Speculation
Bad Breeding Lyrics
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of cloaked aid schemes, full body bags
and payouts that rain on down from distant skies
Speculation is the sordid image
of mamed, starving victims buried in rubble
while still they flog bombs that fall on Yemen
Bomb more schools, more bloodshed
Speculation in the saviour's image
More scorched earth, more false charity
Performative theatre is the monied liberal dream
Counting the dead with a twinkle in the eye
Performative theatre is the monied liberal dream
Counting the dead with a twinkle in the eye
Profit in mesh and bone the deft sleight of hand
Scores of hollowed bone and sinew
as long as cotton grows through barbed wire
Corpses filled with Western promise
A fair trade done for a bludgeoned son
One ward shelled, another door opens
No cry for peace when crude oil seeps
through barbed wire
The lyrics to Bad Breeding's song "Speculation" address the issue of Western countries exploiting other countries in order to make a profit. The first verse describes how speculation leads to aid schemes that do not effectively help those in need and instead result in full body bags and payouts. The use of the term "cloaked" suggests that these aid schemes are not transparent and may be hiding ulterior motives. The line "payouts that rain on down from distant skies" further emphasizes this point, as it suggests that those who are making a profit from these aid schemes are not directly affected by the consequences.
The second verse continues with this theme of exploiting other countries for profit. The image of "starving victims buried in rubble" suggests that these countries are being devastated by war or other disasters, which Western countries are then taking advantage of for their own gain. The reference to Yemen specifically is likely a commentary on the ongoing conflict in that country and the role that Western countries have played in exacerbating the situation. The repeated line "more scorched earth, more false charity" suggests that Western countries may use charity as a cover for their true intentions, which are to profit from others' suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
Speculation is the sacred hand
of cloaked aid schemes, full body bags
and payouts that rain on down from distant skies
The act of speculation is compared to the sacred gesture of giving help in which people hide their true intentions, causing full body bags and pouring down payouts from far-off places.
Speculation is the sordid image
of mamed, starving victims buried in rubble
while still they flog bombs that fall on Yemen
Speculation represents the negative picture of wounded and hungry people buried under debris while the distributors advertise weapons that continue to harm Yemen.
Speculation in the saviour's image
Bomb more schools, more bloodshed
Speculation in the saviour's image
More scorched earth, more false charity
The practice of speculation under the guise of helping those in need leads to more destruction in the form of bombing schools and spilling more blood, rather than real aid and empathy.
Performative theatre is the monied liberal dream
Counting the dead with a twinkle in the eye
Performative theatre is the monied liberal dream
Counting the dead with a twinkle in the eye
Using other people's suffering as a spectacle is the fantasy of the privileged who count them funnily in the interest of upholding their position.
Profit in mesh and bone the deft sleight of hand
Scores of hollowed bone and sinew
as long as cotton grows through barbed wire
Making money while exploiting human misery is an intricate scam that consumes people's flesh and bone so that the fabric industry can thrive even when people work under terrible conditions.
Corpses filled with Western promise
A fair trade done for a bludgeoned son
One ward shelled, another door opens
No cry for peace when crude oil seeps
through barbed wire
The West makes promises yet leaves behind lifeless bodies given in exchange for a pointless war; no one cares about peace as long as the crude oil keeps flowing, even when it is hindered by barriers.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Angus Stewart, Ashlea Bennett, Charlie Rose, Christopher Dodd
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind