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.
New Jerusalem
Killing Joke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All-night surfing till the dawn
Everyone′s hooked on online porn
All the people indifferent to torture
The media gives the thumbs up to the Gaza slaughter
Shallow, no attention span
No empathy for the common man
In Iraq a quarter of a million dead
The number one surveillance state
Zero regulation and there's no debate
More lies, manufactured enemies
Divided nations need a common foe
A hornet′s nest created by the West
A new world order is the only goal
Look what we've become
Brainwashed Britain
Look what we've become
New Jerusalem!
New Jerusalem!
Another twat in the Number 10 flat
Dancing to the tune of Goldman Sachs
Another knob got the top job
Selling out to corporations
Culture, adult entertainment, calibrated to dumb down
Big Brother said ′Strictly Come Dancing′
And everyone was dancing round and round
In Iraq a quarter of a million dead
Howdya feel about being misled?
The number one surveillance state
Zero regulation and there's no debate
More lies, manufactured enemies
Divided nations need a common foe
A hornet′s nest created by the West
A new world order is the only goal
Look what we've become
Brainwashed Britain
Look what we′ve become
New Jerusalem!
New Jerusalem!
New Jerusalem!
The lyrics of Killing Joke's "New Jerusalem" are a critical commentary on the current state of society. Jaz Coleman, the vocalist and the lyricist, targets the effects of technology, media, and government on modern life. The songs point to the fragmentation of communities in real life, who prefer staying indoors watching TV and browsing various social media platforms. Despite the limitless possibilities that come with the internet, most people use this technology for personal pleasures, like watching porn. He points to how the media plays the role of propaganda by glorifying and justifying wars such as the 2014 Gaza conflict without paying attention to the number of casualties.
The lyrics later touch on how leaders only show concern about corporations, and they govern to please them, rather than serving their people's interests. The leader is portrayed as a puppet being controlled by corporations, and the artistic culture nowadays is depicted as nothing but a tool to manipulate and distract people using pop culture. Moreover, the lyrics stress the lack of empathy people have towards one another, with no feeling or care for the regular person. The phrase "brainwashed Britain" used at the end of each stanza sums up Coleman's viewpoint, highlighting how society has been hijacked and controlled by government, corporations, and media.
Line by Line Meaning
Fragmented communities staring at their screens in silence
People in our society are becoming more and more disconnected from each other, lost in their own individual online worlds, and we are losing our community bonds
All-night surfing till the dawn
People are becoming addicted to the internet, and are staying up all night, wasting time on unproductive activities
Everyone′s hooked on online porn
People are losing their ability to form real relationships, as they are more interested in the short-term gratification provided by online pornography
All the people indifferent to torture
As a society, we have become desensitized to atrocities such as torture, and are not doing enough to stop it from happening
The media gives the thumbs up to the Gaza slaughter
The media is not doing its job in providing unbiased, accurate reporting, and is instead justifying acts of violence and human rights abuses
Shallow, no attention span
People are losing their ability to concentrate, are becoming more superficial, and are not seeking out deep, meaningful experiences
No empathy for the common man
People are becoming more self-centered, and are not taking the time to understand or care about the struggles of others
In Iraq a quarter of a million dead
The consequences of war and military intervention are devastating, and the loss of human life is staggering
Howdya feel about being misled?
We have been lied to by our leaders, and it is time to question if their motives are truly to serve the people
The number one surveillance state
The government is spying on its citizens, violating privacy and civil liberties
Zero regulation and there's no debate
Our leaders are not taking the steps necessary to regulate corporations and ensure that they act ethically, and there is no public discourse or debate on this issue
More lies, manufactured enemies
Our leaders create false narratives and enemies to justify their actions, and are not being truthful with the public
Divided nations need a common foe
Our leaders create division among us, and we are more likely to come together when we have a common enemy to unite against
A hornet′s nest created by the West
Western nations have made a mess in other parts of the world, and their interventions have caused destabilization and conflict
A new world order is the only goal
Our leaders are pursuing a global agenda that prioritizes their own interests over the well-being of the population
Look what we've become
As a society, we have lost our way and have become something we should not be
Brainwashed Britain
The people of Britain have been manipulated and influenced by media and government propaganda
New Jerusalem!
Our society has become a dystopia, and this is not the future that we want for ourselves or for humanity
Writer(s): Kevin Walker, Jeremy Coleman, Martin Glover, Matthew Paul Ferguson
Contributed by Charlie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@florianrausch1706
One of the best
@Zahn87
Wow man the lyrics are fucking powerful
Thanks for upload
@desolate1959
very true
@bandcouver
With the current annexation plan by Western and Israeli powers, this song is more relevant now.
@philb7431
agreed - as well as now, history repeats itself
@Zahn87
Thanks man for upload, great track
@izawadzki5815
Jaz is a gods medium as usual greetings from pl cracovian fan ❤ever
@nunocosta834
For all times...
Redenção filhos de ISRL
@stephaniejeffries1191
Big sky blast!
@stompinstan0007
Its hard to believe but the U K has the most cctv cameras than any other country in this world...And everyday when you leave your home your being watched Big Brother 1984 - 2020