Citizen Fish are a ska punk band formed in 1989. Based around Bath, England… Read Full Bio ↴Citizen Fish are a ska punk band formed in 1989. Based around Bath, England, the original members were Dick Lucas (vocals/words), Jasper (bass), Trotsky (drums), and Larry (guitar). Following their first album, Free Souls in a Trapped Environment, Larry left the band and was replaced by Phil, who, along with Dick and Trotsky, had previously been a member of the seminal British punk band, the Subhumans. Jasper and Dick had previously played together in Culture Shock. In 2006 Silas replaced Trotsky, who is still playing with the Subhumans.

The band is known for their lyrics, which often make strong social and political statements, dealing with themes such as anti-consumerism, vegetarianism, questioning of the status quo, and the general encouragement of people to get along with one another.

It is rumored that the band Citizen Dick from the movie Singles is an homage to Citizen Fish and its lead singer.

In 2006 they toured with and recorded a split LP with punk band Leftöver Crack. This was the first Fish activity in recent years, as the members have been concentrating on Subhumans activity as of late (they did do a small East Coast/Midwest U.S. tour consisting of off-the-map bars and basements in the summer of 2005, much to the delight of dedicated fans).

Meltdown
Citizen Fish Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Once upon a time - this is almost true
When the sun came out for a day or two
It would beat the war to the top of the news
- This'll make no sense in 2102
When the antiques show where the river once flowed
And your gran remembers having no suntan at all - and waterfalls
Where did the waterfalls go?
Welcome to the meltdown

Amazing how close to total collapse
It gets when you have to turn off the taps
And the plastic surgery starts to crack
And no you can't have your money back
Not sure where it went but its all been spent
On carbon-based industrial waste recall - but it's all too late
Where did the oxygen go?
Welcome to the meltdown

Want ice with that? well i'll draw you a map
To the tourist resort on the polar cap
Where the drinks-included menu states
Make the most of it before it's too late
One drop at a time on a slow decline
We had it all figured out

One drop at a time on a slow decline
And then the water ran out

Overall Meaning

The song "Meltdown" by Citizen Fish is a commentary on the gradual destruction of the planet due to human activity. The opening lines of the song – "Once upon a time - this is almost true / When the sun came out for a day or two" – suggest nostalgia for a time that no longer exists. The sun coming out for "a day or two" used to be news-worthy, but in 2102, it will make no sense, as global warming will have made sunny days commonplace. The mention of waterfalls and rivers that no longer exist, along with the absence of suntans, paint a picture of a world that has been irrevocably altered. The chorus "Welcome to the meltdown" sets the tone of the song and acts as a warning of impending doom.

The second verse is an indictment of humans' reckless behavior that has led to the present state of the world. The line "Amazing how close to total collapse it gets when you have to turn off the taps" suggests that our choices have consequences, and we are reaping what we have sown. The reference to plastic surgery cracking is a metaphor for humanity's attempts to fix the damage it has caused but failing miserably. The line "And no you can't have your money back / Not sure where it went but it's all been spent" highlights how we have squandered our resources without even realizing it. The chorus notes the disappearance of oxygen, which is essential for life, as a symptom of the meltdown. The final verse is a direct warning to the listener. The line "Want ice with that? well, I'll draw you a map / To the tourist resort on the polar cap" shows how our reckless consumption has led to the destruction of nature, which was once viewed as a tourist attraction. The last line "And then the water ran out" is a bleak commentary on the inevitable consequences of our inaction.

Line by Line Meaning

Once upon a time - this is almost true
The following account is almost factual about how events used to unfold

When the sun came out for a day or two
There were only a handful of sunny days when the world was intact and unaffected by climate change

It would beat the war to the top of the news
When such sunny days happened, it was more widely publicized than international armed conflict

This'll make no sense in 2102
This event will be unimaginable or unclear by the year 2102

When the antiques show where the river once flowed
People will reminisce about the past that’s now gone, as ancient artifacts in a museum

And your gran remembers having no suntan at all - and waterfalls
Your grandmother recalls a time when sunburn wasn’t an issue and waterfalls were abundant

Where did the waterfalls go?
When did nature's beauty disappear and become scarce?

Welcome to the meltdown
Welcome to the current disastrous state of things

Amazing how close to total collapse
It's shocking how close the impending calamity is

It gets when you have to turn off the taps
How critical the situation is when people have to ration water

And the plastic surgery starts to crack
When even artificial things can’t last from the ensuing environmental devastation

And no you can't have your money back
You can't undo or reverse the damage that's already done

Not sure where it went but its all been spent
We can't account for all the resources spent that exacerbated the ecological downfall

On carbon-based industrial waste recall - but it's all too late
We should've reversed the harmful effects of industrialization, but the situation is already irreversible

Where did the oxygen go?
Where did the breathable air disappear to?

Welcome to the meltdown
Welcome to the current terrifying predicament

Want ice with that? well i'll draw you a map
Do you still need ice on your drink? I'll give you directions to the polar caps

To the tourist resort on the polar cap
Tourists are already planning vacations on the last remaining stretches of ice

Where the drinks-included menu states
The resort has adjusted to the surroundings, and their menu includes everything that will soon vanish

Make the most of it before it's too late
Consumers are urged to enjoy things as they are before it's too late

One drop at a time on a slow decline
The decline in living conditions and environment is a gradual and slow process

We had it all figured out
Humans thought they've unlocked the secrets of science and nature

And then the water ran out
All that knowledge and expertise culminated to the inevitable: water scarcity, and eventually, environmental fallout

Contributed by Ruby V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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