Clockwork Chartreuse
Loudon Wainwright III Lyrics


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You got the black belt, I got the gun.
Let's team up tonight--have some fun.
Let's drink some drinks, find us some fights.
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon: it's Saturday night!

I'm very angry, you're hopping mad.
Let's hurt some people--let's hurt them bad.
Let's break some heads, let's bust some teeth.
C'mon, it's Saturday night: let's get some relief!

We'll get our rocks off.
We'll rape a co-ed.
La la la la la la la la la...
Beat on a wino 'til he is dead.
I'll slug a hippie, you'll plug a cop.
We'll go on a rampage and we won't wanna stop.

Oh baby.
Now they say he's helpless. I do not care.
Let's get the guy in the wheelchair.
God I hate women: they mess up your life.
I'll kill your mother, you kill my wife.

Oh darling.
It's a hard day at the office, one needs to unwind.
Let's mix up some cocktails...the Molotov kind.
Burn down the high school...the synogogue.
Let's burn down McDonald's--let's go whole hog!
Quarter pounder.

Now I know a rooftop, don't you say nope.
Let's try out your rifle, the one with the scope.
Tomorrow is Sunday, there's gonna be some parades.
Back at my house, I've got some grenades.




I've got the black belt, you've got the gun.
Hey, we're gonna team up tonight: have some fun!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Loudon Wainwright III's "Clockwork Chartreuse" are purposely dark and disturbing, presenting a picture of two individuals who are seeking to let off some steam by engaging in violent and destructive behavior. The song is a reflection of the nihilistic and anarchic tendencies that were prevalent in youth culture during the 1960s and 1970s.


The first stanza suggests that the two individuals being referred to are well-equipped for the kind of activity that they have in mind: one has a black belt (implying proficiency in martial arts), while the other has a gun. They plan to go out and have some fun by drinking alcohol and starting fights. The second stanza takes things even further, indicating that they are not content with mere brawling and are seeking to cause serious harm to others. They propose to break heads, bust teeth, rape a co-ed, and kill someone.


The last verse of the song takes the dark humor to a whole new level by proposing that they burn down schools, synagogues and even fast-food restaurants. The line "Quarter pounder" is particularly jarring, as it is delivered with a shrug and a chuckle, as if the singer doesn't care what he destroys. Overall, the song paints a disturbing portrait of the hidden desires of some members of society to do violent and destructive things when given the opportunity:


Line by Line Meaning

You got the black belt, I got the gun.
I have physical strength, you have a weapon. Let's join forces tonight to cause some trouble.


Let's team up tonight--have some fun.
Let's collaborate and cause some chaos for our own enjoyment.


Let's drink some drinks, find us some fights.
Let's consume alcohol and search for people to engage in violent altercations with.


C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon: it's Saturday night!
Come on, let's hurry up and get started since it's the weekend and we have free time to cause destruction.


I'm very angry, you're hopping mad.
I am extremely upset and you are incredibly agitated.


Let's hurt some people--let's hurt them bad.
Let's cause physical harm to other individuals for the sake of fulfilling our desire to cause chaos.


Let's break some heads, let's bust some teeth.
Let's violently attack and injure people, causing them to suffer physical damage and pain.


C'mon, it's Saturday night: let's get some relief!
Since it's the weekend, we should take advantage of the opportunity to let off steam by committing violent acts.


We'll get our rocks off.
We'll derive pleasure from physically harming others.


We'll rape a co-ed.
We'll sexually assault a female college student.


La la la la la la la la la...
An expression of enjoyment and excitement for the upcoming violent acts.


Beat on a wino 'til he is dead.
We'll mercilessly attack an alcoholic man until he dies from his injuries.


I'll slug a hippie, you'll plug a cop.
I will hit a peaceful protestor and you will kill a police officer with your gun.


We'll go on a rampage and we won't wanna stop.
We will continue to engage in violent behavior until we are satisfied or are stopped by external forces.


Oh baby.
An expression of endearment or affection, likely in anticipation of the upcoming destructive acts.


Now they say he's helpless. I do not care.
I have no regard for vulnerable individuals or those perceived as weak.


Let's get the guy in the wheelchair.
Let's harm someone who is disabled and unable to defend themselves.


God I hate women: they mess up your life.
I hold misogynistic beliefs and blame all of life's problems on women.


I'll kill your mother, you kill my wife.
We will both commit premeditated murder of each other's family members.


Oh darling.
An expression of endearment or affection in anticipation of committing violent acts together.


It's a hard day at the office, one needs to unwind.
After a stressful day at work, one needs to release tension by engaging in violent acts.


Let's mix up some cocktails...the Molotov kind.
We should prepare explosive cocktails to use as weapons in our rampage.


Burn down the high school...the synagogue.
Let's burn down holy places and educational institutions to create chaos.


Let's burn down McDonald's--let's go whole hog!
Let's completely destroy a fast food restaurant in addition to other violent acts.


Quarter pounder.
A reference to McDonald's food in anticipation of burning down one of its locations.


Now I know a rooftop, don't you say nope.
I have identified a rooftop location and am encouraging you to join me.


Let's try out your rifle, the one with the scope.
We should execute violent acts from a distance with a rifle equipped with a scope.


Tomorrow is Sunday, there's gonna be some parades.
The upcoming events of the weekend are irrelevant in comparison to our desire to cause violence.


Back at my house, I've got some grenades.
We have access to military-grade weapons and are prepared to use them.


I've got the black belt, you've got the gun.
Our combination of physical strength and weaponry makes us a dangerous duo.


Hey, we're gonna team up tonight: have some fun!
We are enthusiastic about joining forces and committing violent acts together.




Contributed by Zoe Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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