People
Boyd Rice Lyrics
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What a lovely place the world would be
Without all the people
That make life so unpleasant?
All the small, petty people
All the ugly, annoying people
It's hard not to think about it
I like to think about
What could be
Done to these people
Something cruel
Something mean
Something just
But the meaner the better
Goodness knows they deserve it
Have you ever dreamed of
Killing all the stupid people?
Not just the unintelligent people
But the sort that don't know anything about anything
But seem to have opinions about everything
They're only too ready to offer their advice about
How to run your life
And yet look at how they run their own lives
For the most part they've accomplished nothing
They've contributed nothing
Their lives are miserable
But they talk, talk, talk…
At the very least their tongues should be cut out
At the very least
Do you ever wanna
Kill all the people who tell lies?
Some certainly deserve it
Not necessarily the big liars
Or even those who teach lies as truth
I'm talking about people
Who say one thing and do another
Or who tell you they sent something express mail
When you know they haven't
Did you ever want to
Kill all the slow people in the world?
The people who are in front of you
When they should be behind you
A crime that the swift should be help back by the slow
And it's criminal that nothing is going to rectify it
And what about all the really ugly people?
Add them to the list as well
Some people try not to think about life's ugliness
I've thought about it
I've thought about it quite a lot
Something should be done to these people
Something to make them suffer
The way they've made us suffer
I say, bring back the Circus Maximus
For starters
Unless these weeds are dealt with
They'll poison everything
They are poisoning everything
We need a gardener
A brutal gardener
A thorough, thoughtful gardener
An iron gardener
Whatever happened to Vlad the Impaler?
Where's Genghis Kahn when you need him?
Or Roi d'Ys?
Ayatollah Khomeini?
Adolf Hitler?
Benito Mussolini?
Nero?
Diocletian?
Kitchener?
Come back!
Come back!
The lyrics to Boyd Rice's song "People" explore feelings of frustration and anger towards certain types of people, from those who are petty and annoying to those who are deceitful or slow. The lyrics suggest that if these people were eliminated or punished, the world would be a better place. There are also references to historical figures known for their violent or authoritarian behavior, such as Vlad the Impaler and Adolf Hitler, suggesting a desire for strong leaders to deal with these issues.
One interpretation of the lyrics is that they reflect a kind of misanthropy or nihilism, a belief that people are inherently flawed and that the only solution is to eliminate them. Alternatively, they could be seen as a critique of certain types of behavior and a desire for justice or retribution against those who cause harm or disruption to others.
The phrase "bring back the Circus Maximus" is a reference to the ancient Roman arena where gladiatorial games were held, suggesting a desire for violent entertainment or punishment. The reference to historical figures like Hitler and Mussolini could also be seen as disturbing or offensive, as these individuals were responsible for some of the worst atrocities in human history.
Overall, the lyrics to "People" are complex and provocative, raising important questions about human behavior and the limits of tolerance and empathy. They suggest a kind of frustration and impotence in the face of systemic problems, but also a desire for some kind of resolution or justice.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you ever think about
Have you ever considered
What a lovely place the world would be
How wonderful the world would be
Without all the people
If there were no individuals
That make life so unpleasant?
Who create discomfort in our lives?
All the small, petty people
Individuals with small-minded, insignificant attitudes
All the ugly, annoying people
Individuals with unpleasant, irritating attitudes
It's hard not to think about it
It is difficult not to contemplate the idea.
I like to think about
It is pleasing to consider
What could be
What is possible
Done to these people
How to treat these individuals
Something cruel
A severe action
Something mean
A nasty course of action
Something just
Appropriate measure to take
But the meaner the better
The more violent, the more appropriate
Goodness knows they deserve it
They have earned this reaction.
Have you ever dreamed of
Have you ever imagined
Killing all the stupid people?
Having all unintelligent individuals exterminated?
Not just the unintelligent people
Not just the ignorant individuals
But the sort that don't know anything about anything
The ones with no knowledge of anything
But seem to have opinions about everything
But appear to have an opinion on everything
They're only too ready to offer their advice about
They are always eager to give their opinion about
How to run your life
How you should live your life
And yet look at how they run their own lives
But observe how they run their own life
For the most part they've accomplished nothing
Most haven't achieved anything of value
They've contributed nothing
They've offered no contributions
Their lives are miserable
They lead an unhappy existence
But they talk, talk, talk…
But they continue to blabber…
At the very least their tongues should be cut out
At minimum, their tongues should be cut off
At the very least
A minimum requirement
Do you ever wanna
Do you ever desire to
Kill all the people who tell lies?
Execute every individual who lies?
Some certainly deserve it
Some of them certainly warrant such punishment
Not necessarily the big liars
Not just the significant liars
Or even those who teach lies as truth
Or those who claim falsehoods to be facts
I'm talking about people
I'm referring to the individuals
Who say one thing and do another
Those who say something but do the opposite
Or who tell you they sent something express mail
Or those who claim they mailed something urgently
When you know they haven't
Even though you know it isn't true
Did you ever want to
Have you ever considered
Kill all the slow people in the world?
Eradicate all slow-moving individuals?
The people who are in front of you
Those obstructing your view
When they should be behind you
Even though they should trail behind you
A crime that the swift should be help back by the slow
Unjust for faster individuals to be restricted by slower ones
And it's criminal that nothing is going to rectify it
It's outrageous that nobody intends to correct it
And what about all the really ugly people?
What about incredibly unattractive individuals?
Add them to the list as well
Include them too
Some people try not to think about life's ugliness
A few individuals refuse to acknowledge life's unpleasant side
I've thought about it
I've pondered on this topic
I've thought about it quite a lot
In fact, I've given it lots of thought
Something should be done to these people
These individuals require some kind of action to be taken against them
Something to make them suffer
Some sort of punishment to inflict pain on them
The way they've made us suffer
Similar to the pain they've caused us
I say, bring back the Circus Maximus
I propose reviving the Circus Maximus
For starters
As a beginning point
Unless these weeds are dealt with
Until these problematic individuals are resolved
They'll poison everything
They will contaminate everything
They are poisoning everything
They are polluting every aspect
We need a gardener
Someone to take care of our society
A brutal gardener
A gardener that uses strong methods
A thorough, thoughtful gardener
A gardener that's reliable and wise
An iron gardener
A gardener with a strong grip on their responsibilities
Whatever happened to Vlad the Impaler?
What occurred to Vlad the Impaler?
Where's Genghis Kahn when you need him?
What happened to Genghis Khan when you required his help?
Or Roi d'Ys?
Or the Roi d'Ys?
Ayatollah Khomeini?
Ayatollah Khomeini?
Adolf Hitler?
Adolf Hitler?
Benito Mussolini?
Benito Mussolini?
Nero?
Nero?
Diocletian?
Diocletian?
Kitchener?
Kitchener?
Come back!
Return!
Come back!
Return!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MICHAEL JARVIS, SIMON KATZ, SAM MARTIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind