Price of Gas

Obviously about the Iraq war. "I've been driving a mid-sized car, I never hurt anyone, is that a fact?" urges against people who like to remove themselves from situations far away ("the price of gas" is civillian life and a country's strife as "nothing comes for free" reminds us). "Just swat the fly" perhaps most profoundly emphasises the irony present at the end - "we're going to win this" is hardly triumphant and "we" are left unfulfilled and ashamed like someone swatting a fly.

i think this song is describing how the world only cares for money and greed and how capitalism sustains itself."The price of gas keeps on rising Nothing comes for free" just reinforces this point. "Just swat the fly" says that big companies just squash people who get in there way, as long as they get what they want I.E money. "The ghosts are here, red white and blue" i think this line refers to the past of britain, how British Empire invaded and conquered teh globe and took loads of stuff and ruined countries.

i also think there is an element of conservation and environmental issues are in this song. teh "mid sized car" suggests an effort has been made to reduce polution and the person thinks that because they are drving a small car it will make it all better "it never hurt anyone" the environment issue comes back with mentions of "spade" and "trowels"

"I feel it conveys an issue of pro-war in this situation we're in."

Unfortunately not true, Bloc Party are anti-war, anti-american, and anti-capitalism

The high price of gas is paying for the Iraq war. Even anti-war folks are inadvertently supporting the war by buying gas. "I've been driving a mid-sized car, I never hurt anyone. Is that a fact?" This is implies "Yes, you have hurt somebody. Those killed in Iraq."

It actually says, "Nothing ever comes for free." Rather than, "...for me"

Maybe this is just me but...

This song is definitely about Iraq. I feel it conveys an issue of pro-war in this situation we're in. I think they're saying that the war is here, as unfortunate as it is, but we need to stick to it and finish it up because we will win. We're bound to win, because it's America... " The ghosts are here, red white and blue" -- the people willing to sacrifice their lives for what is right.

Not sure about "swat the fly," but when I hear "I've been driving, a mid sized car, I never hurt anyone | Is that a fact?" it reminds me of car bombers. Think about it.

It doesn't make me want to stand up and riot, as "MissAmerica" said, however.

Feel free to tell me I'm wrong though.

mboprey, I think you're dead on that it's about Iraq, but I think you're missing the overall tone. I think the "we're going to win this" is more arroganct and domineering. The response of "is that a fact" is challenging the idea that driving a mid-sized car never hurt anyone and implicates the "gas guzzlers" as well as politicians. Swat the fly, to me, would indicate a nuisance (perhaps Hussein). If you listen to the beginning and end of the song, the percussion almost has a fast-paced marching rhythym to it. Seems to set the tone along the lines of The Dead Kennedy's California Uber Alles. Just my opinion, I could be wrong too;)

im just mentioning to people like mboprey that Bloc Party and most of the youth in England (inc. me) are socialist and against America's empire building.

PS. Does anyone else think the With spades and truncheons, guns and trowels line is about the people rising up, like in an old horror film where the farmers charge up to the castle with spades and pitchforks

PPS. i think i may be attributing Bloc Party with too much intellignce and the line may just sound good either way im happy

really really reminds me of the war

This is my least favourite song on Silent Alarm because Bloc Party's usual sense of subtlty is completely lost for a broad political statement. The statement itself, however, is commendable. Americans protested a war that was caused by America's giant thirst for petrol. In effect, Bush went to war to secure cheaper fuel for those who took the immediate moral highground. I read an interview with the beastie boys, and they just attacked Bush - while driving around New York in a SUV. It's so fucking contradictory.