We're sorry
But you're no longer needed
Or wanted
Or even cared about here
Machines can do a better job than you
This is what you get for asking questions

The unions agree
'Sacrifices must be made'
Computers never go on strike
To save the working man you've got to put him out to pasture

Looks like we'll have to let you go
Doesn't it feel fulfilling to know
That you-the human being-are now obsolete
And there's nothing in hell we'll let you do about it

Soup is good food-(We don't need you any more)
You made a good meal-(We don't need you any more)
Now how do you feel-(We don't need you any more)
To be shit out our ass
And thrown in the cold like a piece of trash
We're sorry
You'll just have to leave
Unemployment runs out after just six weeks
How does it feel to be a budget cut?
You're snipped
You no longer exist

Your number's been purged from our central computer
So we can rig the facts
And sweep you under the rug
See our chart? Unemployment's going down
If that ruins your life that's your problem

Soup is Good Food, Etc.
We're sorry
We hate to interrupt
But it's against the law to jump off this bridge
You'll just have to kill yourself somewhere else
A tourist might see you
And we wouldn't want that

I'm just doing my job, you know
So say uncle
And we'll take you to the mental health zoo
Force feed you mind-melting chemicals
Til even the outside world looks great

In hi-tech science research labs
It costs too much to bury all the dead
The mutilated disease-injected
Surplus rats who can't be used anymore

So they're dumped (with no minister present)
In a spiraling corkscrew dispose-all unit
Ground into sludge and flushed away
Aw geez

Soup is good food
You made a good meal, etc:.
We know how much you'd like to die
We joke about it on our coffee breaks
But we're paid to force you to have a nice day
In the wonderful world we made just for you
"Poor Rats", we human rodents chuckle
At least we get a dignified cremation
At yet
At 6:00 tomorrow morning
It's time to get up and go to work

Overall Meaning

The song Soup Is Good Food by Dead Kennedys is a sarcastic commentary on the dehumanization of the workforce in the age of automation, outsourcing, and corporate greed. The lyrics speak of how the workers are no longer valued for their skills, knowledge, and experience but are treated as disposable commodities that can be easily replaced by machines or cheaper labor from other countries. The song also highlights the complicity of the unions, the government, and the media in perpetuating the myth of progress and prosperity while ignoring the suffering, alienation, and despair of those who are left behind in the race to the bottom.

The first stanza sets the tone of the song by portraying the workers as voiceless, powerless, and irrelevant in the face of the corporate machine. The second stanza ridicules the idea of sacrifice as a euphemism for exploitation and oppression, and mocks the idea of using technology to solve social problems instead of confronting them. The chorus repeats the phrase Soup Is Good Food as a bitter reminder that even the most basic human needs are subject to the logic of the market and the whims of the elite. The third stanza takes a dark turn by suggesting that suicide and mental illness are the inevitable consequences of a society that values efficiency over empathy, and that treats people as disposable commodities.

The fourth stanza brings the song back to the theme of dehumanization by depicting the fate of laboratory rats as analogous to that of human workers. The image of rats being ground into sludge and flushed away symbolizes the utter disregard for life and dignity that characterizes corporate capitalism. The final stanza is a chilling reminder that the cycle of exploitation and oppression is never-ending, as the workers are forced to get up and go to work, day after day, without any hope of escape or redemption.

Line by Line Meaning

We're sorry
We regret to inform you

But you're no longer needed
Your services are no longer required

Or wanted
We do not desire your presence

Or even cared about here
We have no concern for your well-being

Machines can do a better job than you
Automated technology surpasses your abilities

This is what you get for asking questions
Your curiosity has led to your dismissal

The unions agree
The labor organizations concur

'Sacrifices must be made'
'Compromises must be accepted'

Computers never go on strike
Automated systems never protest

To save the working man you've got to put him out to pasture
Firing employees is necessary to benefit the workforce as a whole

Looks like we'll have to let you go
It seems we must terminate your position

Doesn't it feel fulfilling to know
Isn't it satisfying to be aware

That you-the human being-are now obsolete
You as a human are now outdated

And there's nothing in hell we'll let you do about it
There is nothing you can do to make us reconsider

Soup is good food-(We don't need you any more)
We have no use for you

You made a good meal-(We don't need you any more)
You were valuable at one point, but you are no longer needed

Now how do you feel-(We don't need you any more)
How does it feel to be obsolete

To be shit out our ass
To be discarded like waste

And thrown in the cold like a piece of trash
To be treated as insignificant

We're sorry
We regret to inform you

You'll just have to leave
You must depart

Unemployment runs out after just six weeks
You can only receive government assistance for a limited time

How does it feel to be a budget cut?
How does it feel to be a financial casualty?

You're snipped
You have been eliminated

You no longer exist
You are nonexistent in our eyes

Your number's been purged from our central computer
Your data has been removed from our database

So we can rig the facts
So we can manipulate the data

And sweep you under the rug
And hide our actions from scrutiny

See our chart? Unemployment's going down
Our graph shows a decline in joblessness

If that ruins your life that's your problem
If this negatively impacts your life, it is your issue to deal with

Soup is good food, Etc.
You are insignificant

We're sorry
We regret to inform you

We hate to interrupt
We dislike disturbing you

But it's against the law to jump off this bridge
Suicide by jumping off this bridge is prohibited by law

You'll just have to kill yourself somewhere else
You will need to find another location to commit suicide

A tourist might see you
A traveler could witness your self-harm

And we wouldn't want that
And we do not want that to occur

I'm just doing my job, you know
I am solely fulfilling my employment duties

So say uncle
Give in

And we'll take you to the mental health zoo
And we'll bring you to a psychiatric institution

Force feed you mind-melting chemicals
Administer drugs that impair cognitive function

Til even the outside world looks great
These substances will make reality appear pleasant

In hi-tech science research labs
Advanced scientific exploration facilities

It costs too much to bury all the dead
Burial expenses are unreasonable for all the deceased

The mutilated disease-injected surplus rats who can't be used anymore
The inoperable, sickened rats used in experiments

So they're dumped (with no minister present)
They are disposed of without ceremony

In a spiraling corkscrew dispose-all unit
In an incinerator

Ground into sludge and flushed away
Reduced to liquid and discarded

Aw geez
Oh, goodness

Soup is good food
You are insignificant

You made a good meal, etc:.
You were useful, but not anymore

We know how much you'd like to die
We acknowledge your suicidal desires

We joke about it on our coffee breaks
We find your situation amusing

But we're paid to force you to have a nice day
But we have to provide a pleasant experience for you

In the wonderful world we made just for you
In the fabricated environment we created

"Poor Rats", we human rodents chuckle
We condescendingly laugh at the rats used in experiments

At least we get a dignified cremation
At least we receive a proper funeral

At yet
However

At 6:00 tomorrow morning
Tomorrow morning at 6:00

It's time to get up and go to work
You must wake up and go to work

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Darren Henley, Eric Reed Boucher, Geoffrey Lyall, Raymond John Pepperelle

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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