21st Century Schizoid Man
April Wine Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Cat's foot iron claw
Neuro-surgeons scream for more
At paranoia's poison door
Twenty first century schizoid man

Blood rack barbed wire
Politicians' funeral pyre
Innocents raped with napalm fire
Twenty first century schizoid man

Death seed blind man's greed
Poets' starving children bleed




Nothing he's got he really needs
Twenty first century schizoid man

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of April Wine's song "21st Century Schizoid Man" describe a world full of chaos, violence, and madness. The first stanza portrays a terrifying world of neuro-surgeons continuously seeking more, addicted to the excitement and danger of their jobs, often leading to lethal consequences. The paranoia is also symbolically present at the door of this century's schizoid man, emphasizing how the world has become an inhospitable place where people are scared of themselves, others, and their environment.


The second stanza depicts a world where politicians have failed their citizens, causing devastation instead of peace, mainly through unnecessary wars that have led to countless innocent lives being taken. The haunting image of "innocents raped with napalm fire" brings to attention the horrors of war and the impact it has on the innocents. The phrase "twenty first-century schizoid man" acts as a reminder that while society has progressed, people remain scarred by their greed for power, domination, and the accumulation of wealth.


Lastly, the third stanza portrays the bleakness of the human condition, with the death of human morality and the lack of compassion and care for people in need. Blind human greed seems to rule over everything, leading to poets' starving children, who are left to suffer and die needlessly. The final line, "nothing he's got he really needs," sums up the human condition today, where people have become so woefully detached from reality that they have lost sight of what truly matters in life.


Line by Line Meaning

Cat's foot iron claw
A description of the singer's perception of the world as harsh and oppressive.


Neuro-surgeons scream for more
Medical professionals who are obsessed with finding solutions to unpredictable mental health conditions.


At paranoia's poison door
The notion that paranoia can lead to toxic behaviour or reactions.


Twenty first century schizoid man
A reference to the modern man as being disconnected from reality and emotionally unstable.


Blood rack barbed wire
A gruesome image that represents the violence and brutality of war.


Politicians' funeral pyre
A metaphorical statement regarding political corruption and the negative impact it has on society.


Innocents raped with napalm fire
The horror and tragedy of war and the innocent lives that are destroyed in the process.


Twenty first century schizoid man
A repetition of the chorus that reinforces the idea of modern man as unstable and disconnected from reality.


Death seed blind man's greed
A metaphor for the destructive and selfish behaviour of man, even when faced with the consequences of their actions.


Poets' starving children bleed
A criticism of society's failure to support the arts and its disregard for the most vulnerable members of society.


Nothing he's got he really needs
A statement on the insatiable greed of man and the futility of material wealth.


Twenty first century schizoid man
A repetition of the chorus that reinforces the idea of modern man as unstable and disconnected from reality.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Robert Fripp, Michael Rex Giles, Greg Lake, Ian Mcdonald, Peter John Sinfield

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

phactreerat

First time I heard this version, and wow. Shame on my local radio stations for never playing this when it came out.

Tireshredderjoe

Yeahhhh! April Wine underrated

phactreerat

@Doug Wheeler We in Detroit used to have KSHE sister station like 40 years ago WABX

Doug Wheeler

KSHE 95 in STL used to play this version once in awhile in the old days

Mitch Martin

They do a great job on this complex song. I have seen AW no less than 10 times and anybody growing up in Canada and particularly the East knows how popular AW was in the 70s and 80s.

Mickey Edwards

It was this version that led me to King Crimson. Well worth the time... both bands are awesome.

Thomas Hornback

The Midwest, especially Michigan, loved this band. My first live Rock and Roll show. They blew Nazareth out of the water.

Dennis Mohican

I grew up in Texas, saw alot of concerts from '77 to '94.. And I had no idea at first alot of these bands were Canadian! lol.. I saw April Wine open for some band.. Not sure.. Then I've seen them with the headliners like Pat Travers, maybe not the top band everytime but my god they were damn good. Saw them with UFO and Triumph together, I think Triumph was headlining.. No matter, April Wine always kicked ass! Even saw Max Webster a few times.. lol goot Canadian Rock!!!
So I've seen AW (hawhaw) a few times!!! Excellent band. So cool to see all these old vids!!!!!
DeNNis (RaWR!)
58 yrs
ATX

woreoutdrummer

Hell yeah! A bag of good smoke, April Wine live....many good memories of the good times to be had then.

S Squared

I can only say this was fucking fantastic...I've been a Crimson fan since their inception and have never heard any group pull off 21st as well as these guys did...kudos...

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