The Bishop
Flash Lyrics


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Sideward stepping
Acid eating
Architechs of Politics
Behind your hover with a glove of power.

Old and frail
Like a picture rail
With a fortune made, there hangs a tale
A Judge should witness if he had the hours

Mandatory beaurocracy
Fattened hog - like burly chassis
Lord and Master of the Working Classes

Eyeless seeing nothing new
Battle weary holding on
Like an old dog with a bone
He'll go on gnawing

Mismanagement, a mental garbage can;
Self punishment
The Lord of teeth and trousers
Back - stabbing rebel rousers.

Wino gourmet
Kipper fillet
Breakfast Boffin
Sending letters to his MP
Hoping someone will eat it.

Press those charges in the morning
You won't get a second warning
Hope you learned your lesson, my boy,
Beat it.

The Cardinal
A red-faced Desperate Dan




A second man the extra on a film set
The filler of his basket.

Overall Meaning

In the song "The Bishop" by Flash, the lyrics focus on different characters and their attitudes towards power, wealth, and politics. The opening lines of "Sideward stepping, acid eating architechs of politics, behind your hover with a glove of power" describe political figures who are manipulative and power-hungry. They are willing to do whatever it takes to stay in control and keep their grip on society. The reference to acid eating suggests they are willing to break societal norms to maintain this power.


The next set of lyrics "Old and frail, like a picture rail, with a fortune made, there hangs a tale, a judge should witness if he had the hours" describes a wealthy and powerful figure who has amassed a fortune over time, but there is a story hidden behind the wealth that could be uncovered if a judge were to investigate. The following lines describe the bureaucracy and the working class people who are controlled by those in power, emphasizing the imbalance of power and the struggle for those who are underprivileged. The lyrics "eyeless seeing nothing new, battle weary holding on, like an old dog with a bone, he'll go on gnawing" further captures the feeling of being stuck in a never-ending cycle of struggle and resistance.


Line by Line Meaning

Sideward stepping
Moving in a sideward way.


Acid eating
Consuming acid, probably a reference to drug use.


Architechs of Politics
The creators and designers of politics.


Behind your hover with a glove of power.
Controlling from behind, using power discreetly.


Old and frail
Aged and weak.


Like a picture rail
Simile referring to the frailty and weakness being similar to a picture rail.


With a fortune made, there hangs a tale
There is a story and history behind the fortune amassed.


A Judge should witness if he had the hours
Suggesting a judge should hear the story if they had the time.


Mandatory beaurocracy
Necessary bureaucracy.


Fattened hog - like burly chassis
Simile referring to something that has been fattened and has heavy, solid composition.


Lord and Master of the Working Classes
The one in control of the working classes.


Eyeless seeing nothing new
Not seeing anything new, possibly indicating a lack of vision.


Battle weary holding on
Tired from fighting, but still holding on.


Like an old dog with a bone
A simile that references a stubborn, unwavering attitude.


He'll go on gnawing
He will continue to persist, possibly in a negative way.


Mismanagement, a mental garbage can;
Mismanagement being compared negatively to a mental garbage can.


Self punishment
Punishing oneself.


The Lord of teeth and trousers
Possibly a reference to someone powerful and wealthy, holding important positions.


Back - stabbing rebel rousers.
People who encourage rebellion and are not to be trusted.


Wino gourmet
An ironic term that alludes to a preference for cheap or low-quality wine, but presented with enthusiasm like gourmet food.


Kipper fillet
A specific type of fish used for fillets, not necessarily significant beyond that.


Breakfast Boffin
Someone interested or obsessed with breakfasts.


Sending letters to his MP
Contacting a Member of Parliament by sending letters.


Hoping someone will eat it.
Metaphorical language that alludes to a lack of interest in the letter or its content.


Press those charges in the morning
An injunction-like call to action to press charges in the morning.


You won't get a second warning
The person being warned will not receive another notification before action is taken.


Hope you learned your lesson, my boy,
A condescending phrase suggesting the person being addressed has failed and should learn from their mistake.


Beat it.
A command to leave the area or situation immediately.


The Cardinal
Possibly a reference to a higher figure in the Church or someone representing this status.


A red-faced Desperate Dan
A humorous allusion to the classic comic book character Desperate Dan, who is known for his red face and troublesome ways.


A second man the extra on a film set
A very minor role or position, possibly in the film industry.


The filler of his basket.
Someone or somethings filling an empty space, not necessarily valuable or important.




Contributed by Scarlett F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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