A Tooth For An Eye

I think it's more straightforward than that ridiculous essay by bgarrity03.

To me the song contrasts what we in first world countries have with people like asylum seekers after the very basic things they need to survive like food and shelter.

"On my doorstep, a screaming hand" - it's like asylum seekers who seek to cross borders by boat, in search of a brighter future, yet people, especially politicians ignore this.

If you look at what's happening in Australia: "Rewrite history to suit our needs Open my country" Australian politicians like Tony Abbott ignoring the fact that the population is all immigrants, now embarking on the inhumane policy of 'turning back the boats' or bringing them to languish in offshore processing facilities indefinitely, with no hope of improving their personal situations. They flee bombs, death, rape, and torture, only to get treated like subhumans. "Border's lies the idea of what's mine A strange desire Drawing lines with a ruler, bring the fuel to the fire" Geographical borders ignoring the fact we are all humans sharing a planet. The only difference is where we were born.

"A brick in a castle a camp for those on the run" A small part of our lodging is so much more to an asylum seeker in camps.

"A tooth for an eye eyes eyes eyes tell me you" A recent medical advancement which grafts skin on to a damaged eye, then implants an actual tooth (google it) into the eye which they drill in, implant a lens and restore sight. i.e. In the lyric- trying to make people see things to which they have been blind to before.

"Another kid needs to suck on my thumb" There are other people who need the comfort we, who are more privileged, can provide.

The song seems to be a panning of modern conservative politics, as far as I can tell.

The first stanza seems to refer to the relatively recent and apparrant increase in the embracing of the idea of Absolute Laissez-Faire capitalism amongst conservatives, which has seen a large and measured jump (as is indicated by periodic polls amongst conservatives regarding what it is they value politically) brought about by their incongruent alarm at a global recession.

The second stanza seems to refer to the income inequality such myopic and greedy socio-political philosopy creates (so many poor in the midst of such wealth and wealthy states).

The chorus, perhaps, refers, mockingly, to how wealthy conservatives, in these socio-politically unbalanced states, often view the poor as babies or childern that cannot fend for themselves and so must leach off them.

The seventh stanza, perhaps, refers to the pathology endemic in conservativism that calls for extreme measures (Such as ignoring facts, discounting science and critical thinking, or "Rewriting History") to keep ill-concieved traditions (In the case of the United States this tradition [beginning with the confederacy] being to, sometimes violently, oppose and undermine the Federal Government in any and all its efforts) from ever being stamped out.

The final stanza seems to refer to the practice of gerrymandering, which is another tool, used by conservatives, to prevent the squashing of the aforementioned traditions and to prop up a losing socio-political argument, as the general political trend in societies has always been progressive (fact) and will almost-certainly continue to be.

It's almost impossible for me to discern the lyrics. However, the song is amazing, especially with headphones on. It's magical.