A key influence on industrial rock, their early music was described by critics Stephen Thomas Erlewine and John Dougan as well as industrial metal and "quasi-metal, dancing to a tune of doom and gloom," which gradually evolved over the years, incorporating elements of electronic music, synth-pop, gothic rock, and alternative rock, though always emphasizing Coleman's "savagely strident vocals."
Finding modest commercial success, Killing Joke have influenced many later bands, such as Nirvana, Ministry, Amen, Lamb of God, Nine Inch Nails, Napalm Death, Amebix, Big Black, Godflesh, Tool, Prong, Metallica, Primus, Jane's Addiction, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, Faith No More, Blacklist, Shihad and Korn, all of whom have at some point cited some debt of gratitude to Killing Joke.
Dregs
Killing Joke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rituals for birth right down [unverified]
God [unverified] fear is wielded
The credulous will never see us
Programmed child in pre [unverified] courses
Numb the mind and gag our voices
Everyone can be ousted
Get out of my head, get out of my head
Get out of my head, going out of my mind
Get out of my head, get out of my head
Get out of my head, going out of my mind
(Drug, drug, drug, drug, drug, drug
Drug, drug, drug, drug, drug, drug)
Get out of my head
Sentence for the nation
A false sense of communication
Satellite dish, twenty stations
Interactive redundant workforce
Escapist lies to neutralize me
Games for factitious impulse
Religious icons, cyberspace
Alcohol for after work days
The overall plan
Get out of my head, get out of my head
Get out of my head, going out of my mind
Get out of my head, get out of my head
Get out of my head, going out of my mind
(Drug, drug, drug, drug, drug, drug
Drug, drug, drug, drug, drug, drug)
Get out of my head
And I cry and I cry and I cry and I cry
And my tears and my tears, yes, my tears, yes, my tears
Wash it away, wash it away, wash it away, wash it away
All my fears, all my fears, all my fears, all my fears, all my fears
All my fears, all my fears, all my fears, all my fears
Get out of my head, get out of my head
Get out of my head, going out of my mind
Get out of my head, get out of my head
Get out of my head, going out of my mind
(Drug, drug, drug, drug, drug, drug
Drug, drug, drug, drug, drug, drug)
Get out of my head
Sentence for the nation
Keep it snappy
(Sample)
The lyrics of Killing Joke's song "Dregs" discuss the brainwashing of society through various means - religion, media, entertainment, and even education. The first few lines speak of "heaven" being sold to "hungry spirits," hinting at the manipulation of people's faith for control. The second line, "rituals for birth right down," implies a critical take on traditional religious practices that dictate how individuals should lead their lives from birth. The next line, "God [unverified] fear is wielded," talks about the fear-mongering tactics employed by institutions to manipulate people. The last line of the first stanza, "The credulous will never see us," suggests that some people can't see through this manipulation and will remain ignorant.
The second stanza focuses on the education system, which "numb(s) the mind and gag(s) our voices." The next few lines speak of the universally relatable situation where anyone can be ousted from society, and entertainment serves as a mere escape. The next few lines of the song signify the use of drugs to escape reality, and the escape from reality can be communal or something related to the overall plan. The last stanza highlighted interactive communication technologies that have reduced or manipulated society's capacity to communicate, creating a false sense of communication.
Line by Line Meaning
Heaven sold to hungry spirits
The concept of heaven is marketed to desperate people.
Rituals for birth right down [unverified]
Even the act of being brought into the world is accompanied by deeply ingrained customs.
God [unverified] fear is wielded
Religious institutions manipulate followers with the threat of divine punishment.
The credulous will never see us
Those who blindly believe in authority will not realize the true nature of their oppression.
Programmed child in pre [unverified] courses
Education is used as a tool for indoctrination from a young age.
Numb the mind and gag our voices
The powers that be seek to suppress critical thinking and dissent.
Everyone can be ousted
No one is safe from being cast aside by those in power.
Entertainment to evade
Mass media distracts people from the real issues at hand.
Get out of my head, get out of my head
The singer desires to be free from the brainwashing and manipulation.
Get out of my head, going out of my mind
The constant bombardment of propaganda is driving the singer to madness.
(Drug, drug, drug, drug, drug, drug
Drug, drug, drug, drug, drug, drug)
Get out of my head
Drugs or medication may be being used to control the singer.
Sentence for the nation
The masses are treated like criminals by the system.
A false sense of communication
Modern methods of communication are superficial and misleading.
Satellite dish, twenty stations
The sheer volume of mass media outlets is staggering.
Interactive redundant workforce
People are encouraged to spend more time engaging with technology than with each other, making them less productive in the long run.
Escapist lies to neutralize me
The entertainment industry uses false narratives to keep people disengaged and inert.
Games for factitious impulse
Electronic gaming is designed to exploit addictive tendencies in humans.
Religious icons, cyberspace
Traditional and modern forms of propaganda are both used to maintain control.
Alcohol for after work days
Substances like alcohol are used to numb the pain caused by soul-sapping work.
The overall plan
There is a calculated effort to keep people distracted, disconnected, and docile.
And I cry and I cry and I cry and I cry
And my tears and my tears, yes, my tears, yes, my tears
Wash it away, wash it away, wash it away, wash it away
All my fears, all my fears, all my fears, all my fears, all my fears
All my fears, all my fears, all my fears, all my fears
The emotional burden of living under oppressive conditions has taken a toll on the singer.
Keep it snappy
(Sample)
The song includes an audio sample urging people to remain brief and concise in their communication, highlighting the theme of superficiality and a lack of genuine connection.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JEREMY COLEMAN, MATTHEW FERGUSON, MARTIN GLOVER, KEVIN WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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