Cop Shoot Cop was a rock music group founded in New York, NY in 1987 and di… Read Full Bio ↴Cop Shoot Cop was a rock music group founded in New York, NY in 1987 and disbanded in 1996.

They were frequently classified as industrial rock, but were often quite different from many bands so dubbed. Tod A.'s lyrics were clever, snide and evocative (Art Black and David Sprague suggest that "Black humor beats black metal any day") and their "weirdly catchy" music which drew "on hot jazz and swing as much as clanging rock, emphasizing the group's stand-apart attitude."

The group had little mainstream success (scoring a few hits on college radio), despite tours with Iggy Pop and music videos on MTV's Headbanger's Ball and 120 Minutes (notably $10 Bill, featuring a number of little people). They retain a cult following, however, and their out-of-print releases sometimes sell for large amounts among fans.

Cause and Effect
Cop Shoot Cop Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

My old man
He said to me
He said
Son
There are those
That get bought
And those
That do the buying

Well enough
We never did
See eye to eye
And I always wished
That good ol' boy
Could cound past two
Love it or leave it
Black or white
That's the way it is
Fundamental
Absolute
I wish I
Could be as clever

Never did
Buy that bill of goods

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Cause and Effect" by Cop Shoot Cop are about the disparity of power and influence in society. The song's intro, "My old man, he said to me, son, there are those that get bought, and those that do the buying," sets the tone for the rest of the song's commentary on class and economic struggles. The singer expresses his resentment toward his father's opinions and their fundamental differences. He wishes his father could see past his own beliefs and analyze the world in a more nuanced way.

The song also touches on topics of patriotism and nationalism, with the lyrics "Love it or leave it, black or white, that's the way it is, fundamental, absolute," highlighting a societal pressure to conform to a particular mindset. The singer comments that he wishes he could be as clever as those in positions of power, but he refuses to buy into their manipulation and propaganda.

Overall, "Cause and Effect" delivers a powerful message on societal inequality, power structures, and the ways in which people are influenced and manipulated by those in power.

Line by Line Meaning

My old man
The persona's father

He said to me
The father addressed the persona

He said
The father spoke

Son
The persona's father addressed him as 'son'

There are those
Some people

That get bought
Who can be influenced or controlled by money or other means

And those
Others

That do the buying
Who have power or resources to influence or control others

Well enough
To a satisfactory degree

We never did
The persona and his father

See eye to eye
Agree on something