Business Suits and Combat Boots Lyrics

Lyric discussion by Makoorakoo 

Cover art for Business Suits and Combat Boots lyrics by Agonist, The

Well the title gives an insight into how buisness is like war, it makes money and they are both alike.

"Does history guide you, or do you set out to change it?" This simple intro statement is asking quite a personal question, are you controlled or do you control yourself?

"Fuck your... Skinned- alive designer wear Fashion shades and salon hair Heels to help where nature failed Artificial teeth and nails"

This section clearly states how fashion comes from the living animals. Of course some parts cannot be taken without killing said animals. It also attacks the false nature humans have gained, so in order to "better" ourselves we need to wear something in order to identify with our environments. In doing so we must be fake to achieve perfection.

"The wasp's nest expands"

Wasps as anyone knows are quite useless animals to humans, and very dangerous to anything they can sting. They are like an army, and so are humans as the metaphorical nest of buisness expands.

"It's her! The one black woman who's success you don't credit to Affirmative Action The way of the future is corporate sponsors raising your kids Maternal love is nothing compared to what seven dollars gives Put in, suck out plastic body parts It's the ever-growing industry, industry of cosmetic arts! Bombarded with the idealized shots, dysmorphic, self-destructive plots"

This starts with pointing out the black people that are ignored, on top of that it has an influence of feminism. Even today such discrimination occurs. The corporations in this world do seem to raise kids, such as the tv. A simple cartoon character can influence a childs life more than their own parents if left long enough. Again it also pays note to being false and becoming part of the expanding buisnesses and control brought by it. In effect it all causes a social norm that grows until it becomes the main norm and thus those who dont conform are frowned upon. However its all self destructive in the end as humans of the ignorant nature become more robotic to the world being created around them.

"Physical flaws are a mental blank"

When people become self conscious of their physical attributes they become distracted and thus cannot think so easily in logical ways.

"So pay your surgeons Its your parents who you should thank"

Sarcastic comment revealing that the parents are to blame for their kids upbringing. Well in effect this is true, as I mentioned before with the tv example.

"These eyes are blind to several hundred left behind (Lest we forget again) But the border is breached but not broken Who tries to find the several hundred left behind, When the border is breached but not broken?"

I believe the chorus is in honor of those wise enough to break the mould and fight against the norms. Unfortunately these brave people are fighting against the world due to such individuality. Of course, the masses dont like anything different from them. So we may breach the line, but not break through with all humanity.

"Go-existing in a twisted society Where youth is a crime and wasteful sweat-shops expenditures is how luxury is defined Now the KKK has found a new masquerade Fuck your self-proclaimed supremacy You hide your face and your shame!"

The world in all its negativity is in the starting line. The young in society are seen as deviants before they even have a chance to prove their innocence. Also we all know that sweat shops in many countries pay low wages for hard labour. In the chain it becomes out luxury to use what they make, and yet humans dont think of what started that chain. Then we get the mention of supremecy, the song examplifies the KKK which are still even now a powerful racist group who always find new ways to attack the other ethnicities. Of course with their costumes they hide their face behind a white veil.

"Identify right and wrong when all fact is merely opinion You cannot know the sweetness of victory without first dwelling in the agony of defeat"

We are told by the media what is "fact" in their opinion. Isnt it strange how they make what they say seem a reality. What is right and wrong? Were the Germans the bad guys in the world wars? Its all a matter of opinion. And the last line here simply makes it clear that without hardship you will never know how good things can really be.

This is my take on the song.

wow, couldn't explain the song better myself.