.
Like most of Biafra's work, Lard's songs are angrily political (the War on Drugs is a particularly common theme) but often have a tinge of humour.
Lard has not officially toured and have only performed live a handful of times, mostly around the San Francisco area (where Jello lives and operates his Alternative Tentacles record label). The band played during Ministry's 1988 tour and throughout their 1989-1990 dates (Jello was a touring member), once in Chicago after wrapping the recording of The Last Temptation Of Reid, once at the conclusion of a Ministry concert in Los Angeles (March 24, 2003), and at the San Francisco (September 26, 2004) and Seattle (September 29, 2004) dates of Ministry's Evil Doer tour. Because its key members are active with other projects, it is unlikely that the band will tour.
Jourgensen stated in 2009 that Lard would make one final album before calling it a day. However, in 2010 Biafra expressed scepticism over whether this would actually happen, saying, "Me and Al have talked about it for years, but we've never been able to nail down a time to try to put it together."
Discography:
1989 - The Power of Lard (EP)
1990 - The Last Temptation of Reid
1990 - I Am Your Clock (vinyl-only EP; included on the CD version of Last Temptation)
1997 - Pure Chewing Satisfaction
2000 - 70's Rock Must Die
Bozo Skeleton
Lard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't need my self remembered
But what I help create and leave behind
Is important to me
To dent the comfortably numb
With my constructive satire
Make my life one big prank
All that we are when we're on a stage
Is Vaudeville jester for a day
As an old proverb says
"If every fool wore a crown, we should all be king"
My license to make fun of everyone
Comes from knowing the biggest joke of all
Read a headline the other day
"Clown dies from a pie in the face"
Can't be on stage all the time
The public image could swallow my life
Living up to your own myth's no fun
Drives our best talents nuts
[Chorus]
Bozo skeleton!
Bozo skeleton!
Bozo skeleton!
Where can I go to be me?
Washington Stepford wives
Think we'd be Stepford children
If they could do away
With the music we love the most
Lyrics warp your children's minds
Just a minute now, that's our job!
Your worst enemy's your own kids
Don't talk with them, buy our lies instead
Don't wanna hear Lee Atwater sing the blues
Got a right to sing my way too
Gagging those who tell it like it is
Won't make the problems go way
C'mon get the skeletons out of the closet
We're all clowns in one form or another
If we weren't hung up minding people's private lives
We might not be so afraid of ourselves
All kinds of drugs get fed into our heads
Who are you to legislate what's best
Never heard my music or read all the words
Is it my heart they want to ban?
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Lard's song Bozo Skeleton express the sentiment of the singer who wants to leave something behind and be remembered for it, but not necessarily for himself or his personal identity. He seeks to use his creativity and satire to mock society and to make people think critically. He believes that being a performer is akin to being a jester in Vaudeville and that if every fool wore a crown, everyone would be king. The singer has the right to mock everyone since he knows that the biggest joke is death. He also comments on the pressure of living up to one's public image and how it can drive talented people mad. The chorus emphasizes the idea of the singer wanting to be himself without any societal pressure.
The song's verse talks about the perception of people towards music and how it impacts their children. The singer mocks the idea that music lyrics can warp children's minds by saying that it's actually their job as musicians to do it. He also comments that people's worst enemy is their own children, and they should not trust them but rather buy into the lies of society. He criticizes society's attempts to silence dissenting voices and how people should embrace their clownish nature without fearing themselves. The singer ends with questioning society's right to legislate what is best for people and whether they have even read his lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Here today, gone tomorrow
My own individual existence isn't what's important, I am more concerned with the legacy I leave behind.
Don't need my self remembered
I don't need to be remembered personally, just what I contribute to society.
But what I help create and leave behind
The things I make while I'm alive that stay behind after death are the important things.
Is important to me
The legacy I leave behind is the only thing I find valuable in life.
To dent the comfortably numb
I want to puncture the apathy of society with my satirical commentary.
With my constructive satire
I believe that my satirical commentary can help identify and solve problems in society.
Make my life one big prank
I want to use humor as a tool to subvert societal norms and expectations.
On a society I hate
I have a disdain for society as a whole.
All that we are when we're on a stage
When we perform, we're just entertainers and can be whoever we want to be.
Is Vaudeville jester for a day
We're like vaudeville entertainers—here to bring levity and humor but only for a short time.
As an old proverb says
There's an old saying that resonates with me.
"If every fool wore a crown, we should all be king"
If everyone is foolish, then we are all equal.
My license to make fun of everyone
I have permission to poke fun at anyone because I know the biggest joke of all.
Comes from knowing the biggest joke of all
I have authority to satirize society because I am aware of its inherent absurdities.
Read a headline the other day
I recently came across a news article.
"Clown dies from a pie in the face"
This headline illustrates how strange and absurd the world can be.
Can't be on stage all the time
I can't always be putting on a show—sometimes I need to live my life outside of the stage.
The public image could swallow my life
If I let my public persona define me, it could consume me entirely.
Living up to your own myth's no fun
Constantly trying to fulfill people's expectations of you isn't enjoyable.
Drives our best talents nuts
It can drive even the most talented people to madness.
Bozo skeleton!
I am a clown at my core.
Where can I go to be me?
Where can I truly be myself?
Washington Stepford wives
Politicians in Washington are like robots, always conforming to societal expectations.
Think we'd be Stepford children
They see musicians as mere children living outside of societal norms.
If they could do away
If politicians had their way, they would eliminate the type of music that inspires individuality and free thought.
With the music we love the most
The type of music that speaks to individuality and free thought.
Lyrics warp your children's minds
Politicians believe that music lyrics can have negative effects on the youth.
Just a minute now, that's our job!
But isn't it the politicians' job to influence the public's perception?
Your worst enemy's your own kids
Sometimes it seems like one's own children are their biggest critics.
Don't talk with them, buy our lies instead
Despite the importance of communication between parents and children, politicians would rather have people believe their lies.
Don't wanna hear Lee Atwater sing the blues
I don't want to hear politicians playing the victim when they are the ones manipulating the public.
Got a right to sing my way too
I have my own voice and opinions and a right to express them.
Gagging those who tell it like it is
Politicians try to silence those who speak the truth.
Won't make the problems go away
Silencing those who speak out against societal problems won't solve those problems.
C'mon get the skeletons out of the closet
Let's reveal the uncomfortable truths about society.
We're all clowns in one form or another
We all have moments where we're silly or act like fools.
If we weren't hung up minding people's private lives
If we stopped trying to control and judge others' personal lives.
We might not be so afraid of ourselves
We might not fear being who we truly are.
All kinds of drugs get fed into our heads
We're fed all kinds of propaganda and agendas.
Who are you to legislate what's best
Who are politicians to decide what's best for us?
Never heard my music or read all the words
People who are critical of my music have likely never really listened to it or read my lyrics.
Is it my heart they want to ban?
Are people trying to censor me because they don't want to hear the truth I speak?
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: AL JOURGENSEN, ERIC BOUCHER, JEFFREY WARD, PAUL G. BARKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind