Watch It Burn
Dr. Know Lyrics


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Monstrous machines mutilate men
It happens every 50, 000 years
Brother against brother and mother against son
It's purpose has never been quite clear
TV gurus propagate conservatives annihilate
Rage boils from within
All must we obliterate
Silence, kill exterminate
The purpose of the game is to win

Mainstream monster media the menace of modern mind
Shall propagate then terminate
The hand of death it touches me right between the eyes
You will learn to watch it burn!

All warmth and love has gone to the lower ecshelon
Man's inhumanity to man
Slice the gut and slice the throat, these words the leaders wrote
Can only lead us into the void
Now nothing looks the same
From bloodshed, bombs and flames
It's all for progress' sake
Through the mud and blood we trod, all in the name of God
Modern crusade 85

Mainstream monster media the menace of modern mind
Shall propagate then terminate
The hand of death it touches me right between the eyes
You will learn to watch it burn!

Sickened by war and sin the fate of Earth looks grim
Tension builds then explodes
I am burning in the sun gutters flow red with blood
I need a place to feel safe
Mainstream monster media the menace of modern mind
Shall propagate then terminate




The hand of death it touches me right between the eyes
I have learned to watch it burn!

Overall Meaning

The song "Watch It Burn" by the punk rock band Dr. Know explores the theme of humankind's cruelty and its devastating consequences. The opening lyrics describe a never-ending cycle of violence, where humans are mutilated by monstrous machines every 50,000 years. The purpose of this violence is not clear, and the only thing that emerges is rage that boils from within. The song then goes on to point out that mainstream media plays a key role in the propagation and termination of conservative ideas, leading to man's inhumanity to man.


The chorus of the song suggests that the only possible outcome of this vicious cycle is destruction. The lyrics urge the listener to watch the world burn, as there seems to be no other way out. The singer feels sickened by war and sin and the fate of the Earth looks grim. The tension builds then explodes, leaving the gutters flowing red with blood.


Line by Line Meaning

Monstrous machines mutilate men
Powerful machines are causing harm to humans


It happens every 50, 000 years
Such harm occurs in a cyclical pattern


Brother against brother and mother against son
Blood relations are turning against each other


It's purpose has never been quite clear
The reason behind such conflicts is not fully understood


TV gurus propagate conservatives annihilate
Influential TV personalities put forth their views while conservative forces destroy opposing ideologies


Rage boils from within
There is intense anger among the population


All must we obliterate
The solution is to completely eliminate everything that is causing harm


Silence, kill exterminate
Total eradication is the answer


The purpose of the game is to win
The ultimate goal is victory


Mainstream monster media the menace of modern mind
The widespread media is causing harm to the current generation


Shall propagate then terminate
It will spread its message before putting an end to everything


The hand of death it touches me right between the eyes
Death is imminent


You will learn to watch it burn!
People will eventually witness everything burning


All warmth and love has gone to the lower ecshelon
Only the lower classes are experiencing love and warmth


Man's inhumanity to man
Humans are committing atrocities towards other humans


Slice the gut and slice the throat, these words the leaders wrote
The ones in power are advocating for extreme violence


Can only lead us into the void
Such actions will only lead us to destruction


Now nothing looks the same
The world seems unrecognizable


From bloodshed, bombs and flames
Violence, destruction, and fire are prevalent


It's all for progress' sake
Such actions are being carried out in the name of progress


Through the mud and blood we trod, all in the name of God
People are fighting in the name of religion, wading through dirt and blood


Modern crusade 85
This is a current crusade in the year 1985


Sickened by war and sin the fate of Earth looks grim
The state of the Earth looks bleak due to war and wrongdoing


Tension builds then explodes
Tensions escalate before the situation spirals out of control


I am burning in the sun gutters flow red with blood
The person is feeling the heat of the intense situation while blood flows on the streets


I need a place to feel safe
The person is looking for a haven where they can find some peace


I have learned to watch it burn!
The person has come to terms with the idea of everything ending in flames




Contributed by Keira O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@illmsg77

I can't think of many other songs as perfect as this one. The lyrics, the ways he sings them. The way the bass comes into the roll, everything is airtight. I can fan out on this song all day. I'll shut up.

@dylangadwa3119

True say. This song is a flawless diamond. Chef's kiss eternal.

@WESHarman206

This is the song I point people to when I want to introduce them to Dr. Know or if I'm trying to prove a point about just how musically tight hardcore punk could be. Blows my mind how tight this recording is, despite clearly being a workout for everyone on stage.

@yucatansuckaman5726

Ah yes a true aficionado. 👍

@jjxxjjxx9460

do u have another to recommend?=0

@automaticnostatic2148

West coast HARDCORE!

@gosolobox

Played the shit out of this back in the day and it still stands true..

@mattburke4343

I saw these guys in Oxnard in 1986 :P

@jackshort1907

DC 86
At a lesbian bar...

@williamaubrey6339

me too bro - bam!!!
@@jackshort1907

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