Democracy
Art Bears Lyrics
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Each killed the other.
From their bodies bred
A horde of
Scorpions
That overran the world –
Their venom was
Democracy.
One interpretation of the lyrics to Art Bears' song "Democracy" presents a metaphorical vision of the dangers of democracy as represented by scorpions. The opening lines describe a violent confrontation between a lion and a snake, which ends with both creatures dying. From their dead bodies, an army of scorpions is born. This imagery suggests that democracy emerges from the collision of conflicting forces, and it is the offspring of discord and chaos.
The vision of scorpions overrunning the world is a warning about democracy turning into a destructive force. Scorpions are venomous creatures that can kill with a single sting. The venom being democracy represents how the idea of democracy can be deadly when it falls into the wrong hands or is corrupted. Democracies can be manipulated and misled by malicious actors who spread lies and propaganda. The song cautions against complacency and encourages us to be vigilant in protecting our democratic ideals.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw a lion and a snake
I witnessed two dominant forces clash
Each killed the other.
Both were equally matched and destroyed one another
From their bodies bred
Through chaos and destruction, a new entity arose
A horde of Scorpions
This new entity was numerous and dangerous
That overran the world –
It quickly spread and took over everything
Their venom was Democracy.
The power and control of this new force was founded upon the poisonous idea of democracy
Contributed by Ella V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.