I believe all that I read now
night has come off the corners
shadows flicker sweet end tame
dancing like crazy mourners
the man with the hotdogs sells lemonade
someone over there needs first aid
while me and the rest of the world
await the touch of the motorcade
no one finds time to turn a blind eye
you can't be too careful nowadays
and my friend says 'listen...
to the stupid things they're making you say'
Here comes the motorcade
moving so slow and hard
like a snake in a closet
holding sway in the boulevard
here is your man
all faces turn unanimously
the small fry who sizzle in his veins
in all security
In the back of his car
into the null and void he shoots
the man of the centre of the motorcade
has learned to tie his boots
in the back of his car
in the null and void he sees
the man at the centre of the motorcade
can choose between coffee and tea
In the boulevard... the motorcade hold sway (repeated fade)
night has come off the corners
shadows flicker sweet end tame
dancing like crazy mourners
the man with the hotdogs sells lemonade
someone over there needs first aid
while me and the rest of the world
await the touch of the motorcade
no one finds time to turn a blind eye
you can't be too careful nowadays
and my friend says 'listen...
to the stupid things they're making you say'
moving so slow and hard
like a snake in a closet
holding sway in the boulevard
here is your man
all faces turn unanimously
the small fry who sizzle in his veins
in all security
into the null and void he shoots
the man of the centre of the motorcade
has learned to tie his boots
in the back of his car
in the null and void he sees
the man at the centre of the motorcade
can choose between coffee and tea
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
favorite song so far. although i have no clue as to what it is about, it's incredibly haunting.
To me it sounds like it's about the assassination of a politician. "into the null and void he shoots." "someone over there needs first aid."
it is about the murder of JFK indeed.
This is from the 2007 Real Life remaster booklet:-
Of Motorcade, Devoto said that "some of the idea for the song came from reading an article about a south American dictator who threw money out of the window of his limousine. [John F.] Kennedy was never in my mind".
Hope that clears some things up.
I think this song is about how power and politics can manipulate the man in the street. The snake imagery is powerful and brings to mind the hypnosis of rodents before a death strike. The need for first aiding the wider context can be ignored as we are fixed on the man in the middle of the motorcade. We are being programmed by the elites agenda, while the those making the decisions are barely able to make an informed decision as they can just tie their boots.