World War 1
B.I.L.L. Lyrics


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Jimmy Carter ran for president again
You voted for who you want but the government wins
Its not a question of who can do the job
Its just a matter of how much money you have

[Chorus]

In the world war three
World war three
Where do I stand in this form of power
Where do I fit in this government
I find no choice
Third world war
And your the victims
Third world war
And your the victims

If I don't register I have to pay
I refuse to go there's no fucking way
The systems looking for a drastic change
Don't look at me cause I'm out of your range

[Chorus x2]

Don't go
Don't go
Don't go
Don't go

I won't go
I won't go
I won't go
I won't go

Don't go
Don't go
Don't go
Don't go

I won't go
I won't go
I won't go
I won't go





Don't go

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of B.I.L.L.'s song, World War 1, are a commentary on the state of government and politics in the United States, particularly during the time when Jimmy Carter was running for president in the late 1970s. The lyrics suggest that the government is more concerned with money and power than with finding the best candidate for the job. The chorus speaks to the fear and uncertainty that many people feel in times of conflict and war, questioning where individuals fit into the government's agenda and who is ultimately responsible for the violence and destruction.


The verses of the song specifically address issues of registration and the draft, suggesting that the systems in place at the time were unjust and looking for change. The repeated "Don't go/I won't go" at the end of the song can be interpreted as a refusal to participate in a war that one feels is unjust or unnecessary. Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of frustration with the political system and a desire for change.


Line by Line Meaning

Jimmy Carter ran for president again
The political system perpetuates itself by presenting the same options and hoping that people continue to vote for their preferred candidate.


You voted for who you want but the government wins
Individual votes may not be enough to change the system, and the government ultimately retains power.


Its not a question of who can do the job
Political qualifications and capabilities may not be the most important factors in the selection of leaders.


Its just a matter of how much money you have
The influence of money in politics can be a determining factor in who becomes a leader.


In the world war three
The lyrics are referencing a hypothetical third world war.


Where do I stand in this form of power
The artist is questioning where they personally fit into the power structure of society.


Where do I fit in this government
The artist is questioning where they fit into the government and the political system.


I find no choice
The artist feels that there are no real choices or options available within the current political system.


Third world war
The artist is again referencing a hypothetical third world war.


And your the victims
The artist is suggesting that in the event of a third world war, ordinary people would likely be the ones to suffer.


If I don't register I have to pay
The artist is referring to being drafted into military service and the consequences of refusing to register for the draft.


I refuse to go there's no fucking way
The artist is expressing their opposition to military service and their unwillingness to participate in warfare.


The systems looking for a drastic change
The artist believes that the current political system is in need of significant reform.


Don't look at me cause I'm out of your range
The artist is distancing themselves from the system and suggesting that they are not a part of it.


Don't go
The artist is repeating their refusal to participate in military service.


I won't go
The artist is reiterating their opposition to being drafted into military service.




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, ROBERT SHANNON FIELDS D/B/A COVINA HIGH MUSIC
Written by: JACK GRISHAM, MIKE ROCHE, RON EMORY, TODD BARNES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Emu Riddle

Pretty much.

Colonialism and Westward Expansion gave them a false sense of superiority.

To the point where they ignored what's really happening in their own country.


(Everyone thought that WW1 was going to be like the Boer War: A simple adventure.)

But it wasn't.



All comments from YouTube:

KaptainMorganWo

Ah yes the most neutral party to mediate a German territorial dispute less than 5 years after WWI was obviously Belgium

HimOff TheQuakerOatBox

The country that has a territorial dispute with itself.

Imperator Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus

I swear the more I hear about these Belgians the less I care for them.

Mateusz Cetnar

@N Fels That's a contemporary point of view. It was not so in that first half of the XXth century.

5 More Replies...

Goldeagle1123

I appreciate you all actually detailing why the German mark devalued the way it did. Too many programs/textbooks simply say: "Germany lost, war reparations, then hyperinflation" without going into the actual economic mechanics and politics at play.

I'm your daddy

Me a person watching this video in 2021: sweats nervously

Hopfinöserischer Kuchenkrieger

Me, a German watching this video in 2022: Depression.mp3

Bill Wesley

@Kaanfight You haven’t been paying attention.
The fed has been printing since Obama was in office.
It’s a private entity that prints money that the taxpayer is then liable for.

Bill Wesley

@Greg Bors not yet but it’s just starting.

22 More Replies...

Manfred Grieshaber

One man had foreseen all this postwar struggles, Ivan Bloch, a polish russian prewar railroad tycoon who had analysed the economic impacts of the wars during the mid of the 19th century in the USA and in Europe. He came to the conclusion that wars between full developed countries are senseless as even the victorious party could only win by overstreching its own ecomonic power so at the end this party would face the same crisis as the defeated party and won't achieve any benefit out of a future war.

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