Down on Freestreet
The Hellacopters Lyrics
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Buried six feet down
In a one horse -
Carefully locked door town
Where no one ever comes around
There ain't nothing there to be found
An eye for an eye pound for pound
Blown up yet minimal
Built up by criminal hands
To the republic - it's sick
For which it stands
There's a man on desolation row
Reaping fruits that someone else has sown
And a prime time appearence on a television show
You know the sheep are ridden with disease
And i'm down on bending knees
The tumour's spreading oh so fast
The remedy will never last
The die's been cast and the deadline's past
There's a crying beholder
But no one told her why
Just wrapped up in plastic
Conveniently elastic lies
I got my radio on
It's playing that same old stupid song
Over and over for much too long
I've got to turn that damn thing down...
The lyrics to The Hellacopters’ song “Down on Freestreet” are certainly cryptic and symbolic, giving listeners a lot to try and unpack. The song paints a picture of a forsaken and decrepit town, where the people are ridden with disease and the buildings are shoddily constructed by criminals. It seems that the town is a product of the larger system in which it exists, as the lyrics suggest that it is to the republic’s detriment that such a place exists. The song’s protagonist finds himself listening to a repetitive radio song in this place, suggesting that he is trapped and unable to escape because of the state of things around him.
The lyrics include several vivid and poignant images, such as the man on Desolation Row (which was the title of a Bob Dylan song). The phrase “reaping fruits that someone else has sown” is particularly thought-provoking, suggesting that the man is dealing with the consequences of someone else’s actions. The “prime time appearance on a television show” also stands out, suggesting that the town is somehow relevant or significant to a wider audience, despite being barren and empty. The themes of disease and decay run throughout the song, with the line “the tumor’s spreading oh so fast” suggesting that the problems in this town are spreading and getting worse without any hope of a cure.
Overall, “Down on Freestreet” is a bleak and haunting song that paints a picture of a town that has been left behind and forgotten by the rest of the world. It is a reflection on the decay and erosion of modern society, where people are trapped in situations they can’t escape and left to deal with the consequences of other people’s actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Down on freestreet
We are in a place called "Freestreet."
Buried six feet down
Metaphorically, the place is like a graveyard, lifeless and dead.
In a one horse -
It is a tiny, non-prosperous place.
Carefully locked door town
A place where people are closed off to the outside.
Where no one ever comes around
People tend to avoid this place.
There ain't nothing there to be found
There is nothing of value to be discovered here.
An eye for an eye pound for pound
People here respond to aggression with aggression.
Blown up yet minimal
Despite being run-down, there is still something unique about the place.
Built up by criminal hands
Criminals played a role in building the place.
To the republic - it's sick
This place is unhealthy and corrupt, despite being part of a larger entity.
For which it stands
This line echoes the final phrase of the Pledge of Allegiance ('...for which it stands').
There's a man on desolation row
There is a guy living in the most desperate part of town.
Reaping fruits that someone else has sown
He is living off the spoils of others' hard work.
And a prime time appearence on a television show
Despite his poverty, he briefly appeared on TV.
You know the sheep are ridden with disease
People here are diseased and sickly.
And i'm down on bending knees
The artist is desperate and praying for help.
The tumour's spreading oh so fast
The problems in this place are growing exponentially.
The remedy will never last
No solution will be able to fix the problems here.
The die's been cast and the deadline's past
It is too late to fix this place.
There's a crying beholder
An observer is lamenting what they see before them.
But no one told her why
She is not aware of what caused the problems in this place.
Just wrapped up in plastic
People here have no freedom or autonomy.
Conveniently elastic lies
The stories people tell each other are malleable and conveniently fit the current moment.
I got my radio on
The artist is listening to music.
It's playing that same old stupid song
The music is repetitive and uninteresting.
Over and over for much too long
The music has been playing for an unbearable amount of time.
I've got to turn that damn thing down...
The singer can't stand listening to the music anymore and turns the radio off.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDERS LINDSTROM, KENNY DICK HAKANSSON, NIKLAS ANDERS ANDERSSON, ROBERT DAHLQUIST, ROBERT MATZ ERIKSSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind