Warren wanted a Beach Boys thing for this one, and Carl Wilson and Billy Hinsche came in, with Carl arranging the vocal parts. The other harmony vocalists (credited as the "Gentlemen Boys") were Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Zevon's longtime backers Waddy Wachtel and Jorge Calderon, and Linda Rondstadt/Stone Poneys guitarist Kenny Edwards.
He's been with the world
I'm tired of the soup do jour
He's been with the world
I went to end this prophylactic tour
Afraid that no one around me
Understands my potato
Think I'm only a spudboy
Looking for a real tomato
He's been with the world
I'm tired of the soup do jour
He's been with the world
I want to end this prophylactic tour
Afraid nobody around here
Understands my potato
I think I'm only a spudboy
Looking for a real tomato
He's been with the world
And I'm tired of the soup do jour
He's been with the world
I want to end this prophylactic tour
Afraid nobody around here
Comprehends my potato
Guess I'm just a spudboy
Looking for that real tomato
[Chorus]
The smart patrol, nowhere to go
Suburban robots that monitor reality
Common stock, we work around the clock
We shove the poles in the holes
[Chorus: x2]
Shove it
[Chorus]
Wait a minute, something's wrong
He's the man from the past
He's here to do us a favor
A little human sacrifice
It's just supply and demand
[Chorus 2]
Mr. Kamikaze, Mr. DNA
He's an altruistic pervert
Mr. DNA, Mr. Kamikaze
Here to spread some (genes now)
[Chorus 2: x2]
Wait a minute, something's wrong
He's a man with a plan
His finger's pointed at Devo
Now we must sacrifice ourselves
That many others may live
OK, we've got a lot to give
[Chorus 2: x3]
One, two, three, four!
I'm tired of the soup do jour
He's been with the world
I went to end this prophylactic tour
Afraid that no one around me
Understands my potato
Think I'm only a spudboy
Looking for a real tomato
He's been with the world
I'm tired of the soup do jour
He's been with the world
I want to end this prophylactic tour
Afraid nobody around here
Understands my potato
I think I'm only a spudboy
Looking for a real tomato
He's been with the world
And I'm tired of the soup do jour
He's been with the world
I want to end this prophylactic tour
Afraid nobody around here
Comprehends my potato
Guess I'm just a spudboy
Looking for that real tomato
[Chorus]
The smart patrol, nowhere to go
Suburban robots that monitor reality
Common stock, we work around the clock
We shove the poles in the holes
[Chorus: x2]
Shove it
[Chorus]
Wait a minute, something's wrong
He's the man from the past
He's here to do us a favor
A little human sacrifice
It's just supply and demand
[Chorus 2]
Mr. Kamikaze, Mr. DNA
He's an altruistic pervert
Mr. DNA, Mr. Kamikaze
Here to spread some (genes now)
[Chorus 2: x2]
Wait a minute, something's wrong
He's a man with a plan
His finger's pointed at Devo
Now we must sacrifice ourselves
That many others may live
OK, we've got a lot to give
[Chorus 2: x3]
One, two, three, four!
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery, edited by rhythmin, sidewinder3000
Smart Patrol/Mr. DNA Lyrics as written by Mark Mothersbaugh Gerald V. Casale
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
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He certainly did earn that reputation.
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Like a lot of the other comments are saying, I think this mainly about voyeurism. If the song was about his girlfriend, then why would he use the word spy. If you are a spy it means you shouldn't be caught, that is kind of the whole point, and if you are a voyeur, the whole point of the pleasure you get from it, is the fact that the other people don't know you are watching them. See a bit of a connection there?
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OMG! This is by far the best song EVER! I'm not sure why but I absolutely love this song, it totally rocks...it's awesome!