Wow... this song is seemingly simple but there's a lot going on here. The overall value - conservative. Strange...
THe first verse, as others said, deals with the government. The second verse deals with corporations. Lastly, the third verse deals with religious institutions. The verses are all sung by one speaker, while the "shut the fuck up" portions are a response to the verse's complaints. The idea is that there is someone, probably more liberal, complaining about the a conservative government cutting funding for social programs. Second verse is a complaint about hard laborers working, who get crushed in a squirrel's mouth--the upper management of the corporation who do less work but make the big money. The last is a complaint about religious institutions who portray themselves as simple but are--to the complainant signing-- really conniving and cunning. They turn "joy to sadness" rather than actually help for the verse singer.
The response yelling "shut the fuck up" is telling the verse speaker to stop whining. The defense of this conservative slant about this song has to do with the double meaning of "buck." Learn to buck up... interesting...
It took me awhile to figure out that its a complainer and a response--that is two different voices--because the song in its entirety is sung by one individual.
Now that I've figured it out, I have to say I don't really like this songs message. But damn, it's well written.
@MintyDinty Given McCrea\'s known activism and the causes he supports, I get the feeling that he is singing (speaking) his real view on the issues and the chorus is the targets of his criticisms telling him to shut up. Not an uncommon response from people who abuse power - they try to paint the abused people who speak up as complainers, to try to discredit them. Maybe he\'s gotten that reaction from people/issues he\'s spoken against.
@MintyDinty Given McCrea\'s known activism and the causes he supports, I get the feeling that he is singing (speaking) his real view on the issues and the chorus is the targets of his criticisms telling him to shut up. Not an uncommon response from people who abuse power - they try to paint the abused people who speak up as complainers, to try to discredit them. Maybe he\'s gotten that reaction from people/issues he\'s spoken against.
Wow... this song is seemingly simple but there's a lot going on here. The overall value - conservative. Strange...
THe first verse, as others said, deals with the government. The second verse deals with corporations. Lastly, the third verse deals with religious institutions. The verses are all sung by one speaker, while the "shut the fuck up" portions are a response to the verse's complaints. The idea is that there is someone, probably more liberal, complaining about the a conservative government cutting funding for social programs. Second verse is a complaint about hard laborers working, who get crushed in a squirrel's mouth--the upper management of the corporation who do less work but make the big money. The last is a complaint about religious institutions who portray themselves as simple but are--to the complainant signing-- really conniving and cunning. They turn "joy to sadness" rather than actually help for the verse singer.
The response yelling "shut the fuck up" is telling the verse speaker to stop whining. The defense of this conservative slant about this song has to do with the double meaning of "buck." Learn to buck up... interesting...
It took me awhile to figure out that its a complainer and a response--that is two different voices--because the song in its entirety is sung by one individual.
Now that I've figured it out, I have to say I don't really like this songs message. But damn, it's well written.
@MintyDinty Given McCrea\'s known activism and the causes he supports, I get the feeling that he is singing (speaking) his real view on the issues and the chorus is the targets of his criticisms telling him to shut up. Not an uncommon response from people who abuse power - they try to paint the abused people who speak up as complainers, to try to discredit them. Maybe he\'s gotten that reaction from people/issues he\'s spoken against.
@MintyDinty Given McCrea\'s known activism and the causes he supports, I get the feeling that he is singing (speaking) his real view on the issues and the chorus is the targets of his criticisms telling him to shut up. Not an uncommon response from people who abuse power - they try to paint the abused people who speak up as complainers, to try to discredit them. Maybe he\'s gotten that reaction from people/issues he\'s spoken against.