They also became known for Satanic imagery and numerous references to the vagrant lifestyle, such as crack-smoking, shoplifting, and squatting. They also, like many other bands in the punk scene, have violent anti-police sentiments in their songs. The band prides itself on its Atheist stance, often making sardonic references to Satan, for the sole purpose of being offensive.
Choking Victim broke up after the first day of recording for their one and only album, but the recordings from that one day were enough to make a solid album. After they broke up, Stza and Ezra Crack formed the band Leftöver Crack, and Skwert and Ezra formed INDK. Sascha has spent the last several years organically farming in upstate NY.
Apple Pie
Choking Victim Lyrics
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Apple pie and police state.
The security that the children know
Is not worth it if this is where they'll go.
Maximum security facilites,
Was once a threat, puts my mind at ease.
A jail for every town and every state...
"Oh god, ain't this country great?"
While the state complains of revolving doors.
No soulution for society's disease;
But more problems as they throw away the keys.
WHY? WHY? WHY? WHYYYYY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? 1, 2, FUCK YOU!
A thousand convicts sit still waiting for death,
As I sigh for relief, I exhale my breath.
Jail for every town and every state...
"Oh god, ain't this country great!?"
WHY? WHY? WHY? WHYYYYY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY?
Ain't it great! (8x)
In "Apple Pie and Police State," Choking Victim is critiquing the American prison-industrial complex. The opening lines "The prisons make this country great; Apple pie and police state" are referring to the idea that over-incarceration and police brutality are deeply ingrained in American society, as much a part of our national identity as the iconic American dessert. The line "The security that the children know/Is not worth it if this is where they'll go" is a commentary on the way that the government uses the illusion of safety to justify mass imprisonment, despite the fact that it tears families apart and harms communities in the process.
Choking Victim goes on to rail against the lack of real solutions to societal issues that lead to crime, such as poverty and lack of resources. Instead, politicians and state institutions continue to build more and more prisons, as if that will solve the problem. The line "Broken promises from government whores,/While the state complains of revolving doors" refers to the way that politicians make empty promises to address issues like poverty and education, while also perpetuating the cycle of incarceration by creating a system that makes it nearly impossible for formerly incarcerated people to reintegrate into society.
Line by Line Meaning
The prisons make this country great;
The existence of prisons are seen as beneficial for the country due to maintaining order and suppressing crime
Apple pie and police state.
Juxtaposition of American culture represented by apple pie and the harsh reality of living in a police state
The security that the children know
Children are taught to prioritize safety, however, the reality is that their safety comes at a cost
Is not worth it if this is where they'll go.
The idea of sacrificing freedom for safety is not worth it if it means that people will end up in jail
Maximum security facilites,
The highest-level security prisons where the most dangerous inmates are kept
Was once a threat, puts my mind at ease.
In the past, the idea of maximum security prisons was scary, but now they bring comfort to some people
A jail for every town and every state...
The prevalence of prisons throughout the country is a dark reality
"Oh god, ain't this country great?"
Sarcastic comment towards the belief that the US is the land of the free and a great country to live in
Broken promises from government whores,
Government officials who go back on their word are compared to prostitutes
While the state complains of revolving doors.
Officials complain about convicts serving minimum sentences and quickly being released
No soulution for society's disease;
There is no true solution for the underlying issues in society that lead people to crime
But more problems as they throw away the keys.
The harsh punishment of locking people up and throwing away the key creates more problems than it solves
WHY? WHY? WHY? WHYYYYY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? 1, 2, FUCK YOU!
Frustration and anger towards the state of the country's prison system
A thousand convicts sit still waiting for death,
Death row inmates who are waiting for their execution
As I sigh for relief, I exhale my breath.
The singer finds comfort in knowing that they are not one of the convicts who are sentenced to death
Jail for every town and every state...
Reiteration of the prevalence of prisons throughout the country
"Oh god, ain't this country great!?"
The sarcastic refrain of the song that pokes fun at American pride and patriotism
WHY? WHY? WHY? WHYYYYY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY?
Outburst of anger and frustration at the injustices of the prison system
Ain't it great! (8x)
The sarcastic conclusion of the song that repeats the refrain of the chorus with even more irony
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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