"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh
I was brain-dead, locked out, numb, not up to speed
I thought I'd pegged you an idiot's dream
Tunnel vision from the outsider's screen

I never understood the frequency, uh-huh
You wore our expectations like an armored suit, uh-huh

I'd studied your cartoons, radio, music, TV, movies, magazines
Richard said, "Withdrawal in disgust is not the same as apathy"
A smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth
You said that irony was the shackles of youth

You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh

"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh
Butterfly decal, rearview mirror, dogging the scene
You smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth
You said that irony was the shackles of youth

You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
I never understood the frequency, uh-huh
You wore our expectations like an armored suit, uh-huh
I couldn't understand

You said that irony was the shackles of youth, uh-huh
I couldn't understand
You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh
I couldn't understand
I never understood, don't fuck with me, uh-huh


Lyrics submitted by ojms

What's The Frequency, Kenneth? Lyrics as written by Peter Buck Bill Berry

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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What's the Frequency, Kenneth? song meanings
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    General Comment

    I always thought the lyrics weren't supposed to make sense because (as the title eludes to) were coming from a psychotic episode (the Dan Rather assault). After reading Snipes comments about the older generation trying to understand the younger (GenX the slacker generation) I can understand some of the references, like Richard Linlater's movie Slacker. As part of the GenX generation I used to watch the Vietnam war on tv, is that the violent green shirts he speaks of? (OD green, not camoflauge was the uniform in Nam) The butterfly decals in the rearview mirror could be referring to older people looking back and only remembering the happy moments (the good old days).

    Lyrics2Deepon June 17, 2012   Link

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