Declaration Of Independence
Arlo Guthrie & Pete Seeger Lyrics
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We would just sit there in the noonday sun
And when they speak to him
He will not answer them
Because he does not wish to
And when they tell him to eat his dinner
He will just laugh at them
Because he does not care to
He will just sit there in the noonday sun
He will go away and will play with the panda
And when they come with a friend
He would stick them with spears
And throw them in the garbage
And put the cover on
And he will not get out in the fresh air
Nor eat his vegetable
And will grow thin as a marble
He would just do nothing at all
He will just sit there in the noonday sun
The lyrics to Arlo Guthrie & Pete Seeger's song "Declaration Of Independence" depict a rebellious and defiant individual who refuses to conform to societal expectations. The song portrays this character as someone who resists authority and acts out against the rules imposed upon him.
The lyrics suggest that this person will do nothing in response to the demands of others, choosing to sit idly in the noonday sun instead. When instructed to eat dinner or take a nap, he simply laughs at those telling him what to do. This behavior is a reflection of his utter disregard for societal norms and expectations.
Furthermore, the lyrics describe how this individual would react to the presence of others. If approached by friends, he would seemingly harm them by sticking them with spears, throwing them in the garbage, and covering them up. This violence symbolizes his rejection of human connection and his desire to distance himself from social obligations.
Line by Line Meaning
We will just do nothing at all
We have no intentions of taking any action or doing anything
We would just sit there in the noonday sun
Our plan is to simply remain seated and idle under the sun at midday
And when they speak to him
In the event that someone addresses him
He will not answer them
He will deliberately choose not to respond
Because he does not wish to
This is because he lacks the desire or inclination to do so
And when they tell him to eat his dinner
If they instruct him to consume his meal
He will just laugh at them
He will react by simply laughing in their faces
And he will not take his nap
He will deliberately refuse to rest or take a nap
Because he does not care to
His reasoning is that he has no interest or concern in doing so
He will just sit there in the noonday sun
He will persist in the act of being seated and inactive under the midday sun
He will go away and will play with the panda
He will choose to depart and engage in playful activities with the panda
And when they come with a friend
If they arrive accompanied by a companion
He would stick them with spears
He would resort to impaling them using spears
And throw them in the garbage
He would hurl them into the trash
And put the cover on
Then proceed to place the lid on the garbage container
And he will not get out in the fresh air
Furthermore, he will intentionally avoid venturing out into the open air
Nor eat his vegetable
He will manifest a deliberate refusal to consume any vegetables
And will grow thin as a marble
Consequently, he will become emaciated, resembling the svelte shape of a marble
He would just do nothing at all
He will persist in displaying a complete lack of activity or initiative
He will just sit there in the noonday sun
He will stubbornly remain seated and idle under the scorching midday sun
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