Sixteen Military Wives Lyrics

Lyric discussion by Ninsaneja 

Cover art for Sixteen Military Wives lyrics by Decemberists, The

I can't help but interpret the music video as a sort of parody of a parody. The "Bully USA" is so over the top that they can't possibly think this is what the US actually does.

The song itself I didn't think was about politics at all but more about the news. Academy awards, soldiers dying in combat, cannibals eating people, and the public watches it with the same reaction: La-di-da-di-da. "I don't care as long as I'm entertained," that's what I got as the message.

I do admit that the chorus kind of suggests it's about American foreign policy but I took it to refer alternatingly to the media then the public:

America (media) can America (public) can't say no America (public) does America (media) says it's so (says to do it)