Fifteen released their first record in 1991 on Lookout records. It was singer/guitarist Jeff Ott's vision to create music that didn't just rock, but had something important to say as well. After four records on Lookout, two on Grass Records, three on Sub City Records, and three more on indefinite self-published labels, Fifteen were viewed as the leaders in the political-punk music scene. They tackle such burning issues as homelessness, drug abuse, needle exchange, environmental destruction and the government's use of counterintelligence measures to violate activist's civil rights. Fifteen first broke up in 1996 after the self-released "extra medium kickball star."
They reformed in 1998 and released Hush and Survivor then disbanded 2000 with Jeff Ott stating that the anti-commercial DIY ethics of punk rock made it too expensive for him to have a band while raising a family.
The band had a total of fifteen members during its existence: Jeff Ott, Jack Curran, Mikey Mischief, Mark Moreno, Jean Repetto, Lucky Dog, Chris Flanagan, John Ogle, Jessie Wickman, Joe Cable, John Quintos, Scott Pierce, Jim Prior, Lisa D. and Vanessa Bain.
Man Against Man
Fifteen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fuck Socialism
Fuck Capitalism
Fuck Anarchism
White man's got a whole lot of solutions
White man's got a whole lot of problems
White man's got a lot of bright ideas
White man says, he says that God is a white man.
Everybody else and everything else gets systematically objectified
Fuck Communism
Fuck Democracy
Fuck science
Fuck reason and rationality
White man's got a whole lot of solutions
White man's got a whole lot of problems
White man's got a lot of bright ideas
White man like to play God
White man says, he says that God is a white man.
Everybody else and everything else gets systematically objectified
White man says, he says nature is not a part of God
White man's got progress, but its only pollution
White man's got technology, it's only confusion
White man's got Nature yeah, and he's got the papers to prove it
White man's got a bomb and he's stupid enough to use it
White man says, he says that God is a white man
Everybody else and everything else gets systematically objectified
White man says, he says nature is not a part of God
To kill her becomes justified
White man says, yellow man, red man black man they are not a part of God
To kill them becomes justified
Man against God
Man against Nature
Man against Woman
Man against child
Man against Man
The lyrics to Fifteen's song "Man Against Man" are a scathing critique of various ideologies and the societal, environmental, and political problems that have come from them. The song is primarily focused on the 'white man', who is portrayed as arrogant and self-righteous. The lyrics reject major economic and political systems, including Marxism, socialism, capitalism, anarchism, communism, and democracy.
The repeated line "White man says, he says that God is a white man" points out the absurdity and ethnocentrism of the idea of a white God, and suggests the inherent bias and supremacy within religious and cultural institutions. The lyrics also criticize the "systematic objectification" of everything that is not the white man, highlighting the issue of systemic racism and prejudice.
The song's final lines "Man against God, Man against Nature, Man against Woman, Man against child, Man against Man" suggest a deep-seated divisiveness and hostility within society that is perpetuated by 'man' himself. The song is a powerful call to reject the flawed ideologies and systems that have led to societal and environmental destruction and to strive for a more just and equitable future.
Line by Line Meaning
Fuck Marxism
The singer expresses disdain for Marxism.
Fuck Socialism
The singer expresses disdain for Socialism.
Fuck Capitalism
The singer expresses disdain for Capitalism.
Fuck Anarchism
The singer expresses disdain for Anarchism.
White man's got a whole lot of solutions
White people have many solutions to problems.
White man's got a whole lot of problems
White people have many problems.
White man's got a lot of bright ideas
White people have many creative ideas.
White man like to play God
White people like to act as if they are all-knowing, omnipotent beings.
White man says, he says that God is a white man.
White people claim that God is white.
Everybody else and everything else gets systematically objectified
People of other races and everything else are treated as objects.
Fuck Communism
The singer expresses disdain for Communism.
Fuck Democracy
The singer expresses disdain for Democracy.
Fuck science
The singer expresses disdain for Science.
Fuck reason and rationality
The singer expresses disdain for Reason and Rationality.
White man says, he says nature is not a part of God
White people claim that nature is not a part of God.
White man's got progress, but its only pollution
White people's progress leads to pollution.
White man's got technology, it's only confusion
White people's technology leads to confusion.
White man's got Nature yeah, and he's got the papers to prove it
White people claim to own nature with legal papers.
White man's got a bomb and he's stupid enough to use it
White people have nuclear bombs and are willing to use them.
White man says, he says that God is a white man
White people claim that God is white.
Everybody else and everything else gets systematically objectified
Other people and everything else are treated as objects.
White man says, he says nature is not a part of God
White people claim that nature is not connected to God.
To kill her becomes justified
Killing nature becomes justified in white people's eyes.
White man says, yellow man, red man black man they are not a part of God
White people claim that non-white people are not a part of God.
To kill them becomes justified
Killing non-white people becomes justified in white people's eyes.
Man against God
People act against the will of God.
Man against Nature
People act against nature.
Man against Woman
People act against women.
Man against child
People act against children.
Man against Man
People act against each other.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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