Jesse Michaels ā vocals
Tim Armstrong ā guitar
Matt Freeman ā bass
Dave Mello ā drums
Officer
Operation Ivy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you feel the need to live your life playing up a role
Intimidating people with your wall of sight and sound
You and your kind destroy our underground
All the happiness that you have destroyed
All the brutal tactics that you always employ
All the fucking bullshit when will it ever stop
The comparison is obvious: you're just a fucking cop
Officer what the hell is wrong with you
Wear a tie if you want to wear a uniform
Join the army if you want to conform
Tough guy big man do what you can
Whatever you destroy we'll create it again
The song āOfficerā by Operation Ivy talks about the excessive power and control exercised by the authorities in the society. The lyrics refer to a particular breed of policemen who believe that their duty is not just to maintain law and order but to intimidate and dominate people. The song starts with a question that challenges these authority figures ā āDo you have to force yourself with power and control?ā It questions whether their approach to law enforcement is justified; are they enforcing the law or just trying to exert their authority over others? The lyrics also suggest that these policemen live their lives in a certain way just to āplay a roleā, to dominate and subjugate others.
The lyrics further condemn the ways of these officers and their tactics, stating that their methods have destroyed everything that was once good and happy. The song accuses these policemen of brutality, and for using āfucking bullshitā in their approach towards dealing with people. The comparison drawn between these officers and ordinary people highlights the enormous power that they wield over others, and they are often out of control. The song also emphasizes the relevance of freedom and creation in the society. The final lines approach the officers and tell them to wear a tie if they want to wear a uniform and join the army if they want to conform, highlighting the need for police reform.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you have to force yourself with power and control
Are you compelled to exert your dominance through the use of force and authority?
Do you feel the need to live your life playing up a role
Do you have a desire to act a certain way to fulfill your job requirements as an officer?
Intimidating people with your wall of sight and sound
Using your uniform and weapons to instill fear in others who you interact with every day.
You and your kind destroy our underground
The police force and its tactics have a negative impact on counterculture and free expression.
All the happiness that you have destroyed
The police's actions have resulted in the loss of positive experiences for members of the community.
All the brutal tactics that you always employ
The use of violent and aggressive force is frequently utilized by the police to exert their authority.
All the fucking bullshit when will it ever stop
The perpetuation of harmful actions and attitudes by the police is an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed.
The comparison is obvious: you're just a fucking cop
There are no true differences between the behaviors and attitudes of all cops, and the comparison is clear.
Officer you act like an animal, you're out of control
Officers who exhibit violent and aggressive behavior towards others are damaging the trust that the community has in law enforcement.
Officer what the hell is wrong with you
A frustration with the harmful actions and approaches utilized by the police force.
Wear a tie if you want to wear a uniform
If you feel the need to be in a position of power, try getting a desk job instead of becoming a cop.
Join the army if you want to conform
If you desire the rigid hierarchy and structure of an organization, the military may be a better fit for you than the police force.
Tough guy big man do what you can
Officers who rely on their physical strength to assert authority are often doing so out of a fear of others seeing them as weak.
Whatever you destroy we'll create it again
Despite the actions taken by the police that infringe on the freedoms of the community, the people will always work to rebuild what has been taken from them.
Lyrics Ā© Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: DAVID M MELLO, JESSE MICHAELS, ROGER MATTHEW FREEMAN, TIMOTHY ARMSTRONG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gswdeclan
This song should be required listening in every high school. Never trust a cop.
@uoDucks6
While I agree with your sentiment. This song is actually about people in the punk scene who act like cops, not actual cops.
@somecharlatan
Its a good song. If young people want to understand how to interact with cops they should listen to James duane not jesse, as much as I love him
@MrAssbole
Absolutely timeless. I was rocking out to this in 93, and it's still one of my go to bands on you tube.
@flopimus
Matt Freeman, the Bass God was, also in this great band
@joedub77
This band is timeless!
@TMCG3
You still listening buddy?
@JoshuaMutant
because they wrote great songs about life in general and the struggles we all face and they quit before they sold out . Jesse Michaels understands why staying diy is important . He's basically a genius and my hero
@BlackHawkGaming
my friend's girlfriend and i were hanging out at a wooden bridge which we call "the spot" today (irrelevant info i guess lol) and she had a ton of cd's, one of which happened to be an Operation Ivy album. We put it in my laptop and I was mind blown when I heard some of their songs lol.
@BryanHectic
That slap-bass tho.