The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Some clown in
Sacramento was drugged into court
He shot his lawnmower
It disobeyed, it wouldn't start
Might makes right, it's the American Way (R)
They fined him $60 and sent him on his way
You know, some people don't take no shit
Maybe if they did if they'd have half a brain left
You know, some people don't take no shit
Maybe if they did if they'd have half a brain left
Sacramento was drugged into court
He shot his lawnmower
It disobeyed, it wouldn't start
Might makes right, it's the American Way (R)
They fined him $60 and sent him on his way
You know, some people don't take no shit
Maybe if they did if they'd have half a brain left
You know, some people don't take no shit
Maybe if they did if they'd have half a brain left
Lyrics submitted by x_melancholy_x
A Child and His Lawnmower Lyrics as written by Jello Biafra
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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To me, the song is about people who are so intolerant that they even would destroy a simple machine because it didn't work properly. When you think about it, it can also represent how someone in a higher position could kill someone just because they refused to work. I think it was a toned down example of more serious acts of domination. I suppose Jello wanted people to compare that guy who shot his lawnmower to slave drivers or nazi's and see how much they have in common.
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Might makes right, it's the american way. This is really good. So true then, so true now.
I heard this was based on an actual event.
i think its making fun of the legal system for not allowing somone to shoot thier OWN lawnmower
i think the "take no shit" part is saying you shouldnt put up with it.
is it illeagl to shoot your lawnmower?
Not just a comment on the legal system, but also the complete lack of mental and emotional maturity in society thaty leads to people resorting to senseless violence (shooting the lawnmower) any time they're unhappy. Back to the legal system, it's also a shot at how the courts don't solve a lot of problems, and they seem to interpret "taking action" as a literal term -- their job is done because they've done something, they dont' really have to fix any problems or do anything productive.
Shooting a lawnmower is legal, but discharging a firearm within city limits is not.
And yeah, it's about people whose immature sense of machismo leads them to commit violence against anything that doesn't go their way.
If you look closely at the original liner notes included with the CD that this song is featured on, this is about a true occurance of a man from Sacramento, California, who literally shot his lawnmower because 'it wouldn't start.' And he really was fined a little over 60 dollars for doing so.
Left out part of what I meant to type there: in the liner notes, there's a newspaper clipping which shows a man mowing his lawn, with the story printed below/near that.
yeah, this is actually a true occurence.
i think with the lyrics though, its not just about the legal system but its also about angry americans. in part, its obviously about how its stupid to have laws against shooting your own lawnmower and how we fine people for stuff like that. but when jello says "you know some people just dont take no shit, maybe if they did they'd have half a brain left" you gotta see that jello is clearly (and i mean clearly, not interperatively) calling the guy who shot the mower stupid. the half a brain thing is calling him dumb, and the other bits are saying that you shouldnt take everything so seriously and be so angry that when your lawnmower won't start, you feel the need to shoot it.