Killing Joke is an English post-punk group which formed in October 1978 in … Read Full Bio ↴Killing Joke is an English post-punk group which formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England. Founding members Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards) and Geordie Walker (guitars) have been the only constant members, with Geordie having died on the 26th of November 2023 in Prague following a stroke 2 days earlier.

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.

Fema Camp
Killing Joke Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's time of unrest and your rights are suspended
There's a list going round and it's likely you are on it
The names on the blue list are picked up later
And the red list goes to the incinerator

We'll never end up in the furnace of a FEMA camp
Burning in the fiery furnace of a FEMA camp

There's an Amtrak railroad leading to the siding
Where a turnstile waits for all those disembarking
Blue zone, Red zone - humanity fades
So I'm going to join up with the renegades

We'll never end up in the furnace of a FEMA camp
Burning in the fiery furnace of a FEMA camp

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "Fema Camp" by Killing Joke speak about a time of unrest where the government suspends people's rights and creates lists of people who are likely to be picked up later. The "blue list" refers to those who are taken into custody, while the "red list" is sent straight to the incinerator. The song speaks about the fear that people have of ending up in a FEMA camp and being burnt in a fiery furnace. These camps are said to be run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and have been a source of conspiracy theories related to government control, surveillance, and the possibility of enforced detention.

The song speaks of an Amtrak railroad leading to the siding of the FEMA camp, where a turnstile waits for those disembarking. The humanity of the people is said to fade as they are divided into different zones, blue and red. The fear of being taken to a FEMA camp is so great that the singer decides to join up with "the renegades" and never end up in the furnace of a FEMA camp. The song reflects the paranoia and distrust that some people feel towards their government and the potential for it to have too much control.

Line by Line Meaning

It's time of unrest and your rights are suspended
In the current state of turmoil, your basic human rights are no longer guaranteed and are likely to be suppressed.

There's a list going round and it's likely you are on it
A list exists of people who are deemed as potential threats to the government, and it's possible that you're on it.

The names on the blue list are picked up later
Those on the 'blue list' are captured and taken away for questioning or punishment.

And the red list goes to the incinerator
Those on the 'red list' are sent to be executed or eliminated in some way.

We'll never end up in the furnace of a FEMA camp
We will avoid being taken to FEMA camps where we could potentially be imprisoned or even killed.

Burning in the fiery furnace of a FEMA camp
Fear of being punished or executed in the unforgiving environment of a FEMA camp.

There's an Amtrak railroad leading to the siding
There is a transportation system that leads to a place where people are collected for possible imprisonment or punishment.

Where a turnstile waits for all those disembarking
Immediately upon arrival, people are funneled towards a particular path, where they may be separated or sorted based on some criteria.

Blue zone, Red zone - humanity fades
Humanity is lost or forgotten when people are categorized based on their perceived threat level by the government.

So I'm going to join up with the renegades
I will seek to join with others who defy the government's orders, in order to avoid being captured or eliminated.

Contributed by Liliana D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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