Prelude
Dropdead Lyrics
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Bow down to his wisdom so vain
Demagogue rules from his throne made of gold
While the common man suffers in pain
Self serving rule of the pious
Feeding their greed til their gain
Crushed under foot as society falls
Again and again, again and again
The song Prelude by Dropdead is a political critique on demagogues and racism. The first two lines of the song, "Hail the leader of racists/Bow down to his wisdom so vain", are direct shots at leaders who promote racist ideologies, and the people who blindly support them. The next two lines, "Demagogue rules from his throne made of gold/While the common man suffers in pain", highlight the class divide, where the so-called leaders of society live a life of luxury while the common people suffer.
The third line of the song, "Self serving rule of the pious", is an attack on organized religion and how religious leaders serve their own interests while preaching morality. The line, "Feeding their greed til their gain", directly speaks to the accumulation of wealth by religious leaders, which they justify as a reward for their piousness. The final two lines, "Crushed under foot as society falls/Again and again, again and again", speak to the cyclic nature of the rise and fall of societies, where the common people are crushed under the weight of corrupt leadership, again and again.
Overall, Prelude is a call to action for people to question the authority of their leaders and recognize the class divide that exists in society. It urges people to rise above racism, religious bigotry and blind faith in demagogues to build a more equal world.
Line by Line Meaning
Hail the leader of racists
Praise the person who leads a group of people who believe in the superiority of their own race over others
Bow down to his wisdom so vain
Show respect to his unimportant and egotistical views and insights
Demagogue rules from his throne made of gold
A political leader who gains power by appealing to people's emotions, prejudices, and ignorance governs from a position of extreme wealth and luxury
While the common man suffers in pain
The ordinary people who are not part of the ruling class experience emotional and physical distress
Self serving rule of the pious
The governance characterized by religious righteousness that only focuses on its own benefit
Feeding their greed til their gain
Satisfying their own selfish desires until they can obtain more
Crushed under foot as society falls
The masses are oppressed and suppressed under the weight of a collapsing society
Again and again, again and again
This cycle of oppression and suppression is repeated over and over again, without an end in sight
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RYAN KAI KANE BARNETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind