MDC (Millions of Dead Cops) is an American hardcore punk band formed in Aus… Read Full Bio ↴MDC (Millions of Dead Cops) is an American hardcore punk band formed in Austin, Texas in 1979. The band was subsequently based in San Francisco, California, and are currently based in Portland, Oregon. Originally formed as The Stains before changing their name, the band also changed their name to a different initialism of MDC with every new record released. The band is known for its radical left-wing political views. MDC released material via ex-Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra's independent record label Alternative Tentacles. In the 1990s, vocalist Dave Dictor published editorials for the internationally distributed fanzine Maximumrocknroll.

Selected discography:
Millions of Dead Cops (1982)
Smoke Signals (1986)
This Blood's for You (1987)
Metal Devil Cokes (1989)
Hey Cop! If I Had A Face Like Yours... (1991)
Shades of Brown (1993)
Magnus Dominus Corpus (2004)
Mein Trumpf (2017)

Current lineup
Dave Dictor - vocals (1979-present)
Russ Kalita - guitar (2008–present)
Barry Ward - guitar (2017-present)
Mike Smith - bass (2007–present)

Born to Die
MDC Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm born to die

I'm born to fry

My life in a cage

Show my outrage

I'm misunderstood

I did what I could

I made my try

I was born to die

Goin' home

My mind is blown

I spilled my race

I found my case

I'm shot down on a fence

I'm dead in self defense

I live in a world of hate

With no regret a Nazi state

A racist dream, a world of hate

With no regret a Nazi state

No war

No KKK

No fascist U.S.A.

Overall Meaning

The song "Born to Die" by MDC is a political and social commentary on the state of the world and the struggles of the oppressed. The lyrics suggest that the singer is resigned to their fate, that they were born to die, as their life is lived in a cage and they find themselves constantly misunderstood. However, they claim to have done what they could with their life even though their efforts proved futile.

The second verse alludes to a more specific scenario, where the singer seems to have been shot down by the authorities, likely due to their perceived threat as a part of an oppressed group. The line "dead in self-defense" is particularly poignant in this context, as it suggests that the singer was not actually threatening anyone but was instead defending themselves from harm. The final lines of the song provide a call to action against hate, racism and fascism.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm born to die
My destiny is to perish

I'm born to fry
I'm doomed to suffer

My life in a cage
I feel trapped and helpless

Show my outrage
Expressing my anger and frustration

I'm misunderstood
People don't comprehend my situation

I did what I could
I tried my best to survive

I made my try
I attempted to improve my circumstances

I was born to die
Death is the only outcome for me

Goin' home
Leaving this mortal world

My mind is blown
I'm overwhelmed by thoughts and emotions

I spilled my race
I revealed my ethnic origins