Here Comes President Kill Again
Andy Partridge/XTC Lyrics
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Surrounded by all of his killing men.
Telling us who, why, where and when,
President Kill wants killing again.
Hooray, ring out the bells,
King Conscience is dead.
Hooray, now back in your cells,
Here comes President Kill again.
Broadcasting from his killing den.
Dressed in pounds and dollars and yen,
President Kill wants killing again.
Hooray, hang out the flags,
Queen Caring is dead.
Hooray, we'll stack body bags,
For President Kill instead.
Ain't democracy wonderful?
Them Russians can't win!
Ain't democracy wonderful?
Lets us vote someone like that in.
Here comes President Kill again,
From pure White House to Number 10.
Taking lives with a smoking pen,
President Kill wants killing again.
Hooray, everything's great,
Now President Kill is dead.
Hooray, I'll bet you can't wait,
To vote for President Kill instead...
The lyrics of Here Comes President Kill Again by Andy Partridge of XTC vividly express a sense of disillusionment with the political leaders and their policies that seemingly promote armed conflicts and violence. The song portrays President Kill as a megalomaniac and a tyrant who is surrounded by his loyal killers and who takes pleasure in starting wars and conflicts. His actions are contrasted with the demise of the more benevolent leaders, such as King Conscience and Queen Caring, who are no longer in power.
The lyrics are critical of the idea of democracy and the way it can sometimes allow for individuals like President Kill to come to power through the democratic process. The chorus sarcastically exclaims “ain’t democracy wonderful?” and points out that it allows for people like President Kill to rise to power. The song does a scathing critique of the United States' foreign policy, which has been accused of fueling conflicts in different parts of the world.
Overall, the song's lyrics can be seen as a reflection on the global state of affairs in the late 20th century, especially in regards to war and conflict within and outside the United States.
Line by Line Meaning
Here comes President Kill again,
The singer is commenting on the repetition of violent and deadly behavior from the President.
Surrounded by all of his killing men.
The President is being aided by individuals who support his violent tendencies.
Telling us who, why, where and when,
The President is providing details on who his targets are, why they are being targeted, where the actions will take place, and when they will occur.
President Kill wants killing again.
The artist is reiterating that the President desires to carry out violent actions once more.
Hooray, ring out the bells,
The artist is sarcastically celebrating the end of a conscience-driven leader.
King Conscience is dead.
The previous leader was known for their compassionate and empathetic leadership style.
Hooray, now back in your cells,
With the new violent leader in place, the public must revert back to their subservient role.
We've President Kill instead.
The violent leader is present and the artist is referring to them as 'President Kill'.
Here comes President Kill again.
The artist is continuing to highlight the repetitive nature of violent leadership.
Broadcasting from his killing den.
The violent leader is using their platform to incite and encourage violent behavior.
Dressed in pounds and dollars and yen,
The violent leader is depicted as being obsessed with money and the accumulation of wealth.
President Kill wants killing again.
Again, the artist is emphasizing the violent tendencies of the leader.
Hooray, hang out the flags,
The singer is continuing their sarcastic tone by suggesting that violent leadership should be celebrated with flags and other national symbols.
Queen Caring is dead.
The previous leader was known for their empathy and caring nature.
Hooray, we'll stack body bags,
The singer is suggesting that the new leader's actions will lead to a significant amount of death and violence.
For President Kill instead.
Again, the artist is referring to the new leader as 'President Kill'.
Ain't democracy wonderful?
The artist is being sarcastic, suggesting that a supposed democratic system can result in violent leadership.
Them Russians can't win!
The singer is mocking the idea that democracy is superior to other forms of government.
Ain't democracy wonderful?
The singer is again mocking the idea that democracy is ideal, given the violent leader in power.
Lets us vote someone like that in.
The artist is highlighting the disturbing fact that the public voted for a leader with such violent tendencies.
Here comes President Kill again,
The repetition of the phrase continues to emphasize the cyclical nature of violent leadership.
From pure White House to Number 10.
The violent leader is depicted as moving from the United States' White House to Number 10 Downing Street, the British Prime Minister's residence.
Taking lives with a smoking pen,
The violent leader is using their authority to target and harm individuals, often without any physical interaction.
President Kill wants killing again.
The violent tendencies of the leader are again emphasized.
Hooray, everything's great,
The singer is employing sarcasm to suggest that the situation is not great, given the violent leader in place.
Now President Kill is dead.
The cycle of violent leadership has come to an end.
Hooray, I'll bet you can't wait,
Once again demonstrating sarcasm, the singer suggests that people are eager for another violent leader to take President Kill's place.
To vote for President Kill instead...
The song ends on a cautionary note, suggesting that the cycle of violent leadership will continue if the public continues to vote for such leaders.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANDY PARTRIDGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind