefs, but "They", that ubiquitous They, don't think its good enough. They're saying, "what you have is lead not gold, its worthless and useless.", but in the chorus the singer is fighting back saying that their gold is fake, "a trick of the night".

    BelialCaron September 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    gold is just a trick of the light! and lead is liiii ee iight 's a feather

    ^gets stuck in my head alll day

    blacksheepgirlon November 10, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think its about a person ideas and how there ideas and beliefs are there most prized possesions Gold=things they believe in Lead=things they dont believe in. So the Captains of Alchemy who are really good at making lead look like its gold give it to this man to believe in there cause. Someone comes up to that guys points out to him that this thing he believes in so vehemently is actually something very ugly and not what he thought at all.

    So maybe its about The Iraq War.

    Politicians makes us believe in it and it turns out its not what we thought it was at all.

    Also as I was typing I thought this could also be about materialism, A man thinksonly about money and doesnt care about anything else. A guy gives him one piece of Gold that is so wonderful it makes him fly. and it turns out that that wasnt even gold it was lead.

    SO now I just confused myself on what i think it means. I guess Ill let you decide in which one to believe

    LezloShigon March 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think its about a person ideas and how there ideas and beliefs are there most prized possesions Gold=things they believe in Lead=things they dont believe in. So the Captains of Alchemy who are really good at making lead look like its gold give it to this man to believe in there cause. Someone comes up to that guys points out to him that this thing he believes in so vehemently is actually something very ugly and not what he thought at all.

    So maybe its about The Iraq War.

    Politicians makes us believe in it and it turns out its not what we thought it was at all.

    Also as I was typing I thought this could also be about materialism, A man thinksonly about money and doesnt care about anything else. A guy gives him one piece of Gold that is so wonderful it makes him fly. and it turns out that that wasnt even gold it was lead.

    SO now I just confused myself on what i think it means. I guess Ill let you decide in which one to believe

    LezloShigon March 09, 2007   Link

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