Tradition
Kayak Lyrics

It's a religion without a God
Erects overarching beliefs, practices and customs that shape moral values, habits and routine without recourse to a divine creator.

Determines behaviour
Informs emotional reactions, societal norms and expected conduct, due to its pervasive presence.

To keep all peas within one pod
Exists to maintain homogeneity and discourage deviance, often under the guise of unity and conformity.

And call it our saviour
Brings personal benefit, group identity and a sense of belonging to the adherents, who perceive it as a source of protection and stability.

'Cause praying proves no benefit
Shows that supplication to a higher power does not yield practical advantages or tangible results.

There's smouldering stakes to show for it
Results in violence, sacrifice or persecution of dissenting voices, evidence of the flawed and oppressive nature of the tradition.

And for every abuse
Corruption, exploitation and exclusion are frequent and endemic features of the tradition.

There's a perfect excuse
Rationalisations and justifications are readily available to preserve the status quo and resist change or criticism.

Noone asks for evidence
Absence of empirical proof or logical reasoning, coupled with faith and blind adherence, is requisite for comformity and acceptance.

That's rather convenient
Believing in something without critical examination, despite the inconsistencies and contradictions, is easier and more comforting than challenging it.

Stupidity's a preference
Choosing ignorance and lack of education, information or knowledge, for the sake of perpetuating the tradition or fitting in the collective is a conscious decision.

For being obedient
Rewards compliance and conformity to the leaders' authority, and punishes or stigmatises individualism or independent thinking.

Hang on to what you've got
Maintain the current order, no matter how flawed or oppressive, at all costs.

You silly superstitious lot
Criticises the faithful who subscribe to irrational or unfounded beliefs, and who do not challenge the traditions or myths they inherit.

Boy meets girl
Introduces a courtship narrative that follows a script already written and approved by the tradition.

Girl loves boy, Family planning
Affirms the heterosexual nuclear family model as the only acceptable and valid form of intimacy, reproduction and parenting, with its further implications.

Just like the old folks
Repeats the same pattern of behaviour, values and social roles passed down from generation to generation.

Shame on the mother, Baby's a girl
Demonstrates gender bias, stigmatisation and punishment towards women who fail to meet the expectations and standards of the tradition, a form of patriarchal oppression.

Staining the family honour Has done her No good
Brings dishonour and shame to the family, lowering its social status and ostracising the individual or the group.

Ten commandments counting for, Eleven expectations
Shows that rules and prescriptions contained in the tradition exceed beyond the official canon, resulting in a more complex and contradictory ethical system.

All your worries disappear, Free of guilt and free of fear
Offers a temporary release from existential anxiety, guilt and the fear of the unknown, by inducing a sense of moral security and emotional relief.

So we're fighting the bull, As it pays to be cruel, Tradition
Refers to a barbaric ritual or pastime that reflects the oppressive and violent ethos of the tradition, still perpetuated under the guise of entertainment.

Memories, Devoted to the past
Nostalgia and retrospective idealisation of the past, with its customs, values and community, overshadow the present and hinder social progress.

History, Caught up on you at last
The legacy of the tradition, its injustices, prejudice and problems, catches up with the present and demands acknowledgement and redress.

I can't live without you
Conveys the emotional attachment and dependency of the individual to the tradition, despite its flaws and limitations.

The boy is alright, The girl is a whore
Assigns gender roles and double standards to the attitudes and behaviours of the two sexes, based on the tradition's norms and expectations.

Tradition, Tradition, Tradition
Repeats the title of the song as a form of reiteration and emphasis of the all-encompassing, pervasive and insidious nature of tradition.