“Brazil” is a protest song criticizing FIFA, the international governing body of association football, and their decision of awarding the 2014 FIFA World Cup to Brazil, without addressing the extensive and deep poverty affecting Brazilians and “doing anything for the communities.”
Although the song was just intended to be a dig at corruption, it took a whole new life with the FIFA corruption scandal that emerged in 2015 and has been deeply associated with the downfall from office of Sepp Blatter, FIFA’s president from 1998 to 2015.
"'It was a bit of a weird one. I generally come up with the melodies and guitar riffs before I come up with any lyrics, so first I had this guitar riff that I really liked and then I came up with the melody but didn’t have any words for it. Then it kind of just happened! I started hearing things about the FIFA World Cup and the corruption around it. I don’t really know why or how it happened, but I ended up writing a song about it and it turned out to be the one that I recorded and released. I was just seeing all this stuff around and like most songs, I was hearing so much about it that I couldn’t really avoid writing about it.'"
- Declan McKenna for humanhuman
Brazil
Declan Mckenna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To show the country that you're from
Is where the world should want to be
For a fine something all people need
I'm faithless now though we win
Every time and I don't know how
'Cause I haven't bought you
But the people are dying to, to get on TV
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
Oh Lord, what have I become?
I'm the face of God, I'm my father's son
I'm not what you think you see
I know you can't eat leather, but you can't stop me
Why would you lie, why would you lie about how you feel?
I've got a mission and my mission is real
Because you've had your chances, yeah, you've had enough
I'm gonna burn your house down to spread peace and love
And it gets me down
Oh, Lord, how it gets me down
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
Oh Lord
Oh Lord
I wanna play the beautiful game while in Brazil
'Cause everybody plays the beautiful game while I'm in Brazil
'Cause it's all you've ever wanted and it's all that you want still
Don't you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil?
I wanna play the beautiful game while I'm in Brazil
'Cause everybody plays the beautiful game out in Brazil
And it's all you've ever wanted and it's all that you want still
Don't you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil?
(Oh yeah)
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
(And that was my triple collateral on Free for All)
The lyrics of Declan McKenna's song Brazil are a critique of the corruption that plagues the country. The lyrics refer to the sale of the Amazon rainforest to prove to the world that Brazil is the ideal country to live in. However, the singer of the song is faithless, as he knows that this act is causing the destruction of the environment and the death of the people who depend on it. The corrupt people in power are aware of the situation, but they are only interested in being seen on TV. The singer is frustrated by this and wants to take action by burning their house down to spread peace and love.
The second verse continues with the same criticism of the corrupt people in power, referring to a wealthy man who lives down a river with six cars and a grizzly bear. Although he talks like an angel, he looks like the singer, implying that he is just as corrupt as they are. The bridge repeats the line "Oh Lord, what have I become?" suggesting that the singer is struggling with what he perceives to be his own complicity in the situation.
The chorus seems to be a desire to escape the corruption and to instead play the "beautiful game" of soccer in Brazil, where everyone plays it. The repetition of the line "Don't you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil?" implies that the singer is trying to persuade the listener to join him in his quest for a better world.
Line by Line Meaning
I heard you sold the Amazon
I heard that you allowed the Amazon Rainforest to be sold off
To show the country that you're from
To represent your country's commitment to development
Is where the world should want to be
You believe that progress is defined by development
For a fine something all people need
For the benefit of all people's essential development needs
I'm faithless now though we win
I've lost faith even as I'm surrounded by success
Every time and I don't know how
I'm winning but I can't explain why
'Cause I haven't bought you
Because I haven't given in to your corrupt ways
And I haven't sold me
And I won't compromise my values
But the people are dying to, to get on TV
The public is eager to become famous, even at the cost of their dignity
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
I heard that a wealthy, influential person lives in isolation
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He has luxurious possessions, but also an isolated lifestyle
He got eyes, but he can't see
He has power but he lacks awareness of the corrupt world he lives in
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
Appearances can be deceiving; those who seem like good people can have the capacity for corruption
Oh Lord, what have I become?
I'm questioning my own values and identity
I'm the face of God, I'm my father's son
I represent divine authority and my familial lineage
I'm not what you think you see
I'm different from what you believe me to be
I know you can't eat leather, but you can't stop me
I know that some people suffer from the cost of fast fashion, but I won't change my behavior
Why would you lie, why would you lie about how you feel?
Why would you deceive yourself about your own emotions?
I've got a mission and my mission is real
I have a goal to accomplish and it's very important to me
Because you've had your chances, yeah, you've had enough
Others have had enough opportunities to make changes but haven't succeeded
I'm gonna burn your house down to spread peace and love
I'm going to take drastic measures to promote peace and love, even if it causes harm to others
And it gets me down
It causes me distress
Oh Lord, how it gets me down
I'm feeling a lot of emotional pain
I wanna play the beautiful game while in Brazil
I want to experience the joy and beauty of soccer in Brazil
'Cause everybody plays the beautiful game while I'm in Brazil
Soccer is a universal game enjoyed by everyone in Brazil
'Cause it's all you've ever wanted and it's all that you want still
Because it's a simple, pure desire that doesn't involve corruption or power
Don't you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil?
Wouldn't you also like to experience the simple joy of playing soccer in Brazil?
(Oh yeah)
A casual expression to add emphasis to the previous statement
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Declan McKenna
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@noahsdragonfruit
Just for me:
I heard you sold the Amazon
To show the country that you're from
Is where the world should want to be
For a fine something all people need
I'm faithless now
Though we win every time and I don't know how
'Cause I haven't bought you and I haven't sold me
But the people are dying to get on TV
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well he talks like an angel, but he looks like me
Oh, Lord!
What have I become?
I'm the face of God, I'm my father's son
I'm not what you think you see
I know you can't eat leather, but you can't stop me
Why would you lie, why would you lie about how you feel?
I've got a mission and my mission is real
Because you've had your chances, yeah you've had enough
I'm gonna burn your house down to spread peace and love
And it gets me down
Oh, Lord, how it gets me down
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well he talks like an angel, but he looks like me
Oh, Lord!
I wanna play the beautiful game while I'm in Brazil
'Cause everybody plays the beautiful game out in Brazil
And it's all you've ever wanted, and it's all that you want still
Don't you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil?
I wanna play the beautiful game while I'm in Brazil
'Cause everybody plays the beautiful game out in Brazil
And it's all you've ever wanted, and it's all that you want still
Don't you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil?
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well he talks like an angel, but he looks like me
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well he talks like an angel, but he looks like me
@otakutimewithanidiot1023
lyrics:
I heard you sold the Amazon
To show the country that you're from
Is where the world should want to be
For fine something all people need
I'm faithless now though we win
Every time and I don't know how
'Cause I haven't bought you
And I haven't sold me
But the people are dying to, to get on TV
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
Oh Lord, what have I become?
I'm the face of God, I'm my fathers' son
I'm not, what you think you see
I know you can't eat leather, but you can't stop me
Why would you lie, why would you lie about how you feel?
I've got a mission and my mission is real
Because you've had your chances, yeh you've had enough
I'm gonna burn your house down to spread peace and love
And it gets me down
Oh Lord how it gets me down
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
Oh Lord
Oh Lord
I wanna play the beautiful game while I'm in Brazil
'Cause everybody plays the beautiful game while out in Brazil
'Cause it's all you've ever wanted, and it's all that you want still
Don't you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil?
I wanna play the beautiful game while I'm in Brazil
'Cause everybody plays the beautiful game out in Brazil
And it's all you've ever wanted, and it's all that you want still
Don't you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil
Oh yeah
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
this is fukin moosic
@tifanirommel8917
I heard you sold the amazon
To show the country that you're from
Is where the world should want to be for find something all people need
I'm faithless now though we win every time and I don't know how
'Cause I haven't bought you and I haven't sold me
But the people are dying to get on tv
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With 6 cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
Oh lord! What have I become?
I'm the face of God I'm my father's son
I'm not, what you think you see
I know you can't eat leather, but you can't stop me
Why would you lie, why would you lie about how you feel?
I've got a mission and my mission is real
Because you've had your chances, yeh you've had enough
I'm gonna burn your house down to spread peace and love
And it gets me down
Oh lord how it gets me down
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With 6 cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
Oh lord!
Oh lord!
I wanna play the beautiful game while I'm in Brazil
'Cause everybody plays the beautiful game out in Brazil
And it's all you've ever wanted, and it's all that you want still
Don't you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil?
I wanna play the beautiful game while I'm in Brazil
'Cause everybody plays the beautiful game out in Brazil
And it's all you've ever wanted, and it's all that you want still
Don't you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil?
Oh yeah!
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With 6 cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me!
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With 6 cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me!
@duechbaggerful3075
I heard you sold the Amazon
To show the country that you're from
Is where the world should want to be
For fine something all people need
I'm faithless now though we win
Every time and I don't know how
'Cause I haven't bought you
And I haven't sold me
But the people are dying to, to get on TV
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
Oh Lord, what have I become?
I'm the face of God, I'm my fathers' son
I'm not, what you think you see
I know you can't eat leather, but you can't stop me
Why would you lie, why would you lie about how you feel?
I've got a mission and my mission is real
Because you've had your chances, yeh you've had enough
I'm gonna burn your house down to spread peace and love
And it gets me down
Oh Lord how it gets me down
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
Oh Lord
Oh Lord
I wanna play the beautiful game while I'm in Brazil
'Cause everybody plays the beautiful game while out in Brazil
'Cause it's all you've ever wanted, and it's all that you want still
Don't you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil?
I wanna play the beautiful game while I'm in Brazil
'Cause everybody plays the beautiful game out in Brazil
And it's all you've ever wanted, and it's all that you want still
Don't you wanna play the beautiful game out in Brazil
Oh yeah
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
I heard he lives down a river somewhere
With six cars and a grizzly bear
He's got eyes, but he can't see
Well, he talks like an angel but he looks like me
And that was my triple collateral on Free for All (Free for All)
@hawkhd8174
So kid...what effects do you want?
YES
@everyone.7032
Hawk HD
Lol
@NicholasNormile
It reminds me of some of the Eels' videos. Great songs, weird vids.
@user-qi1us9gr9t
Hawk HD 😂
@jotan3096
the effects are so F*** good.
@saran6651
This meme is ahead of its time
@aliciugh
three years later and he’s still thriving with his green screen.
@ttsait
oh its so true
@elixo1033
aliciugh periodt😌✋
@izzyk-s4929
No complaints here, never fails to give me a drug free trip