In 2000, Blockheads signed with Bones Brigade, a label which specialises in extreme music. Their first two albums were re-released together on Bones Brigade, under the title From Womb to Genocide. A third album was released in 2001 (Human Parade) and in the next few years, the band participated in numerous festivals, causing them to become known as an important grindcore band in the European extreme music scene.
In 2006, the band released the album Shapes of Misery, on Overcome Records, which made Blockheads the undisputed leaders of French grindcore.
During their career, the band has played concerts with such notable acts as Napalm Death, Nasum, Obituary, Entombed, Sick of it All, Carcass, Soulfly and Mumakil.
Blockheads can be a incorrect tag for Ian Dury & the Blockheads.
Band 2
The Blockheads are Ian Dury's Band. They continue to tour after the death of Ian Dury and have released band albums; "Where's The Party" in 2004, and "Staring Down The Barrel" in 2009. The band has also contributed to a tribute album "Brand New Boots And Panties" in 2001 with various lead singers for each track.
The Definitive "The" is not present on all album titles indicating the group are called "Blockheads" and the inclusion of "The" is a grammatical addition indicating the specific group as to other terms.
Band 3
Blockheads is the name of an independent group from Germany, Not much can be found from their social medias, but their first upload to Youtube would be a drum recording of their song "The Chance" in 2010, which would be fully completed later on in the year. Much of their popularity comes from Montage Rock, a Youtube channel that specializes in promoting copyright free rock music for people to use as they want, as long as they give credit to the original maker.
Since 2010, they have not released an actual album or EP, but they have released seven singles over the years in including "Rise" (2013) which has over 6 million plays on Spotify. Other singles include "Because of Me" (2013), "Stereo" (2013), "Fallen" (2014), "Can't Get Enough" (2016), "Stay The Night" (2017)
Bow Down
Blockheads Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of unseen rulers than never wince,
No need to care for disposable staff,
Human rights once more deep in the ass.
Exploitation, power abuse, alienation
Mind control, deception, illusion,
Money, despair, profit,
Greed, lies, scorn.
That humans behind mask are force-fed with rules,
Just smile all the time otherwise shut up,
They got no right there, bow down to capitalism...
In the song, "Bow Down" by Blockheads, the lyrics seem to be a critique of capitalism and the way it can lead to the abuse of power and human rights violations. The use of Disney masks to hide the grins of unseen rulers is a metaphor for the way in which those in power often try to maintain a positive image and hide their true intentions from the public. The line, "No need to care for disposable staff, human rights once more deep in the ass," suggests that in the pursuit of profit, companies may prioritize their bottom line over the well-being and rights of their employees.
Moreover, the lyrics also highlight some of the negative effects of capitalism such as exploitation, power abuse, alienation, mind control, deception, illusion, money, despair, profit, greed, lies, and scorn. It appears that the song aims to convey the message that when people buy into the capitalist system, they are inadvertently supporting and being complicit in these forms of oppression.
The lines, "Never forget when you go to these places, that humans behind mask are force-fed with rules, just smile all the time otherwise shut up, they got no right there, bow down to capitalism," reinforce the idea that capitalism is a hierarchical system and those at the top hold all the power. The masks symbolize the idea of conformity and the expectation that those in the lower levels of the hierarchy must adhere to the rules and expectations set by those in power, regardless of how oppressive or unjust they may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Use Disney masks to hide the grins
The rulers hide their true intentions with a fake happy exterior, like a mask from a Disney character.
Of unseen rulers than never wince,
The rulers are hidden and powerful, never showing a sign of weakness or hesitancy.
No need to care for disposable staff,
The workers are viewed as disposable and their well-being is of little concern to the rulers.
Human rights once more deep in the ass.
The rulers disregard and violate basic human rights.
Exploitation, power abuse, alienation
The rulers use their power to exploit and oppress their workers, creating a sense of isolation and separation.
Mind control, deception, illusion,
The rulers use tactics such as brainwashing, deceit, and false reality to maintain their control.
Money, despair, profit,
The rulers prioritize their own wealth and gain at the expense of their workers' well-being and happiness.
Greed, lies, scorn.
The rulers are driven by greed, dishonesty, and contempt for their workers.
Never forget when you go to these places,
The audience is being warned to be aware of these conditions and situations.
That humans behind mask are force-fed with rules,
The rulers are themselves controlled by a set of strict rules and regulations.
Just smile all the time otherwise shut up,
The workers are expected to display constant blind positivity and obedience, or else face consequences.
They got no right there, bow down to capitalism...
The workers have no real rights or power, and are forced to submit to the capitalist system and its ruling class.
Contributed by Landon K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.