Dry Drunk Emperor
TV on the Radio Lyrics

Baby boy
Addressing the listener as a small, vulnerable, innocent child

Dying under hot desert sun
Depicting a painful experience of death due to unbearable heat

Watch your colours run
Skin color starting to fade and lose vibrancy due to exposure to the sun

Did you believe the lie they told you
Questioning the listener's faith in the government's promises and propaganda

That christ would lead the way
The government's insincere attempt to make people believe in divine connection to their actions

And in a matter of days
The expectation of an instant victory without going through the inevitable war trials

Hand us victory
The government's jingoistic attitude towards war and bloodshed

Did you buy the bull they sold you
Challenging the listener's critical thinking and questioning their purchase of government's messages

That the bullets and the bombs
The government's weapons of mass destruction that cause terrible destruction

And all the strong arms
The military's strong and powerful warriors engaging in war

Would bring home security
The belief that endangering foreign lives will ensure domestic safety

All eyes upon
Drawing attention to someone amidst a public event

Dry drunk emperor
Labelling the government leader as a foolish, intoxicated ruler

Gold cross cross jock skull and bones
Critiquing the corrupt and immoral elements of the government using Religious smokescreens

Mocking smile
Sarcastic smile indicating the leader's amusement towards current affairs

He's been
Referring to the leader being in power for a long time

Standing naked for a while
The leader's vulnerability and susceptibility to judgement is now exposed

Get him gone, get him gone, get him gone
Demanding the leader's removal from office

And bring all the thieves to trial
Justice must be served to all the corrupt officials aiding the leader.

End their promise
Putting an end to the government's hollow promises

End their dream
Overthrowing the government's false propaganda

Watch it turn to steam
Seeing the remnants of the government's vision vanish into thin air

Rising to the nose of some cross legged god
Symbolizing the divine spiritual force watching the government's corruption unravel

Gog of magog
Referring to the Antichrist in the Biblical prophecy

End times sort of thing
Alluding to the apocalyptic events that will mark the end of the world

Oh unmentionable disgrace
Labeling the government as unforgivable, shameful, and castaway

Shield the children's faces
The atrocities of the government cannot fall upon innocent children

As all the monied apes
Critiquing the greed and carnal nature of the government officials

Display unimaginably poor taste
The government's actions are disgraceful and lack morality

In a scramble for mastery
Describing the government's hunger for power and control over others

Atta' boy get em with your gun
Sarcastically applauding the leader's choice of violence over diplomacy

Till mr. mega ton
Referencing nuclear bombs and their horrific impact

Tells us when we've won
A reckoning point that the damage has been done to other nations

Or what we're gonna leave undone
Uncertainty over the repercussions of their military actions and their effect in the long term.

What if all the fathers and the sons
Imagine a world where family members band together as a united front

Went marching with their guns
Envision an armed, militant protest against the government

Drawn on Washington
Directly addressing the government with their discontent and anger

That would seal the deal
The ultimate act of resistance that could bring real change

Show if it was real
The underlying question if the government is truly operating in the best interest of its country

This supposed freedom
Highlighting the irony between the government's propaganda and the reality of life under their rule

What if all the bleeding hearts
Appealing to the human decency and compassion that exists in humanity

Took it on themselves
Taking initiative towards enacting positive change

To make a brand new start
Advocating for the birth of a new and just society

Organs pumpin on their sleeves
The passion fueling the activists' goals are on display for everyone to see

Paint murals on the white house
Sprucing up the ugly truth being covered up by the government

Feed the leaders L.S.D
Metaphorically feeding the government their own medicine

Grab your fife and drum
Uniting behind a common cause and rallying people around it with a call to action

Grab yor gold baton
Empowering the opposition with a symbol of command and leadership

And let's meet on the lawn
A gathering place where the opposition can converge to finalize their plans for change

Shut down this hypocrisy
Putting an end to government's insincerity and double standards.