don't you like what's on your plate?
it's not free.
shaking fists at this debate.
woe is me.
woe is thee.
it's all for show, so please bake me cookies.
the stage lights glow and we stare like rookies.

take your cause and pass it around.
take one down and pass it around.
i'm not fair and you're not sound.
pass it around now you're not sound.
take your turn in beating the horse.
take him down now take him down.
gee, i hope we're not off course.
take him down now, take him down.

don't you like what's on tv?
it's not free.
we'll agree to disagree.
woe is me.
woe is thee.
it's all for show, so please call this number.
you'll never know.
and you'll always wonder.

take your cause and pass it around.
take one down and pass it around.
i'm not fair and you're not sound.
pass it around now you're not sound.
take your turn in beating the horse.
take him down now take him down.
gee, i hope we're not off course.
take him down now, take him down.

it's all for show, so please bake me cookies.
the stage lights glow and we stare like rookies.

take your cause and pass it around.
take one down and pass it around.
i'm not fair and you're not sound.
pass it around now you're not sound.
take your turn in beating the horse.
take him down now take him down.
gee, i hope we're not off course.
take him down now, take him down.


Lyrics submitted by piratekitten

Beat the Horse song meanings
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    My Interpretation

    I disagree it talks about politics. I think the song clearly speaks of an inexperienced father and child relationship. The, let us dissect the lyrics, shall we?

    don't you like what's on your plate? it's not free. shaking fists at this debate. woe is me. woe is thee.

    This part is a kid whining about the food his parent put on his plate. The woe refers to the anguish caused on both of them.

    it's all for show, so please bake me cookies. the stage lights glow and we stare like rookies.

    The first line tells us the kid's mourning is theatrical, that it's just for the sake of cookies. In the second line the kid becomes the center of attention and does his show - "stage lights glow" - as the parents stare at him feeling lost, not knowing how to react. Rookie parents!

    take your cause and pass it around. take one down and pass it around.

    The refrain tells us about this spoiled kid getting what he wants. He "takes one of his parents down" and passes his cause (to get cookies) around.

    i'm not fair and you're not sound. pass it around now you're not sound.

    "i'm not fair" is what the child said to his parent and "you're not sound" is the response he gets. The second phrase says that when the parent gives the kid what he wants, this parent is no longer being reasonable: "pass it around now you're not sound"

    take your turn in beating the horse. take him down now take him down.

    This part is ambiguous. Two possible interpretations:

    1. the parents are taking turns when trying to reason with their child. Their son [the horse] is stubborn and they can't beat the stubbornness out of him.
    2. The horse may allude to a parent who "works like a horse". In this case, the child wins [beats the horse] by wearing off a tired parent.

    gee, i hope we're not off course. take him down now, take him down.

    Reflects the parent's concern that the boy's (or girl's) education is getting off course and their need to control him: "take him down now, take him down"

    don't you like what's on tv? it's not free. we'll agree to disagree. woe is me. woe is thee.

    Something on TV is upsetting the kid now. Maybe he wants to see cartoons, maybe he saw something scary or maybe he wants to buy a toy he saw in a commercial

    it's all for show, so please call this number. you'll never know. and you'll always wonder.

    If the kid saw something scary, then the first phrase is the parent figure explaining to the kid that the needn't be sacred, things he saw aren't real, it's all just for show. But the kid will never know for sure and will always wonder what scary things might lurk at night, beneath his closed, bed or the such.

    If the kid wants something from the commercial, the parent figure explains him that those things are just for show (therefore he doesn't intend to buy them) while the child pleads the adult to make a phone call to request what he wants. In this case, my interpretation of the other two verses is that the parent would "never know" if the way he raises his child is off route, or not. He will always wonder.

    And that's it! If you liked or not, please give me feedback! Does this interpretation make any sense?

    megunskion November 14, 2012   Link

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