I can't find a definition for the word "snibe" outside of Urban Dictionary, so...I have no idea how to interpret the band's use of the word as the title. But I definitely don't think it's a song that's derogatory towards poor people. I've always gotten the exact opposite vibes from it.
"we stand in the marketplace
with cold september eyes on the hungry people
we passed the interrogation
signed our names at the bottom of the government paper"
The singer has the POV of someone who's part of a group that looks down on the impoverished masses. The POV of someone who has joined "the system" and is indifferent to the struggles of the hungry and unfortunate in society.
"you reign
you die
you wait
you cry
this time in the light
small flame in the night
you come
you bend
you burn
sick enough to infect me
but too far gone to protect me"
This part sounds more like it's an outside narrator describing the previous person, or perhaps one of the people on the impoverished side of the fence. The person who's looking down on the masses is themself not all-powerful: they're probably a small-time politician or government official who has sold out and stepped on other people to try to gain power, and has had a tumultuous experience doing so. They ended up being only a "small flame in the night." They're a poisonous part of the system, making people "sick," but not strong enough to actually make any significant changes to society, to "protect" anyone.
anyway I feel like it's a hugely political song, painting images of disenfranchised masses protesting the indifferent privileged people in power who don't help them.
I can't find a definition for the word "snibe" outside of Urban Dictionary, so...I have no idea how to interpret the band's use of the word as the title. But I definitely don't think it's a song that's derogatory towards poor people. I've always gotten the exact opposite vibes from it.
"we stand in the marketplace with cold september eyes on the hungry people we passed the interrogation signed our names at the bottom of the government paper"
The singer has the POV of someone who's part of a group that looks down on the impoverished masses. The POV of someone who has joined "the system" and is indifferent to the struggles of the hungry and unfortunate in society.
"you reign you die you wait you cry this time in the light small flame in the night you come you bend you burn
sick enough to infect me but too far gone to protect me"
This part sounds more like it's an outside narrator describing the previous person, or perhaps one of the people on the impoverished side of the fence. The person who's looking down on the masses is themself not all-powerful: they're probably a small-time politician or government official who has sold out and stepped on other people to try to gain power, and has had a tumultuous experience doing so. They ended up being only a "small flame in the night." They're a poisonous part of the system, making people "sick," but not strong enough to actually make any significant changes to society, to "protect" anyone.
anyway I feel like it's a hugely political song, painting images of disenfranchised masses protesting the indifferent privileged people in power who don't help them.