Smokin' Bowl

A great song that celebrates a rebels freedom and equates church and state with authority (a means of control) posing the question of liberty from a rebels perspective.

The first verse is celebratory, smoking a bowl as a toast among rebels who enjoy the coveted metaphorical fig in the chorus of the song.. In the chorus the fig (metaphor) is protected by law / liberty's a glorious feast. ~ The court was erected for cowards but who are the cowards, those who are weighed (ie. the rebels) or those who weight the scales of justice? Also, a church serves the interests of a clergy. In both cases authority is an institutionalized means of control to serve the interest of a higher class.

So the question of liberty. Who gets the fig? Is freedom rebelry or an institution. Liberty's a glorious feast. Both sides will tell you that, but everybody wants their fig. All in all, Folky and Rocky, with Punk attitude.

The first stanza of the song is setting up a scene. The smoking bowl marks the freedom to do as you want, the result of rebellion and fighting for freedom. People gather around, and recite a chorus from Robert Burns, a Scottish national symbol who wrote about freedom and liberty.

The second stanza is the chorus of Burns' poem, which celebrates the Scottish attitudes of freedom and happiness.

Source: https://www.poetrynook.com/poem/drinking-song-16

Whooo, first post...

...not that it really matters. Anyway amazing song, the first one I heard by them in fact. Great to sing along to but i have no idea on the meaning though