Poppy Day
Legendary Pink Dots Lyrics

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We'll remember when that wreath is just a crown of thorns
to drape around your helmet - hide out anywhere at all.
We'll remember when you're no more than a poem on a grave -
a sideline for the guy who writes the birthday cards but never signs his name.
He's got your number, feels your pain...
though you're smiling from the mantel-piece
and you've got your rifle trained.
It's pointing at the T.V. Shall we tell you when to fire?

There's a programme we all hate... it's not a late show so you won't be tired.
We remember how you loved the war films,
and hid behind the sofa throwing balls of silver paper.
We remember. We remember. We've got our poppies on.

We hear the clock chime out eleven. We remember, we remember it's Poppy Day.
(You shall not grow old!)

Overall Meaning

The Legendary Pink Dots’ song Poppy Day is a poignant critique of the glorification of war and the tragic consequences it has for those who fight in it. The lyrics describe how soldiers are remembered by the public as mere symbols of heroism, whose sacrifice is immortalized in a wreath and a poem on a grave. However, the song suggests that these symbols do not truly capture the reality of war and the human toll it takes. The line “when that wreath is just a crown of thorns” indicates that soldiers may feel betrayed by those who sent them to fight, represented by the notion of hiding out “anywhere at all”. The line “He's got your number, feels your pain...though you're smiling from the mantel-piece and you've got your rifle trained” suggests that the soldiers’ sacrifice is not truly understood by those who memorialize them, and are in fact being taken advantage of by those in power. The song also references the soldiers’ love for war films, which they use as an escape from the horrors of actual combat.

The last line of the song, “(You shall not grow old!)” is a reference to the famous poem 'For the Fallen' by Laurence Binyon which is commonly recited at Remembrance Day services: "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old". This line, combined with the clock chime of eleven which marks the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month”, highlights the significance of Remembrance Day, but also serves as a stark reminder of the countless lives lost in war. Poppy Day is a poignant reminder of the realities of war, and the importance of reflection and empathy for those affected by it.

Line by Line Meaning

We'll remember when that wreath is just a crown of thorns
We'll recall the time when symbols of honor meant sorrow and pain

to drape around your helmet - hide out anywhere at all.
To cover the helmet and find solace anywhere

We'll remember when you're no more than a poem on a grave -
We'll remember the dead soldiers as mere words on tombstones

a sideline for the guy who writes the birthday cards but never signs his name.
Their sacrifice is just another overlooked task like the birthday card signature

He's got your number, feels your pain...
He knows what you've been through, he empathizes with your suffering

though you're smiling from the mantel-piece
Even though you are commemorated on shelves with fake smiles

and you've got your rifle trained.
And your gun is still pointed, ready to fire

It's pointing at the T.V. Shall we tell you when to fire?
It's aimed at the TV, do you need us to tell you when to shoot?

There's a programme we all hate... it's not a late show so you won't be tired.
We dislike a specific show, but it's not late at night, so you won't be sleepy

We remember how you loved the war films,
We recall how you enjoyed watching war movies

and hid behind the sofa throwing balls of silver paper.
And how you cowered behind the couch and threw bits of shiny paper

We remember. We remember. We've got our poppies on.
We remember, we have our poppy flowers

We hear the clock chime out eleven. We remember, we remember it's Poppy Day.
As the clock strikes eleven, we recall that it's Poppy Day

(You shall not grow old!)
(You will always be young and remembered!)

Contributed by Molly L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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