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Who's In Control? Lyrics

Were you not told?
Did you not know?
Everything around you's being sold
Do you not care?
Were you not there?
Everybody else was going spare
What's yours and mine?
Does this escape you all the time?
Sometimes I wish protesting was sexy on a Saturday night

Would you ever, would you ever go down, down, down
Down to fight, fight, point and stand, point and stand and fight?

Over here, over there, over here, every fucking where

I just don't know who's in control
Please, no, don't say, it could go either way

It's militant, not military, see we welcome everybody, we're not even scary
I'm a big fan of the local library, I just read a book but that's another story
Yours and mine they get mixed up all of the time
I wish sometimes protesting was sexy on a Saturday night

Would you ever, would you ever go down, down, down
Down to fight, fight, point and stand, point and stand and fight?

Over here, over there, over here, every fucking where

I'll never be, I'll never see, I'll never be what you want me to be

I just don't know who's in control
Please, no, don't say, it could go either way

Over here, over there, over here, every fucking where
Over here, over there, over here, every fucking where
I just don't know who's in control
Please, no, don't say, it could go either way
Song Info
Submitted by
cathalmcb On Jan 30, 2011
3 Meanings

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Cover art for Who's In Control? lyrics by British Sea Power

Yan has said this song was inspired by reading J.G. Ballard, specifically the novel Super-Cannes. I haven't read that book, so I can't comment on any similarities.

Cover art for Who's In Control? lyrics by British Sea Power

Having just seen the video, it seems to hint that it is about protest movements- UKUNCUT, student protests, and maybe the Arab spring etc.

It's a very positive song about taking control of the future for ordinary people, not just leaving it to governments and corporations.

Cover art for Who's In Control? lyrics by British Sea Power

Is it straight-ahead? It always sounded a little facetious to me.

"Sometimes I wish protesting was sexy on a Saturday night" and the "I just read a book" bit made it sound to me like we are talking about people who protest because they are caught up in a wave of protest, not because they understand the issue.

Maybe I'm just too cynical ;)

@facelessgremlin Have you seen the video? It definitely bears out what you said. A bunch of hipsters protesting and then going to a party afterwards.

 
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