The Kill

This song...in MY opinion...is kind of a jab at America and our superiority-complex with the world.

I'd like to add that I have the album on which this song is on ("No, Virginia..."), and this version is...a bit different from the one on the album. So...I'm going to post the version that I have on the album.

"I am an anarchist An anti-christ An 'Asterix'"

"Anarchist" and "anti-christ" probably showing the different ideas that the people of our country have...or maybe how the outside world perceives us. It's my opinion that "Asterix" refers to a character from a series of French comics: a fearless, cunning warrior that is probably one of the sanest, smartest members of the village in which he resides, and is more often than not asked to solve their problems or protect them; he is not as apt to join a fight like everyone else in his village. I think this is kind of a comparison to America in general--where we are often asked to do the most dangerous of missions, and not always up for joining a fight unless the American people can find cause within it to do so.

"I am an anorak An acolyte An accidental"

For those who don't know what "anorak" means, there are two definitions: 1) A heavy jacket, and 2) A British slang for someone with a boring hobby. I'm asuming that Amanda is using the British slang for the word, not the jacket, but both can be acceptable--either that America is like a heavy jacket that acts as a protector, but really crushes the people wearing it, or that it has a boring hobby...possibly our hobby of military spending? "Acolyte"--an assistant to a priest--probably shows our small role as a country who services God...but only to a certain extent.

"I am eleven feet Okay, eight Six-foot-three..."

We change our story a lot...that's what this line signifies.

"I fought the British and I won"

Revlutionary War reference, obviously...or it could refer to our fight against the British in Florida, when we wanted the territory.

"I have a rocket ship A jetfighter A paper airplane"

This line shows how we boast about our military achievements, no matter how small they may be.

"Say what you will I am the kill The only thing that keeps you really truly safe from being real"

The phrase "I am the kill" may once again refer to our strength of military--currently, it's the most powerful in the world. "The only thing that keeps you really truly safe from being real"...a possible attack on our consumerist way of life?

"I have a tendency To exaggerate Just a little bit"

Obvious--we Americans often blow a lot of things out of proportion, and we exaggerate--not only our history--but everything we see.

"I am a plagiarist Apologist A walrus-- Coke-head-- Lizard"

"Plagiarist" is probably referring to how many of the ideas we had for our government came from the ideas of revolutionary thinkers during the Renaissance era in Europe; "apologist" refers to how we often arguement for every cause that comes by us--we thrive on us being right, and people agreeing that we're right; "walrus," "coke-head," and "lizard"...I always thought "walrus" referred to the Beatles song "I Am The Walrus," "coke-head" to our drug-crave, and "lizard" as a Doors reference--"I am the lizard king, and I can do anything." Kind of like when Amanda put in that small Doors reference in "The Perfect Fit"--"I love you, won't you tell me your name? Hello..."

"I am an optimist A closeted Misogynist"

"Optimist" shows that America, despite all of its flaws, is often more optimistic about their future than not. "A closeted misogynist" probably symbolizes how women still have a ways to go to receive complete equality--that there's still a sort of double-standard, where women can't neccessarily do the same things as men, and is still not even paid equally.

"I fought the British and I won"

Already explained.

"I have a wishing well A living will A magical eight ball"

I think this line probably refers to how we think we can control everything around us--the "wishing well" meaning luck is on our side, the "living will" meaning we determine how we die and who gets what, and the "magical eight ball" meaning we can foresee the future.

"Put Pat Sajak back in office Put Pat Sajak back in office"

Possibly an attack on American consumerism and how we've put so much hype into celebrities that they might as well control the world.

"But the sun still sets on you And the retarded party nobody came to but you And so you drink to all the emptiness until you wake up And there's hell to pay again"

This part is probably Amanda's honest opinion of the American populace. "The sun still sets on you" meaning we're still at the end of everything; the "party" that only we came to can mean that we're not that popular and that we're still holding onto old traditions that hold us back. When we "drink to all the emptiness," it means that we realize how screwed up we are but don't wanna face it, only so that we may wake up and find "there's hell to pay again," or that we're still responsible for our actions.

"And the punch lines point at you And all the comebacks in the world are in your head And you can't say them until everybody leaves And it's just you and your imaginary friends"

"The punch lines point[ing] at [us]" may once again refer to our popularity in the world. We have "all the comebacks in the world" inside "[our] head[s]," but because we're slow, we "can't say them until everybody leaves"--this refers to how, though we can defend ourselves, we usually only do it after it's too late. "It's just you and your imaginary friends"...we're all alone, with a lot of alliances that don't mean anything at all.

A really great punk song...this is why they call their music "Brechtian Punk Cabaret."