Friday, June 18, 2021

Rock out with your Jello out!


 
 
My first band assembled during the turbulent early to mid 80s. The country was trying to dig itself out of the hole of despair caused by the Vietnam War, Jimmy Carter, the Cold War, and pretty much EVERYTHING that happened during the 70s. During that time punk rock emerged as an answer to the listless masses dancing to disco and having no opinion about what was going on in the world. So my band was a rock / punk band. One of the bands I personally looked up to was The Dead Kennedys. Out of California and led by Jello Biafra, they managed to put out several albums of socially aware records that really epitomized the punk rock movement. Too many bands felt that all they had to do was sing gruffly, and keep the music relatively simple, just fast, and that made it "punk." That's why punk died. You hear a set of power chords and fast beat and the singer is STILL whining about a girl? No. Sorry. Not punk. Jello never lost sight of his goal, to get his opinions out there to share with the masses who were interested in what he had to say. Unfortunately his uninformed opinions are largely pro-socialism. Calls the right fascism but supports an iron-fisted tyrannical system. Makes sense. This week Jello Biafra turned 62. Fuck you and your berfday, old commie bastard!
 

The Dead Kennedys
Holiday in Cambodia
So you been to school
For a year or two
And you know you've seen it all
In daddy's car
Thinkin' you'll go far
Back east your type don't crawl

Play ethnicky jazz
To parade your snazz
On your five grand stereo
Braggin' that you know
How the niggers feel cold
And the slums got so much soul

It's time to taste what you most fear
Right guard will not help you here
Brace yourself, my dear

It's a holiday in Cambodia
It's tough, kid, but its life
It's a holiday in Cambodia
Don't forget to pack a wife

You're a star-belly sneech
You suck like a leach
You want everyone to act like you
Kiss ass while you bitch
So you can get rich
But your boss gets richer off you

Well you'll work harder
With a gun in your back
For a bowl of rice a day
Slave for soldiers
'Till you starve
Then your head is skewered on a stake

Now you can go where people are one
Now you can go where they get things done
What you need, my son.

Is a holiday in Cambodia
Where people dress in black
A holiday in Cambodia
Where you'll kiss ass or crack

Pol pot, pol pot, pol pot, pol pot, etc.

And it's a holiday in Cambodia
Where you'll do what you're told
A holiday in Cambodia
Where the slums got so much soul

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