Yep, a great angry song from a great angry album by a great angry artist. No question.
The true meaning of the song isn't just a list of things Lou was fed up with. It's the title. Strawman. As in "a straw man argument". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man
A straw man argument is a false argument, an intentional exaggeration, one easily defeated. Nobody NEEDS the things he lists in the song, like a $60,000 car. Check the opening lines:
We who have so much / to you who have so little
to you who don't have anything at all
We who have so much / more than any one man does need
and you who don't have anything at all
We (the wealthy citizens of New York) don't NEED any of these things. Not compared to the rest of the world, which is in ruins. What we need is a sign that the our time is running out - the flaming sword, etc.
Yep, a great angry song from a great angry album by a great angry artist. No question.
The true meaning of the song isn't just a list of things Lou was fed up with. It's the title. Strawman. As in "a straw man argument". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man
A straw man argument is a false argument, an intentional exaggeration, one easily defeated. Nobody NEEDS the things he lists in the song, like a $60,000 car. Check the opening lines:
We who have so much / to you who have so little to you who don't have anything at all We who have so much / more than any one man does need and you who don't have anything at all
We (the wealthy citizens of New York) don't NEED any of these things. Not compared to the rest of the world, which is in ruins. What we need is a sign that the our time is running out - the flaming sword, etc.