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The New Romans
Nero's Day at Disneyland Lyrics
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You are what you want, in the land of the free
So stand up straight and eat your tail
Living out life like a good Mousketeer
Let's get drunk and watch something die
It's safe to laugh again with the new brand ironic
A chicken in every pot,
Comfortably numb as the empire falls
We are the new Romans now hear us yawn
Forced to crawl the ladder as we watch the bottom burn
In tune with the paradox but there's not much that we can do about it
But brush away that carrot and all we gots resentment
And it's pointed at you.
Yes
At you
To the Glory of Rome
Till theres nothing left
To the Glory of Rome
When the wars come back home
To the Glory of Rome
We'll eat it up yum
To the Glory of Rome
Mom there's nothing to eat
To the Glory of Rome
And the house is caving in
To the Glory of Rome
We'll do what we're told
To the Glory of Rome
We'll eat it up yum
Yum
Yum
Yum
In Nero's Day at Disneyland's song The New Romans, the lyrics explore the idea of consumerism and the decline of society in the United States. The first two lines, "Let's shop till we drop, till we forget our names / You are what you want, in the land of the free" suggest that in a capitalist society where individuals are encouraged to buy and consume, one's identity is tied to what they own. The song then takes a darker turn, with lyrics like "Let's get drunk and watch something die" and "Comfortably numb as the empire falls", which paint a picture of a society that is numb to violence and tragedy, and is more concerned with partying and consumption.
The chorus, "We are the new Romans now hear us yawn / Forced to crawl the ladder as we watch the bottom burn", draws a parallel between the fall of the Roman Empire and the state of modern society. The idea of being "forced to crawl the ladder" suggests that individuals are struggling to climb the social and economic ladder, while those at the bottom suffer. The repetition of "To the Glory of Rome" at the end of each verse and as the chorus, implies that the decline of society is a product of American exceptionalism and the idea of American imperialism as the new Roman Empire.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's shop till we drop, till we forget our names
Let's consume relentlessly until we lose our sense of self
You are what you want, in the land of the free
Free will to pursue individual desires, but consuming products defines identity
So stand up straight and eat your tail
Consume without thought or concern for consequences, like a serpent devouring its own tail
Living out life like a good Mousketeer
Following society's prescribed path and ideals, akin to Disney's Mousketeers
Let's get drunk and watch something die
Engaging in destructive behaviors for entertainment
It's safe to laugh again with the new brand ironic
Detached, ironic humor is a coping mechanism in a culture of decline
A chicken in every pot, 2 cars in every garage
The American Dream of material abundance and prosperity, which may be unsustainable
Comfortably numb as the empire falls
Desensitized to the decline of a once-great society
We are the new Romans now hear us yawn
Our society is in decline, yet we remain indifferent
Forced to crawl the ladder as we watch the bottom burn
Striving for success in a system that is collapsing
In tune with the paradox but there's not much that we can do about it
Aware of the contradictions and problems of our society, but feeling powerless to stop them
But brush away that carrot and all we gots resentment
Rejecting the false promises of the American Dream leads to bitterness
And it's pointed at you. Yes At you
Targeting individual people or groups with animosity and blame
To the Glory of Rome Till theres nothing left
Continuing to consume and exploit until there is nothing left
To the Glory of Rome When the wars come back home
Inevitably suffering the consequences of imperialism and military aggression
To the Glory of Rome We'll eat it up yum
Accepting the unsustainable lifestyle of material abundance and consumerism
To the Glory of Rome Mom there's nothing to eat
Facing the scarcity and deprivation that comes with collapse
To the Glory of Rome And the house is caving in
Experiencing the physical and metaphorical decay of our society
To the Glory of Rome We'll do what we're told
Following orders and accepting authority, even as society crumbles
To the Glory of Rome We'll eat it up yum Yum Yum Yum
Repeating the unsustainable and destructive cycle of consumption, even as it leads to collapse
Contributed by Sydney K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.