Slap Leather
James Taylor Lyrics

Take all the money that we need for school
Suggesting that society's priorities are misplaced by allocating a lot of funding to education while ignoring a large segment of the population who can't meet their basic needs.

And to keep the street people in out of the cold.
Highlighting the problem of homelessness and poverty in society which is often ignored by those in power.

Spend it on a weapon you can never use,
Critiquing the allocation of funds towards creating unnecessary weapons and arms race instead of reallocating those funds towards more pressing issues such as education, healthcare or poverty.

Make the world an offer that they can't refuse.
The world is seen as a battlefield, where those in power make offers and controls the fate of others through their decisions. This line could be interpreted as an ironic salute to the famous line from the Godfather movie: "I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse".

Open up the door and let the shark-men feed,
Referring to the fact that the rich and the powerful often prey on the poor and the vulnerable for their own gain. This is often done through corrupt policies or economic systems that exploit the weak.

Hoover of the future in the land of greed.
Referring to the policies of J. Edgar Hoover, who held on too much power, and the future bodes ill if similar people continue to do the same. Also, highlighting the capitalist nature of society with endless greed and self-interest.

Sell the Ponderosa to the Japanese,
Suggesting that America is willing to sell important infrastructure and key resources to other nations, often without thinking through the long-term consequences of such actions.

Slap leather, head for that line of trees, yeah.
Referring to the old westerns where cowboys would slap their gun holsters to get ready for a fight. The line of the tree symbolizes sanctuary and getting away from the chaos and turmoil of society.

Turn the whole wide world into a TV show
The modern life in society revolves around entertainment and media, rather than real-world events, and the news often conflates both for sensationalism.

So it's just the same game wherever you go.
Highlighting the homogenization of culture where every society has similar trends in music, fashion, entertainment and so on, forgetting individuality and unique qualities of a particular society or culture.

You never meet a soul that you don't already know,
Suggesting that modern society is obsessed with celebrity culture and that everybody vies for fifteen seconds of fame. This results in society feeling like they know so much about people they've never met.

One big advertisement for the status quo.
Suggesting that society is heavily influenced by advertising and propaganda, and it's hard to have an unbiased opinion controlling the mind where social norms and systems are set up to promote conformity.

As if these celebrities were your close friends,
Continuing with the celebrity culture theme, where people feel like they know celebrities and can connect with them on a deeper level, even though they've never met the celebrity.

As if you knew how the story ends.
Referring to the feeling that society has become too predictable, where outcomes and stories are more or less set, and people have accepted that without challenging those beliefs or systems.

As if you weren't sitting in a room alone
Highlighting the fact that, despite all the entertainment and media, people are becoming increasingly isolated in the modern world because of societal norms and trends which often promote interactions mediated through screens.

And there was somebody real
In this context, the idea that society is dehumanizing people, and people can't form genuine connections with others anymore because of the reliance on technology and entertainment platforms.

At the other end of the phone, yeah.
Referring to the growing popularity of phone sex, where people can form a connection with people through a phone, without ever meeting them in real life.

Squibnocket, phone sex,
Continuing with the theme of phone sex and the lack of real human interaction in society providing superficial connections at times.

Just about to dial your number.
Suggesting that the singer is willing to try the superficial and unsatisfying phone-sex interaction as it seems to be the easiest and most efficient way to form a connection these days.

Get all worked up so we can go to war,
Referring to the fact that war propaganda is often used to whip up people into a frenzy, and people are willing to participate in matters of war without questioning its rationale or long-term consequences.

We find something worth killing for.
Continuing with the theme of war propaganda and how it influences people to believe in the justification for the action that will harm others.

Tie a yellow ribbon around your eyes,
A cynical take on the yellow ribbons people wear to signify support for troops stationed in dangerous areas, turning this noble tradition into a meaningless gesture.

Big McFalafel and a side of fries.
A reference to the growing dominance of fast-food culture in America and the world, and how such food represents the values of instant gratification and convenience over quality.

Yeah, big McFalafel, stormin' Norman
Further highlighting the fast-food culture and how people have started identifying military leaders as fast-food brand names that are advertised on TVs and media outlets.

I just love a parade.
Suggesting that the singer is willing to participate in a public spectacle, such as a parade, which gets people excited and patriotic, without questioning their reason or ideology.

Slap leather, phone love, big McFalafel,
Continuing with the themes of fast food, war and phone sex, which are symbolic of American excess, hedonism, superficiality, and how those qualities shape society both internally and outwardly.

Just about to dial myself.
A reference to the culture of loneliness found worldwide, where people yearn for social interactions but are unable to find satisfying real-world interactions, and turn to superficial and unfulfilling interactions. The singer will participate in these interactions, symbolizing society's tendency to gravitate towards fleeting and unsatisfying interactions rather than putting in the energy and effort to build something substantial.