In their time as a band they released two 12" records, "No Moderation" and "Paranoid Mess". Aside from those full-lengths, they also released three 7"s titled "No Way Out", "Arrested" and "Executed" as well as appearing on No Way Records "No Bullshit" compilation.
In February 2011, Government Warning embarked on their final east coast tour with Night Birds.
Arrested
Government Warning Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And only the USA
I fuckin' hate this town
I wanna make it go away!
Rednecks with riot gear and guns
patrol, breathe down my fuckin' neck
lookin' for any excuse...
and I'm a wreck
cuz' I won't go down, I never will.
and if you put your fuckin' hands on me,
its kill or be killed!
I won't go back, I'd rather die,
and if the cops catch up with me,
I'll bleed tonight
I can't sleep at all tonight
the weight of youthful indiscretion
still weighs on me all night
I won't be raped or beaten
by psychos, all in green
you won't get me!
No black, no blue
find someone else to abuse
cuz' I won't be arrested tonight!
The song "Arrested" by Government Warning talks about the singer's struggle against law enforcement and the American government. The lyrics speak about a sense of frustration with the country that is expressed through a negative message towards the United States. The singer feels like he does not belong in his own country and wants to get away from the repression that he encounters daily.
Throughout the song, the singer voices his desire to fight back against police authority and government rules. He refuses to back down in the face of violent retaliation and would rather die than be taken into custody. The lyrics suggest that the singer has been punished by the law enforcement in the past for something he did in his youth. He still carries the weight of these experiences with him and feels like he is a target for police harassment.
The song's lyrics make an anti-American statement by suggesting that the U.S.A. is a hated country. However, it also highlights the authoritarian tactics of the police who the singer feels that they are on the lookout to catch him at any cost. The song paints a picture of a person who has been abused and seeks to find some form of freedom through fighting back against those who oppress him.
Line by Line Meaning
God bless the USA-
I have nothing against the USA as a country and wish it well.
And only the USA
However, my loyalty lies solely with my own self and not with the American society.
I fuckin' hate this town
I am deeply dissatisfied with this place I live in and can't stand it anymore.
I wanna make it go away!
I wish this town could be erased from existence and never bother me again.
Rednecks with riot gear and guns
There are aggressive, racist individuals here who are armed and dangerous.
patrol, breathe down my fuckin' neck
These people are constantly surveilling and harassing me.
lookin' for any excuse...
They are on the lookout for any opportunity to harm or arrest me.
and I'm a wreck
All of this has taken a toll on my mental and emotional wellbeing.
cuz' I won't go down, I never will.
I am determined to resist and never submit to their oppressive tactics.
and if you put your fuckin' hands on me,
If they physically assault me,
its kill or be killed!
I will defend myself at all cost, even if it means using lethal force.
I won't go back, I'd rather die,
I refuse to be taken back into their custody and would prefer death.
and if the cops catch up with me,
If the police manage to catch me,
I'll bleed tonight
I am prepared to face the consequences, even if it means getting injured or killed.
I can't sleep at all tonight
I am plagued with anxiety and unable to rest.
the weight of youthful indiscretion
I am burdened by past mistakes I made when I was younger.
still weighs on me all night
It continues to haunt me and negatively impact my life.
I won't be raped or beaten
I refuse to let myself be sexually or physically assaulted by the police.
by psychos, all in green
I perceive the cops as mentally unstable and threatening individuals.
you won't get me!
I won't allow them to apprehend me again.
No black, no blue
It doesn't matter what their uniform color is, I won't surrender to the police.
find someone else to abuse
They should look for other victims to harm or harass.
cuz' I won't be arrested tonight!
My goal is to avoid being arrested at all cost and maintain my freedom.
Contributed by Chase W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
TheTokyo1
I could never get over this song. I love the lyrics to the song. It's so true. It makes want to break shit or punch someone in the face lol... I wish government Warning would get more recognition. They are better than most hardcore/punk bands out there right now.
Punk_Parrot
i love these guys! they have a very old school song :)
Roberto Sanjoaquin Lima
SUBHUMANS: este grupo fue muy conocido en la Euskal Herria de los 80, de hecho tocaron en directo en Bilbo.
Zezozose66
Contemporary classic. Unfortunately, I only managed to see em once
garthrallysport
How fucking good is this!
Trevor Sobierajski
Just bought this at a ceremony show!
Javier Ortiz
Algun capo que la traduzca al Español porfavor 🙌
Online Bully
Very good
J.W. Mead
RIP Warehouse Next Door
clones and fashions
@zezozose66 see em again on my channel -- put together an edit from their show in nj. NO BLACK NO BLUE!