Let's All Make A Bomb
Heaven 17 Lyrics


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And as the low aggress the high
All you can do is sit and cry
You've only got yourself to blame

Don't try to stop me; it's too late
My mind's made up; this job won't wait
There's nothing left for me to say
Hey! There's no need to debate
It's time to designate your fate
Take the M out of M.A.D.
Let's all make a bomb

Take one hundred scientists or more
Place in a room and lock the door
Let them confer for half their lives

Unlock the door; go in and see
What they have made for you and me
A brand new toy to idolize

(chorus)

Although the war has just begun
Ignore the sirens; let's have fun
Put on your best; go out in style

Although our future's looking black




We'll go downtown and join the pack
Let's celebrate and vapourize

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Heaven 17's song "Let's All Make A Bomb" are a commentary on the nuclear arms race and the seeming inevitability of mutually assured destruction (M.A.D.). The first verse suggests that the people who will suffer the most from a nuclear war are the ones who did nothing to stop it, and that individuals who have the power to make a difference will ultimately be powerless. The singer in the song has made up his mind to go ahead and participate in the nuclear arms race, despite the terrible consequences it will have. He encourages others to join him in his fatalistic attitude, believing that the only way to survive is to embrace the absurdity of it all.


The second verse describes the process of making a bomb, using scientific jargon to obscure the horror of what is being created. The scientists confer for "half their lives" to make something "for you and me", suggesting that the bombs are being made for the benefit of society rather than for destruction. This ironic tone is echoed in the chorus, where the phrase "Let's all make a bomb" is presented as a celebratory slogan, encouraging people to take part in the destruction of their own world. The final verse encourages people to ignore the warnings of impending doom and focus on enjoying life, even as the world comes to an end.


Line by Line Meaning

And as the low aggress the high
As the weaker ones attack the stronger ones


All you can do is sit and cry
It's frustrating to watch and not be able to do anything to help


You've only got yourself to blame
There's no one else to hold responsible for your inaction


Don't try to stop me; it's too late
It's useless to try to convince me otherwise


My mind's made up; this job won't wait
I'm determined to carry out this task, and it can't be delayed


There's nothing left for me to say
I've already made my decision, so further discussion is pointless


Hey! There's no need to debate
There's no point in discussing the matter further


It's time to designate your fate
It's time to decide what will happen to you


Take the M out of M.A.D.
Remove the 'Mutually Assured Destruction' aspect of nuclear warfare


Let's all make a bomb
Let's create a powerful weapon


Take one hundred scientists or more
Gather a large number of intelligent people


Place in a room and lock the door
Put them in a room without any distractions


Let them confer for half their lives
Allow them to work on this project for many years


Unlock the door; go in and see
Open the door to reveal what they've created


What they have made for you and me
The outcome is a creation for humanity to enjoy


A brand new toy to idolize
This invention will become something people view as exciting and impressive


(chorus)
Refrain with repeating lyrics


Although the war has just begun
Even though a war has started


Ignore the sirens; let's have fun
Pretend like the war isn't happening and enjoy ourselves anyway


Put on your best; go out in style
Dress up and make sure you look good before going out


Although our future's looking black
Despite a situation appearing grim


We'll go downtown and join the pack
We'll go to popular urban areas and join the crowd


Let's celebrate and vapourize
Let's celebrate by creating vapor with the bomb




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GLENN GREGORY, GLENN PETER GREGORY, IAN CRAIG MARSH, MARTYN WARE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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