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Def Con One
Pop Will Eat Itself Lyrics


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Ten to doomsday, moving fast...
Heads up! Mind that blast.
No time to sleep, it's Def.Con.One.
Can't get no sleep as the ticking ticks on,
No time for fear, it's Def.Con.One,
No time to eat but get me some
CHORUS
Big Mac, fries to go...
Big Mac, fries to go...
Get me Big Mac, fries to go...
Get me Big Mac, get me fries to go...
Watchman!
We love you all...
Hup! Hup!
Heads up! Ground floor coming up...
How sick is Dick?
How gone is Ron?
How sick is Dick?
How gone is Ron?
What's the time?
It's Def.Con.One...
Say, what's the time?
Just get me some
CHORUS
Goodbye city, hello moon,
Hands up! Vote Dr. Doom!
You know it makes sense...
It's Def.Con.One, hey! What's occuring? What goes on?
It's the only choice...
So get me some
CHORUS

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Pop Will Eat Itself's song Def. Con. One offer a commentary on the paranoia and fear during the Cold War era, specifically referencing the concept of DEFCON (Defense Readiness Condition) levels that the US military used to indicate how prepared they were for a nuclear attack. The song references the urgency of the situation and the lack of time for basic needs like sleep and food, highlighting the seriousness of the threat. The repeated chorus of "Big Mac, fries to go" is a painfully ironic nod to the idea that one might want to have one last fast food meal before an impending nuclear blast is set to hit.


The lyrics also touch on the possibility of a politician like Dr. Doom (presumably a fictional character) being a better choice during such a crisis and the desperation of the situation pushing people to resort to drastic measures. The lyrical references to "How sick is Dick?" and "How gone is Ron?" may be a nod to the political figures Dick Nixon and Ronald Reagan, both of whom were involved in Cold War politics.


Overall, the lyrics to Def. Con. One convey a sense of impending doom and helplessness in the face of a nuclear threat, while also offering some wry commentary on the absurdity of the situation.


Line by Line Meaning

Ten to doomsday, moving fast...
The end of the world is approaching rapidly.


Heads up! Mind that blast.
Be alert and aware of the danger.


No time to sleep, it's Def.Con.One.
There is no time to rest or relax in this critical situation.


Can't get no sleep as the ticking ticks on,
The clock is ticking and time is running out, so there is no time to sleep.


No time for fear, it's Def.Con.One,
Fear will only slow us down and hinder our progress in the current state of emergency.


No time to eat but get me some
Although time is scarce, food is still a priority for survival.


CHORUS Big Mac, fries to go... Big Mac, fries to go... Get me Big Mac, fries to go... Get me Big Mac, get me fries to go...
The singer is craving fast food, which represents an escape from reality and the harshness of the situation.


Watchman! We love you all... Hup! Hup!
The artist is expressing appreciation and support for someone who is serving as a lookout or guard.


Heads up! Ground floor coming up...
Prepare for impact or collision with the ground floor.


How sick is Dick? How gone is Ron? How sick is Dick? How gone is Ron?
The artist is asking about the health and well-being of two individuals named Dick and Ron, but it is unclear who they are or why they matter.


What's the time? It's Def.Con.One... Say, what's the time? Just get me some
The time is of the essence and constantly being checked, but the exact time is not as important as taking action.


CHORUS
Repeating the chorus represents the ongoing desire for fast food and escapism.


Goodbye city, hello moon, Hands up! Vote Dr. Doom! You know it makes sense...
Leaving the city and its problems behind, with a call to action to support a leader named Dr. Doom who promises to bring change.


It's Def.Con.One, hey! What's occuring? What goes on? It's the only choice... So get me some
The situation is urgent and dangerous, but the singer believes that fast food is the only choice or escape available.




Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@anonymousanonymous5327

Ten to doomsday, moving fast...
Heads up! Mind that blast.
No time to sleep, it's Def.Con.One.
Can't get no sleep as the ticking ticks on,
No time for fear, it's Def.Con.One,
No time to eat but get me some
CHORUS
Big Mac, fries to go...
Big Mac, fries to go...
Get me Big Mac, fries to go...
Get me Big Mac, get me fries to go...
Watchman!
We love you all...
Hup! Hup!
Heads up! Ground floor coming up...
How sick is Dick?
How gone is Ron?
How sick is Dick?
How gone is Ron?
What's the time?
It's Def.Con.One...
Say, what's the time?
Just get me some
CHORUS
Goodbye city, hello moon,
Hands up! Vote Dr. Doom!
You know it makes sense...
It's Def.Con.One, hey! What's occuring? What goes on?
It's the only choice...
So get me some



@PhillipWalklett-ek1ch

Welllll ya got
1 . I just wanna be your dog ..by Iggy pop
2..Right Now ...The Creatures
3..Crazy Horses The Osmands
4..Funky Town..Lips Inc
5..Beat this..Bomb The Bass
6..Holidays in the sun..Sex Pistols..
7..Check One..Salt n Pepper
That’s all I can suss..
You got any I ain’t ???



@greatwestern101

Thought I would Google this as I have been listening to the (excellent) Moon soundtrack by Clint Mansell.

Picture the scene, it's a warm summer's day in 1988 and I am driving around during a lunchbreak during my first summer job....this song comes on the radio! I thought it was great at the time, although it was one of those songs that you never quite loved enough to buy the single or the album.

Was surprised to see on PWEI's Wikipedia entry that this track doesn't even get a namecheck.....I THOUGHT IT WAS THEIR BIGGEST HIT??! Apparently not.

Well, here we are on a June evening in 2015 and Def Con One is....erm...well...surprisingly dated and awful. 1988 seems like a golden age now...27...TWENTY SEVEN years ago. I suspect that, like Def Con One, it wasn't anything like a good as I remember it.

Life is better now. :)



All comments from YouTube:

@jamiedriesbach620

Such an innovative band ,..we will never ever see anything like these guys again ,they blazed their own path ,... awesome!

@SubconsciousGatherer

I first heard this song in high school (1989) and it did my head in. Still one of the greatest tunes ever. That Twilight Zone riff gets stuck in my head daily.

@steve40092

and funky town

@staceykinguk

@@steve40092 and The Stooges

@Togetherwtrio

One of my classmates dad is in this (graham crabb) πŸ‘

@londonbizzare7856

@@steve40092 Yup! Pseudo Echo! https://youtu.be/uE-itlGNap4?t=135

@dandunkle6400

God bless the Poppies! Such a genius band and one of the best/most fun concerts I've ever seen

@PhillipWalklett-ek1ch

Same here mate.. I’ve seen em 15 times an every one brill..
I also seen Queen.. an the pops gave me as much fun

@MrCovSid

Massively under-rated band. Compulsory to dance to at the time, and still do now when the opportunity arises!

@ralucagymnast

So underrated and unappreciated; years ahead of their time, loved them back then still love them now.

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