Although Rovics is not strongly associated with any particular political or ideological movement, his lyrics and recorded interviews encompass a wide range of left-wing, humanitarian interests. He has suggested a commonality or synthesis between these varied ideologies in several of his radio interviews, and cites his music as a means to disseminate these ideas. His provocative and catchy lyrics bring to mind a modern-day Woody Guthrie or Phil Ochs.
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Make it So
David Rovics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everything is peachy keen
Everybody has enough
The replicators replicate all kinds of cool stuff
You can wander all across the universe
No quadrant is too far off to traverse
Exploration is humanity's highest goal
They've discovered all kinds of planets, they're really on a roll
We've lost our way, I fear
Oh captain won't you show us where to go
Make it so, make it so, oh, make it so
In the 24th century
Men and women live in harmony
There's peace and justice within the human race
All shapes and colors floating happily through space
People run around in trios and in pairs
Occupy their time with wild love affairs
Ancient history recalls the world wars
When the rich were rich and the poor were poor
Gotta sprout wings over this brink
Will we rise or will we sink?
Captain won't you show us where to go
Make it so, make it so, oh, make it so
In the 24th century Even the air is clean
On the earth sparklin' waters run
All the little kids are having lots of fun
Petrochemicals are a relic of the past
All the little hovercrafts are built to last
There's not a smokestack in the sky
Just little birdies flyin' happy and high
I'm trying to predict through the haze
Yeah I'm waitin' for those good old days
Captain won't you tell us where to go
Make it so, make it so, oh, make it so
David Rovics's song "Make it So" paints a dreamy picture of a utopian future where humanity has achieved peace, environmental sustainability, and exploration of the universe. The song's title is a nod to Captain Jean-Luc Picard's catchphrase from the Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series, which was set in the 24th century and featured a similar vision of a hopeful future. Rovics's lyrics imagine a world where replicators (devices that can create any matter out of energy) have eliminated scarcity and where people spend their time exploring the universe, falling in love, and living in harmony regardless of their differences.
However, the song also acknowledges that the road to this utopia is not clear. The singer acknowledges that "we've lost our way" and wonders how humanity can get to this better future. Despite the optimism, there is an undercurrent of uncertainty and the awareness that there have been problems in the past. Rovics refers to "world wars" and the rich-poor divide as relics of a darker age, even as the present-day earth still grapples with issues like climate change and economic inequality.
Overall, "Make it So" is a whimsical but sincere call to action. By referencing Star Trek's vision of the future, Rovics taps into a popular culture icon that has long been associated with optimistic thinking and a belief in humanity's ability to overcome its challenges. The song encourages the listener to think about what this ideal future might look like and to consider the steps that could lead us there.
Line by Line Meaning
In the 24th century
In a time far into the future
Everything is peachy keen
Everything is perfect and wonderful
Everybody has enough
No one lacks any resources or necessities
The replicators replicate all kinds of cool stuff
Special machines create various interesting objects
You can wander all across the universe
It is possible to travel to any corner of space
No quadrant is too far off to traverse
There is no limit to how far one can travel
Exploration is humanity's highest goal
Discovering the unknown is humanity's most important purpose
They've discovered all kinds of planets, they're really on a roll
Many planets have been found and more are being discovered
How can we get there from here?
How can we reach that level of peace and prosperity?
We've lost our way, I fear
We have gone astray and are not making progress towards that ideal future
Oh captain won't you show us where to go
Can someone lead us towards that direction and inspire us?
Make it so, make it so, oh, make it so
Take action to make it happen, please
Men and women live in harmony
There are no gender based tensions or conflicts
There's peace and justice within the human race
Everyone is treated with fairness and there are no violent disputes
All shapes and colors floating happily through space
People of different races and appearances coexist in happiness
People run around in trios and in pairs
People share their time with friends and loved ones
Occupy their time with wild love affairs
They indulge in fun romantic flings
Ancient history recalls the world wars
The past includes events like large-scale global conflicts
When the rich were rich and the poor were poor
Society was sharply divided between the haves and have-nots
Gotta sprout wings over this brink
We need to make a sudden improvement to avoid a crisis
Will we rise or will we sink?
Will our society improve or collapse?
Captain won't you show us where to go
We need guidance and direction from someone who can help us
Even the air is clean
Pollution is no longer an issue
On the earth sparkling waters run
Water is crystal clear and free of contaminants
All the little kids are having lots of fun
Children live carefree and happy lives
Petrochemicals are a relic of the past
We no longer rely on fossil fuels
All the little hovercrafts are built to last
Vehicles are designed for long-lasting use
There's not a smokestack in the sky
No pollutants are being released into the environment
Just little birdies flyin' happy and high
Nature flourishes and is free from any human-induced harm
I'm trying to predict through the haze
It is difficult to predict the future with certainty
Yeah I'm waitin' for those good old days
I am eagerly awaiting a time of utopia and prosperity
Captain won't you tell us where to go
We must rely on someone more knowledgeable to guide us to a better future
Make it so, make it so, oh, make it so
Please take the necessary steps to make that future a reality
Contributed by Jayce I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
der stolze Atheist
as an enviromentalist, straight edge vegan, atheistic, pacifistic anarcho-communist I find this hilarious.
Carl
Sorry you have all those illnesses
Anti Anglo Aktion
@Anthony Tarczynski If by dialectical materialism you simply mean that society is constituted by class struggle, then sure. Capitalism is a class society that is driven by class conflict. If you mean, nonsense like producing an ontology where everything is reduced to matter in motion that somehow develops 'dialectically', then no. Neither was Marx for what it's worth. This stems from Engels, through Plekhanov and then Lenin.
Billy
the only thing there you said that is not to be admired is straight edge
Str8edge Freak
I used to watch this video when I was 14 now I’m 21 and it’s still the best thing ever
Bjørn-Magne Stuestøl
Time sure passes quickly, and so cool to hear our little musical contribution was a part of your youth!
Noah Markwell
The way that this pokes fun at the trope amongst punks and anarchists of attempting to out others as "posers" is hilarious. Its a great analysis of the superficiality of the subculture, and how one can perceive oneself as objectively"better" than someone else when they believe in a political system that promotes complete equality
Bjørn-Magne Stuestøl
And that's the point of the song; you'll always find someone who thinks he/she is so much better than everybody else, that their actions end up way out of proportion or off track of what's important. ;) The song itself is inspired by several "anarchists" David has met through the years who were kind'a like this and did more harm to the cause then good. So there's a valuable lesson in all the humor :)
Gordon Kuhns
Utterly kick-ass and hilarious... that's my friend David Rovics... and this song of his is quite in keeping with his character. Great video work too - most enjoyable!
Alexandre S. Schneider
This animation os pure gold.