The Misfits were known for their sing-along "Whoa-oh-oh" choruses after the 1982 "Walk Among Us" LP -- and although Naked Raygun are often cited as having been influenced by The Misfits in this regard, the reverse is the case.
Haggerty and Kezdy would later join with Larry Damore of the Bhopal Stiffs to form Pegboy. Pezzati fronted The Bomb. A reunion in the late 90s produced the live album Free Shit!. The band reunited for Riot Fest 2006 on November 5, 2006 in Chicago, Illinois, and is playing a west coast tour in December, 2007.
Official Site: http://www.nakedraygun.org
Suspect Device
Naked Raygun Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a suspect device that's left 2000 dead
Their solutions are your problems
They put up the wall
On each side time and prime us
And make sure we got fuck all
They play their games of power
They mark and cut the pack
But do they put back?
Don't believe them
Don't believe them
Don't be bitten twice
You gotta suss, suss, suss, suss, suss out
Suss suspect device
They take away our freedom
In the name of liberty
Why don't they all just clear off
Why don't they let us be
They make us feel indebted
For saving us from hell
And then they put us through it
It's the bastards fell
Don't believe them
Don't believe them
Question everything you're told
Just take a look around you
At the bitterness and spite
Why can't we take over and try to put it right
We're a suspect device if we do what we are told
But a suspect device can score an own goal
I'm a suspect device the army can't defuse
You're a suspect device they know they can't refuse
We're gonna blow up in their face
The Naked Raygun's song Suspect Device is a protest against the government's oppression and control over the society. The song starts by talking about the planted inflammable material in the singer's head, which is a metaphor for the government's propaganda and brainwashing. The suspect device, the government's corrupt policies, has led to the death of 2000 people. The singer believes that the government's solutions to the problems faced by society are often the cause of more problems.
The government puts up walls on each side to control and manipulate the people, and the people are left with nothing. The powerful people play games to manipulate and control the masses. The poor are dealt with in such a way that they are forced to the bottom. The singer questions if the government ever puts anything back. The chorus of the song urges people not to believe in the government's lies and to question everything that they are told. The people should be aware of their surroundings and should suss out the suspect devices.
The second verse talks about the government's false promises of freedom in the name of liberty. The government wants people to believe that they saved them from hell, but in reality, they make them feel indebted. The government puts people through hell by their corrupt policies. The singer is frustrated and asks why the government cannot let people be. The singer urges people to take control of their lives and try to make things right. The last line of the song is a warning that if the government continues with their corrupt practices, the people will explode and rebel against them.
Line by Line Meaning
Inflammable material is planted in my head
I feel like I've been filled with dangerous ideas that could explode.
It's a suspect device that's left 2000 dead
People have died because of these ideas that have been implanted in my head.
Their solutions are your problems
The people who claim to solve our problems often create more of them.
They put up the wall
Those in power create barriers to divide us and maintain their control.
On each side time and prime us
Time and pressure force us to conform to their expectations.
And make sure we got f*** all
They keep us poor and powerless.
They play their games of power
Those in control manipulate and exploit others for their own gain.
They mark and cut the pack
They label and categorize people, then discard those deemed less valuable.
They deal us to the bottom
They allocate resources and opportunities in a way that keeps the majority at the bottom.
But do they put back?
They take from us, but do they ever give back or help us improve our situation?
Don't believe them
Don't blindly trust what those in power tell you.
Don't be bitten twice
Don't fall for the same lie more than once.
You gotta suss, suss, suss, suss, suss out
You need to thoroughly investigate and scrutinize everything that you're told.
Suss suspect device
Be suspicious of any ideas that could lead to harmful consequences.
They take away our freedom
Those in power restrict our liberty and autonomy.
In the name of liberty
Ironically, their actions are justified by claiming to protect our freedoms.
Why don't they all just clear off
Why don't those in power just leave us alone and let us be?
Why don't they let us be
Why can't we have the freedom to make our own choices and live our lives as we wish?
They make us feel indebted
They create a sense of obligation or guilt, making it hard for us to oppose them.
For saving us from hell
Although they claim to protect us, their actions may actually harm us.
And then they put us through it
Despite risking our lives or livelihoods, they subject us to more danger and harm.
It's the bastards fell
They are cruel and malevolent.
Question everything you're told
Don't accept things at face value, and always seek to verify the information given to you.
Just take a look around you
Observe the world for yourself and form your own opinions.
At the bitterness and spite
Notice the divisions and animosity that result from the actions of those in power.
Why can't we take over and try to put it right
Why can't the people rise up and correct the injustices caused by those in power?
We're a suspect device if we do what we are told
If we blindly follow the directives of those in power, we could unknowingly cause harm.
But a suspect device can score an own goal
Even those with seemingly good intentions can make errors that cause harm.
I'm a suspect device the army can't defuse
I have been filled with ideas that resist the attempts of those in power to suppress or control them.
You're a suspect device they know they can't refuse
You also have thoughts and beliefs that those in power cannot eradicate or ignore.
We're gonna blow up in their face
Ultimately, the power structures that divide and oppress us will implode or be dismantled.
Contributed by Sophia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.