R.E.M. / Manics

[Conghaileach]

Does anyone here like R.E.M. or the Manic Street Preachers?

R.E.M. had a lot of politically charged songs out in the mid 80s - their albums Lifes Rich Pageant and Document were full of songs about American actions around the world. Some examples would be Fall On Me (sort of a double meaning between how industries poison the atmosphere, and the American idea that everything has a price), The Flowers of Guatemala (about the victims of CIA operations in Latin America) and Exhuming McCarthy (bascially about the McCarthyb witch-hunts).

The Manics are very political and leftist. On their most recent album, KnowYour Enemy, they have a song called Baby Elian (about Elian Gonzalez and the entire US/Cuba custody battle) which includes the line "America, the Devil's playground", and Let Robeson Sing about Paul Robeson and his battle with the CIA. On an earlier album they had a song called IfWhatAmericaToldTheTruthForOneDayIt'sWorldWouldFa llApart (I'd give a deeper explanation but I can't understand any of the lyrics :)).

I think they're both two cool bands.

[El Commandante]

I really like the manics, I listen to a lot of their music just to chill. There latest album was good, and they got a lot of respect from me for the gig that they did in Cuba.

[El Commandante]

I've found the lyrics for you, for IFAMERICATOLDTHETRUTHFORONEDAYIT'SWORLDWOULDFALLAP ART:

IMAGES OF PERFECTION, SUNTAN AND NAPALM. GRENADA - HAITI - POLAND - NICARAGUA. WHO SHALL WE CHOOSE FOR OUR MORALITY. I'M THINKING RIGHT NOW OF HOLLYWOOD TRAGEDY. BIG MAC SMACK: PHOENIX R: PLEASE SMILE Y'ALL. CUBA, MEXICO CAN'T CAUTERISE OUR DISCIPLINE. YOUR IDOLS SPEAK SO MUCH OF THE ABYSS. YET YOUR MORALS ONLY RUN AS DEEP AS THE SURFACE.

COOL - GROOVY - MORNING - FINE. TIPPER GORE WAS FRIEND OF MINE. I LOVE A FREE COUNTRY. THE STARS AND STRIPES AND AN APPLE FOR MOMMY.

CONSERVATIVES SAY THERE AIN'T NO BLACK IN THE UNION JACK. DEMOCRAT SAY THERE AIN'T ENOUGH WHITE IN THE STARS AND STRIPES.

COMPTON - HARLEM - A PIMP FUCKED A PRIEST. THE WHITE MAN HAS JUST FOUND A NEW MORAL SAVIOUR. VITAL STATS - HOW WHITE WAS THEIR SKIN. UNIMPORTANT - JUST ANOTHER INNER-CITY DRIVE BY THING. MORNING - FINE - SERVE YOUR FIRST COFFEE OF THE DAY. REAL PRIVILEGE, IT WILL TAKE YOUR PROBLEMS AWAY. NUMBER ONE - THE BEST - NO EXCUSE FROM ME. I AM HERE TO SERVE THE MORAL MAJORITY.

COOL - GROOVY - MORNING - FINE. TIPPER GORE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE. I LOVE A FREE COUNTRY. THE STARS AND STRIPES AND AN APPLE FOR MOMMY.

ZAPRUDER THE FIRST TO MASTURBATE. THE WORLD'S FIRST TASTE OF CRUCIFIED GRACE.

FUCK THE BRADY BILL. FUCK THE BRADY BILL. IF GOD MADE MAN THEY SAY. SAM COLT MADE HIM EQUAL.

[Conghaileach]

Thanks for the lyrics.

I was able to get the Manics concert in Cuba on DVD. There's apparently a hidden feature of two radio interviews with Castro, each 7 minutes long. I can't find them though.

The rest of its pretty cool. You get to see them meeting Castro in the documentary part. Very cool. :)

[El Commandante]

No problem, glad that I could be of help.

[Zippy]

I saw the Manics at Reading 2001 and they were amazing. Im an old fan, and their new stuff isnt really the same, but they are still cool at what they do.

Zippy.

[rumblefish86]

Im going to see the Manics in July and i cant fucking wait.

The explanation of the lyrics to Ifwhiteamerica... is its anti American gun laws, hence the bit about Sam Colt.

[rumblefish86]

http://che-lives.com/cgi/community/upload/Holybible.jpg

MANIC STREET PREACHERS FUCKING RULE!!!!!

[hawarameen]

i have seen them live 4 times and i would see them another 400 times.

the song is about many things that america does.

WHO SHALL WE CHOOSE FOR OUR MORALITY - very apt at the moment i think this say 'who shall we choose to impose our morality' i.e. iraq and those other countries.

i think the song tries to play on the images of perfection that american governments and some of their people put out to the world.

also the song title is important, If white america told the truth for one day its whole world would fall apart. this i think means that america is based on lies from its way of life up to its politics and if people knew what really happened for ONE day america would fall apart

(Edited by hawarameen at 1:48 am on May 22, 2003)