He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
Bolt-lock your doors
Alarm your cars
And still we move in closer
Every day
Top of the list
Is your smiling kids
But we'll be smiling too
So that's OK
Oh, and by the way
Thank you, because you're
Giving, giving, giving
And we're receiving
No, no, we're taking
Keeping the population down
Your taxes paid, but
Police waylaid
And we knows
When the school bus
Comes and goes
We're on your street, but
You don't see us
Or, if you do
You smile and say Hello
But don't underestimate us
When you are
Giving, giving, giving
And we're receiving
No, no, we're taking
Just keeping
The population down
You're giving, giving, giving
Well, it's your own fault
For reproducing
We're just keeping
The population down
Alarm your cars
And still we move in closer
Every day
Top of the list
Is your smiling kids
But we'll be smiling too
So that's OK
Oh, and by the way
Thank you, because you're
Giving, giving, giving
And we're receiving
No, no, we're taking
Keeping the population down
Your taxes paid, but
Police waylaid
And we knows
When the school bus
Comes and goes
We're on your street, but
You don't see us
Or, if you do
You smile and say Hello
But don't underestimate us
When you are
Giving, giving, giving
And we're receiving
No, no, we're taking
Just keeping
The population down
You're giving, giving, giving
Well, it's your own fault
For reproducing
We're just keeping
The population down
Lyrics submitted by weezerific:cutlery
Ambitious Outsiders Lyrics as written by Whyte Morrissey
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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He certainly did earn that reputation.
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This song is def a twin to "Unfair" (a song she has been quoted as saying is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship) so it is presumably about the same person. Given the references to buying an apartment and not being able to see her love interest "after tonight," it's most likely that she's moving away and she'll "wait a day to break the bad news" (i.e. notifying him that she's leaving once she's already gone).
And, of course, the fact that she sees in him a fellow "idealist" and "dreamer" (terms commonly given to people with the INFP personality on the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)) portends that she'll always be left wondering if they would've been perfect together.
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"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
This sone in NOT about homosexuality. This song is about the Government in China. Where you can only have 1 or 2 kids, anymore and the Government takes you child and gets rid of it. Thats why he says "Top of the list is your smiling kids" and "Keeping the population down" China is over populated and this is a way to keep the population down.
@AFTERTHEWAR wow amazing how thirteen years later someone here is replying to you comment. Lol. Anyway, that's an interesting take considering the background music hhas a Chinese sound to it. Could be.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedophilia_and_child_sexual_abuse_in_songs says:
He almost seems to be putting himself in the position of some kind of murderer here. Thought - provoking stuff.
i think its about the ignerant fear that homosexuality is contagious and that gay men are child molesters (most molesters are heterosexual, and most child murders are comited by parents) keeping the population down isnt killing its just not procreating
It's interesting the way he describes it, especially the line "We're on your street, but You don't see us/Or, if you do/You smile and say Hello" Like they make all this fuss of being afraid of gays molesting their children, hearing and seeing signs that "they're moving in closer every day!", but really the people they're making out to be terrible monsters are the perfectly normal, kind neighbours they smile at and greet every day on the street, and it's really very ridiculous. Morrissey also makes it spiteful and sarcastic, like they've finally given up fighting it, the hate, and trying to convince them: Whatever, it's your own fault for having children!
Hm. Let's try sharing that link again... It should be: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedophilia_and_child_sexual_abuse_in_songs
I fail. Oh, well.
LycanthropicLion: Remember Wikipedia is not gospel - interesting as it may be, that's just one person's interpretation they've posted.
Great song, anyway; I always assumed it was about the public being afraid of gay chaps, treating them like murderers.
i think this song is another in the form of "the kind of person that..." you know
upper middle class homophobic,xenophobic,racist, suburban paranoia. but i don't think the other discussed meanings are excluded
thanks
This is about immigrants who tend to commit a disproportionate number of crimes and constantly complain about their living conditions when they have more children than they can feed and raise.