Welcome
M.D.S. Lyrics


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Hang your collar up inside
Hang your dollar on me
Listen to the water still
Listen to the causeway
You are mad and educated
Primitive and wild
Welcome to the occupation
Here we stand and here we fight
All your fallen heroes
Held and dyed and skinned alive
Listen to the Congress fire
Offering the educated
Primitive and loyal
Welcome to the occupation

Hang your collar up inside
Hang your freedom higher
Listen to the buyer still
Listen to the Congress
Where we propagate confusion
Primitive and wild
Fire on the hemisphere below

Sugar cane and coffee cup
Copper, steel and cattle
An annotated history
The forest for the fire
Where we open up the floodgates
Freedom reigns supreme
Fire on the hemisphere below
Listen to me
Listen to me




Listen to me
Listen to me, listen to me, listen to me, listen to me

Overall Meaning

The song "Welcome to the Occupation" by M.D.S. contains powerful imagery that is open to interpretation. The lyrics are thought-provoking, with references to politics, nature, and freedom. The imagery in the first verse is particularly striking, with the contrasts between the collar and the dollar and the water and the causeway. These contrasts highlight the differences between wealth and poverty and freedom and oppression. The reference to being "mad and educated / Primitive and wild" implies a conflict between tradition and modernity or between rationality and emotions. In the second verse, the imagery becomes more violent, with references to fallen heroes and Congress fire. The references to "primitive and loyal" and "propagating confusion" suggest that propaganda and loyalty may be used to justify violence and war.


The final verse contains the line "Sugar cane and coffee cup / Copper, steel and cattle / An annotated history / The forest for the fire." This verse highlights the resource extraction and exploitation that has characterized much of politics and history. The line "Where we open up the floodgates / Freedom reigns supreme" may imply that the pursuit of freedom can lead to destruction and exploitation. The final lines of the song, "Listen to me," are repeated four times, emphasizing the importance of listening and understanding in a world filled with conflict and violence.


Overall, "Welcome to the Occupation" is a powerful song that uses imagery to criticize violence, oppression, and exploitation.


Line by Line Meaning

Hang your collar up inside
Take off your professional persona and enter into this space as your true self


Hang your dollar on me
Give me your money, trust me to use it wisely


Listen to the water still
Be still and observe the world around you


Listen to the causeway
Pay attention to the path set before you


You are mad and educated
You have knowledge, but also hold unconventional ideas


Primitive and wild
At your core, you are untamed and unrefined


Welcome to the occupation
You are now part of a group that will fight for change


Here we stand and here we fight
We are united and ready to take action


All your fallen heroes
The leaders of the past who have fought for change


Held and dyed and skinned alive
Their sacrifice is remembered and honored


Listen to the Congress fire
Pay attention to the political chaos and anger happening around us


Offering the educated
We represent those with knowledge and training


Primitive and loyal
We remain dedicated to our cause, no matter what


Hang your freedom higher
Value your independence and fight for it


Listen to the buyer still
Pay attention to the capitalist forces at work


Where we propagate confusion
In this society, misinformation is used to keep people confused and divided


Fire on the hemisphere below
Revolution is brewing and spreading across the world


Sugar cane and coffee cup
The products and history of colonialism


Copper, steel and cattle
The industries that exploit people and the environment


An annotated history
The truth has been recorded, but often ignored


The forest for the fire
Ignoring the big picture for immediate, short-sighted gain


Where we open up the floodgates
We are pushing for radical change to break through the current system


Freedom reigns supreme
Our ultimate goal is to achieve universal liberty


Listen to me
I have a message that needs to be heard


Listen to me, listen to me, listen to me, listen to me
This message is urgent and needs attention




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BILL BERRY, PETER BUCK, MICHAEL MILLS, MICHAEL STIPE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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