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Jimmy Carter Lyrics
Like Jimmy Carter, like electric underwear
Like any idea that never had a chance of going anywhere
This is who you are
A celebrity who drives off a bridge in a car
Your beautiful body filling up with water
Like Harry Truman dropping bombs out of the air
Like any self-respecting multi-billionaire
This is who you are
Five dancing teenage boys who sing their way into our hearts
Backstreets back alright
And there's a toxic cloud hanging over her
And there's white noise on the screen
And there's a man in a hotel room assaulting the maid who just came to clean
Up the mess
Backstreets back alright
Like Ronald Reagan falling asleep for ever more
Dreaming of horses and dreaming of nuclear war
This is where we are tonight
Everybody under surveillance from a satellite
You could be the first one on your block to die
And there's a plague of locusts upon us
And there's a nightmare in the swarm
And there's a lion out in the desert slouching towards Bethlehem to be born, again
Backstreets back alright, alright.
Like any idea that never had a chance of going anywhere
This is who you are
A celebrity who drives off a bridge in a car
Your beautiful body filling up with water
Like any self-respecting multi-billionaire
This is who you are
Five dancing teenage boys who sing their way into our hearts
Backstreets back alright
And there's white noise on the screen
And there's a man in a hotel room assaulting the maid who just came to clean
Up the mess
Backstreets back alright
Dreaming of horses and dreaming of nuclear war
This is where we are tonight
Everybody under surveillance from a satellite
You could be the first one on your block to die
And there's a nightmare in the swarm
And there's a lion out in the desert slouching towards Bethlehem to be born, again
Backstreets back alright, alright.
Song Info
Submitted by
iagoadmirer On Jun 14, 2005
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I really dig this song's lyrics. Call me crass, but I think it's very poetic and has lots of layered meaning.
When you hear things like "electric underwear" the first time, you are tempted to think it's silly nonsense, but then you realize it's a commentary on the ineffectual administration of Carter -- who was elected as a sort of honest do-gooder in reaction to the corruption of Nixon, but then wasn't able to accomplish much. Beyond that, I sort of see the line about the idea never having had a chance as an indictment of the very idea of electing a do-gooder. But that indictment, while practical, is probably made with regret, and the real criticism is of our whole system that wouldn't allow an honest man to do well as president.
The song goes on to alternate between presidential history references and pop culture.
Then we get to the first "chorus" section, with its fantastic ambiguity. Is the toxic cloud and the white noise talking about the results of the atomic bomb we dropped, or is it talking about the shit pop culture of celebrities and boy bands? I love the image of pop culture as a toxic cloud floating over the land, putting static on our screens.
The Reagan lines are probably my favorite imagery, with dead Reagan dreaming forever of horses and nuclear war.. and then sneaking in some paranoia! Shit, talk about nailing it.
Then he brings it all home with the Yeats reference. ZAM! Look that one up yourself if you're interested in how it relates.
Electric Six has a lot of great songs, but this one's a real thinker.
@rice This is everything I wanted to say but didn't know how.
@rice This is everything I wanted to say but didn't know how.
The whole song seems pretty inspired by Yeats' "Second Coming". Especially the last verse, which borrows a couple lines even.
Another literary influence seems to be "White Noise" by Don DeLillo:
Another literary influence seems to be "White Noise" by Don DeLillo:
"And there's a toxic cloud hanging over; there's white noise on the screen."
"And there's a toxic cloud hanging over; there's white noise on the screen."
An "airborne toxic event" is a major plot point of the book.
An "airborne toxic event" is a major plot point of the book.
Definately my favourite song off their new album. I think it's all obscure referances to the presidents and what they did with their time in the office. But I haven't heard it enough to know for sure...
such an awesome song..
i like the way he pronounces 'beth-ul-hem'...Dick Valentine's vocals are faaantastic.
I think perhaps he is comparing presidents to backstreet boys
I think that when Dick Valentine say "you", he is referring to USA as a nation. the anaphors with "Like" could then have an alternate meaning. Not just what America is like. But also what America likes.
It's interesting the song references The Second Coming by Yeats.
That poem has the following line
"The best lack all conviction . . ."
I feel like that describes Jimmy Carter.
This song really does describe the United States accurately.