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.
Funland at the Beach
Dead Kennedys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See the fat kids spill their pop, ooh babe
Lots of flags and balloons
But someone sabotaged the rollercoaster last night
Ran a turn and then it smashed right down
Through the crowded haunted house below, oh no!
Human hamburger, no
And it's crushed little kids
Crushed little kids
Crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk
Crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk
Crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk
Crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk
Crushed little kids adorn the board-
See the tourists drop their jaws and cones
See the owners smell a big lawsuit, oh, police!
Call your lawyer first
Make the witnesses go home and they'll turn on the TV
And see crushed little kids
Crushed little kids
Crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk
Crushed little kids
Crushed little kids
Crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk
Crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk
Crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk
Crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk
The Dead Kennedys’ “Funland at the Beach” is a scathing critique of modern society’s apparent tendency for prioritizing fun over the well-being of others. The amusement park is depicted as a place of pure entertainment, “flags and balloons” adorning the park while “fat kids spill their pop”. However, the irony of a place of entertainment turning out to be a site of mass casualties is further highlighted with the vivid metaphor of the sabotage of the rollercoaster, leading to it running off the rails and crashing into the haunted house below, turning the children and teenagers inside into “human hamburger”.
The lyrics then shift to the chaos that ensues in the aftermath of the tragedy. The owners, concerned about the possible lawsuit, begin to clean up the mess and prioritize the appearance of the park to the public. The references to the “witnesses” being turned away and the owners’ immediate call to their lawyers represents the lack of empathy and blame-shifting that often occurs in the wake of such events, highlighting the extent to which the owners only care about their own interests over those of the victims.
The most striking aspect of the song, in addition to the biting critique of capitalist priorities, is the macabre imagery used which comes across as both disturbing and thought-provoking. The line “Crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk” is repeated throughout the song almost like a refrain - this repetition creates an underlying sense of nihilism, punctuated by the guilt of those who should have done more to help. Overall, the lyrics serve to expose the breakdown in morality and societal priorities, bringing the listener face-to-face with the dark consequences of a culture that puts profit above all else.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunny Sunday at the amusement park
It was a bright and pleasant day at the amusement park
See the fat kids spill their pop, ooh babe
Observe the overweight children accidentally dropping their soda
Lots of flags and balloons
The park was adorned with numerous flags and balloons
But someone sabotaged the rollercoaster last night
However, someone deliberately interfered with the rollercoaster the night before
Ran a turn and then it smashed right down
The coaster derailed at a corner and collapsed downwards
Through the crowded haunted house below, oh no!
The fallen rollercoaster went through the busy haunted house below, causing chaos
Human hamburger, no
The crash resulted in severe injuries and possible deaths, which is terrible
And it's crushed little kids
The accident involved young children being crushed
Crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk
The victims' remains are scattered on the boardwalk
See the tourists drop their jaws and cones
Witness the tourists stunned and dropping their ice cream cones
See the owners smell a big lawsuit, oh, police!
Observing the owners fretting about the potential lawsuit and summoning the police
Call your lawyer first
The owners are hurrying to call their legal representative
Make the witnesses go home and they'll turn on the TV
The owners are trying to persuade the witnesses to leave and watch the news at home instead
Crushed little kids
The victims were innocent children who were crushed
Adorn the boardwalk
Their remains are present and visible on the boardwalk, which is tragic
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KLAUS FLOURIDE, EAST BAY RAY, JELLO BIAFRA, DEAD KENNEDYS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@DrZook
Well, I lived through that era and let me tell you it wasn't all sabotaging roller-coasters, starting forest fires and stealing people's mail. No sirree-Bob.
Sometimes we had to go to jobs and clubs and smoke dope too. Then there was all the food we had to eat. Pizzas and burgers and Chinese take-away and such. Yes, the eating part was a BIG responsibility. The jobs - not so much. We pretty much faked the jobs.
No my young friend, it wasn't all beer and skittles. Well, there was SOME beer but I don't recall any skittles , unless we are talking about the little fruit candies, in which case there was some Skittles but not too many because they are bad for your teeth you know.
Which begs the question: "Can God fill teeth?"
I never did get an answer to that question but I did buy the record.
@joshgarrett2318
Great song for the whole family to enjoy.
@rupowell2821
Yes it’s very superfluous
@ScottKFraley
If loving this song is wrong, I don't wanna be right! Seriously, though, I've always been impressed with how amazing this band was for a, at least in theory, "bunch of punk kids."
@Siegewerks
Couldn't help but have this one ringing through my head all day...
@TheJC12349
Dead Kennedys just went up on the band list
@skankinwitch5180
can't go above #1 my dude
@jameslafond7675
This song always makes me think of having my face on the side of a milk carton.
@dubcat123
thanks for putting up the whole album. i thrive off this shit
@dmdiamond220
oh the temptation i feel to sing this on a hot day standing at the end of a long line at six flags
@r00zTa
Crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk, crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk yoah!!!