In this particular piece, Beck is referring to a common frustration of middle-aged, balding caucasian males. The "new pollution" (also known as 'poluição nova' in his native language of Portuguese) represents an extreme fear of the unknown. The 'unknown' in this case, however, is perfectly obvious to an objective observer; it is his discovery of 'a camoflauged paradise' -- or a chronic inability to achieve a solid, firm erection. The unfortunate discovery hits Beck like an a bolt of lightning. It is a sobering, caustic "whip-crack sending [him] shivers." So much, in fact, that it causes an identity crisis seen by Beck's refering to himself in third person, as a female, throughout the song. And as I'm sure many of you have inferred, when Beck says "cigarette" he clearly means "penis."
In this particular piece, Beck is referring to a common frustration of middle-aged, balding caucasian males. The "new pollution" (also known as 'poluição nova' in his native language of Portuguese) represents an extreme fear of the unknown. The 'unknown' in this case, however, is perfectly obvious to an objective observer; it is his discovery of 'a camoflauged paradise' -- or a chronic inability to achieve a solid, firm erection. The unfortunate discovery hits Beck like an a bolt of lightning. It is a sobering, caustic "whip-crack sending [him] shivers." So much, in fact, that it causes an identity crisis seen by Beck's refering to himself in third person, as a female, throughout the song. And as I'm sure many of you have inferred, when Beck says "cigarette" he clearly means "penis."