Dead Kennedys' lyrics were usually political in nature, satirizing the Reagan Administration and the American establishment in general, as well as popular culture and even the punk movement itself. Several stores refused to stock their recordings, sparking debate about censorship in rock music. Jello Biafra became an active campaigner against the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), culminating in an obscenity trial in 1985-1986 which resulted in a hung jury.
The group released a total of four studio albums and one EP before disbanding in 1986. Following the band's dissolution, Jello Biafra continued to collaborate and record with other artists including D.O.A., NoMeansNo and his own bands Lard and the Guantanamo School of Medicine, as well as releasing spoken word performances and becoming an activist with the Green Party.
In 2000, Jello Biafra lost an acrimonious legal case initiated by his former Dead Kennedys band mates over songwriting credits and unpaid royalties. In 2001, the band reformed; various singers have since been recruited for vocal duties.
Cesspools In Eden
Dead Kennedys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Beneath your dreamhome
Buried there years before
Kid runs in crying
From playing in the garden
"Mommy, I burned my hands!"
"Don't rub 'em-they'll swell up."
Oh Oh Oh Oh
It's the big waste dump
Oh, yeah
We built your ticky-tacky houses
On landfill soil
To cover up a gift
We left you years before
Of toxic chemicals
And leaking gas
Just dig a little while,
You'll find our acid baths
Cesspools
In Eden
Oozing away:
Groundwater's poisoned
Air stings like hell
The lines for doctors grow long
Over martinis
The company laughs
"We don't owe you one damn thing."
But what about all these fainting spells?
How'd you like a lick
From my open sores
And Oh:.Oh Oh Oh -
Why are our babies stillborn?
A storage tank's leaking
It's about to explode
Why evacuate
When you can watch the fun
Nothing happens here
Get out the lawn chairs
We'll drink pink lemonade
And watch Martinez burn
Cesspools
In Eden
Oozing away
Cesspools in Eden
Leak by the day
The land we sold you
Is right atop our acid pits
We fill them by the truckload
In the dead of night
There's thousands more toxic
Tips of the iceberg
We pay a little bribe
Or we just don't report them
And see what you get-
Cesspools
In Eden
In Eden
No accident-
Just a little of our greed-fueled negligence
So you've found the proof why
Your cancer rate's shot up
But whatcha gonna do
When we've got all the cards
Times Beach, Rocky Flats,
Love Canal & Bhopal
Merry Christmas, hostages
From the folks who care
Cesspools in Eden
Oozing away
Cesspools in Eden
Leak by the day
Cesspools in Eden
Have a nice day
The Dead Kennedys' song "Cesspools in Eden" vividly describes the consequences of human greed and negligence on the environment. The song is a condemnation of capitalist corporations that prioritize profit over the well-being of people and the planet. The lyrics paint a bleak picture of a community living on top of a toxic waste dump left by greedy corporations. The poison is bubbling beneath the residents' dream homes, and they have no idea about the danger they are in. The chorus "Cesspools in Eden oozing away" is a reference to the biblical Garden of Eden, which was once a paradise before being corrupted by sin and greed.
The second verse of the song describes the physical symptoms experienced by the inhabitants of the area, including itchy eyes, swollen skin and fainting spells. The company responsible for the toxic waste dump does not take responsibility for the harm they have caused, and instead, they laugh and deny liability. The bridge of the song takes a dark turn, suggesting that the storage tank is leaking, and it's about to explode, while the residents do nothing but watch the spectacle. The lyrics are a commentary on how people are often powerless to prevent environmental disasters, and how corporations prioritize profit over public safety.
The last verse of the song describes the corrupt practices of greedy corporations that bribe their way out of dealing with the toxic waste they create. The song's conclusion is a bleak reminder of how people can be helpless in the face of corporations that hold all the cards.
Line by Line Meaning
Poison is bubbling
The presence of deadly chemicals lies beneath the surface
Beneath your dreamhome
The contaminated land sits directly below the houses where people live
Buried there years before
The hazardous waste was hidden intentionally a long time ago
Kid runs in crying
A child has been harmed by the toxins in the environment
From playing in the garden
The place where the child was hurt was thought to be a safe and joyful spot
"Mommy, I burned my hands!"
The child's injuries are serious
"What's making our eyes so itchy?"
People are starting to notice something is amiss in their environment
"Don't rub 'em-they'll swell up."
The harmful chemicals in the air are dangerous to touch and can have immediate effects
Oh Oh Oh Oh
The band highlights the severity of the issue with this repetition
It's the big waste dump
The source of the problems is a huge and dangerous landfill
Oh, yeah
The issue is not going away and the problems will only continue
We built your ticky-tacky houses
The homes were built cheaply and to maximize profits
On landfill soil
The houses have been erected on top of a dangerous dump
To cover up a gift
Developers knowingly put people's health at risk to hide the dangerous materials underground
We left you years before
The dangerous waste had been hidden for a while already
Of toxic chemicals
The dangerous materials in the ground harm everyone who comes into the area
And leaking gas
The landfill is releasing harmful gases into the environment
Just dig a little while,
The truth about the toxic chemicals in the area is not difficult to uncover
You'll find our acid baths
The extent of the danger in the land is even worse than what has been seen on the surface
Cesspools
The area is a perfect example of a polluted environment
In Eden
The irony in the title is that this once beautiful place has been destroyed by greed and callousness
Oozing away:
The damage to the environment is ongoing and does not appear to be stopping
Groundwater's poisoned
The toxins are getting into a vital water source
Air stings like hell
The air quality is so bad that it is causing pain to those who breathe it in
The lines for doctors grow long
People are getting sick and seeking medical attention in large numbers
Over martinis
The companies responsible for this disaster are perfectly happy to ignore the damage caused while living the high life
The company laughs
The corporations causing the damage do not care at all about their impact on the environment or the health of the people affected
"We don't owe you one damn thing."
The companies deny all responsibility for the harm their actions have caused
But what about all these fainting spells?
People are beginning to experience more severe symptoms
How'd you like a lick
The toxins in the area have gotten so bad that even violence is being suggested
From my open sores
The damage done is so severe that people are resorting to extreme measures
And Oh:.Oh Oh Oh -
The band highlights the continued frustration of the situation
Why are our babies stillborn?
The damage has reached such epic proportions that even newborns are affected and are dying as a result
A storage tank's leaking
The problems continue to plague this once beautiful area
It's about to explode
The damage is reaching a climax and things are getting worse by the day
Why evacuate
Rather than take action to combat the problem, people find it easier to pretend it's not happening
When you can watch the fun
Despite the very real and deadly danger, people seem to find some sort of entertainment value in the disaster
Nothing happens here
Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, people remain in denial about the severity of the disaster
Get out the lawn chairs
People are so resigned to the situation that they are sitting around enjoying the sight of the destruction
We'll drink pink lemonade
Even the food and drinks people consume are poisoned by the toxins in the environment
And watch Martinez burn
The situation has become so bad that even towns and cities are now being destroyed
Cesspools
The same line is repeated to emphasize the enormity and severity of the disaster
In Eden
The seemingly idyllic environment has been destroyed by unchecked greed and indifference
Oozing away
The environmental disaster continues with no end in sight
Have a nice day
The obligatory polite farewell is a satirical comment on the lack of concern shown for the people affected by the disaster
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Darren Henley, Eric Reed Boucher, Geoffrey Lyall, Raymond John Pepperelle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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