Current members:
Chris Hannah – vocals, guitar (1986–present)
Jord Samolesky – drums (1986–present)
Todd Kowalski – bass, vocals (1997–present)
Sulynn Hago – guitar, vocals (2015–present)
Former members
Scott Hopper – bass, vocals (1986–89)
Mike Braumeister – bass (1989–91)
John K. Samson – bass, vocals (1991–97)
David Guillas – guitar, vocals (2006–2015)
1993 - How to Clean Everything
1996 - Less Talk, More Rock
2001 - Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes
2005 - Potemkin City Limits
2009 - Supporting Caste
2012 - Failed States
2017 - Victory Lap
And We Thought Nation‐States Were a Bad Idea
Propagandhi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Publicly subsidized! Privately profitable!" That's the anthem of the upper-tier (the puppeteer untouchable). We focus a moment, nod in approval and bury our head back in the bar-codes of these neo-colonials while our former nemesis (ah, the romance!): the nation-state, now plays fund-raiser for a new brand of power-concentrate. Try again, but now we're confused- what is "class-war"? Is this class war? Yes, this is class war. And I'm just a kid- I can't believe that I gotta worry about this kind of shit!
What a stupid world! Yeah, this is just beautiful... absolutely no regard for principle. What a stupid world. (We're): 1) born 2) hired 3) disposed! Where that job lands, everybody knows and you can tell by the smile on the CEO's that the environmental restraints are about to go. You can bet that laws will be set to ensure the benefit of unrestricted labor-laws (all kept in place by displaced government death squads). They own us. They produce us. They consume us. Can you fucking believe this? What a stupid world. Fuck this bullshit display of class-loyalties. The media and "our" leaders wrap it all up in a flag- their fucking shit-rag. hooray!
The lyrics to Propagandhi's song And We Thought That Nation-States Were a Bad Idea discuss the issues with the power dynamic of the upper-tier in society and how it affects the lower classes. The anthem of the upper-tier is called out to be "Publicly subsidized! Privately profitable!" which shows their untouchable status in society as puppeteers. The song mentions the neo-colonials, which represent the modern-day colonization and imperialism still being practiced in society today. The nation-state, which was once seen as a nemesis, now plays the role of fundraiser for a new brand of power-concentrate, which shows how the power dynamics have shifted in society.
The song also brings up the concept of "class-war" and how the lower classes are fighting against the upper-tier's oppressive power. The singer is confused and asks if this is class-war, to which the response is "Yes, this is class war." The lyrics mention that the singer is just a kid and cannot believe he has to worry about these kinds of issues. This shows how oppressive power dynamics affect even the youngest members of society and how there needs to be a change in the system.
Overall, the lyrics to this song bring attention to the issues of power dynamics in society and how they affect the lower classes. The song suggests that the current system is flawed and requires change to provide equal opportunities for all individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
"Publicly subsidized! Privately profitable!" That's the anthem of the upper-tier (the puppeteer untouchable).
The wealthy and powerful in society benefit from government subsidies while keeping their profits private. They are like puppeteers who control everything and cannot be held accountable.
We focus a moment, nod in approval and bury our head back in the bar-codes of these neo-colonials while our former nemesis (ah, the romance!): the nation-state, now plays fund-raiser for a new brand of power-concentrate.
We ignore the oppressive tactics of corporations, who act like modern-day colonizers, and instead support the nation-state as they raise funds for a new form of concentrated power.
Try again, but now we're confused- what is "class-war"? Is this class war? Yes, this is class war.
We question if what we are experiencing is class warfare, and ultimately realize that it is indeed a struggle between different classes in society.
And I'm just a kid- I can't believe that I gotta worry about this kind of shit!
I am a young person who can't believe that I have to worry about things like class warfare and corporate oppression.
What a stupid world! Yeah, this is just beautiful... absolutely no regard for principle. What a stupid world.
The world we live in is messed up and lacks any sense of ethics or morals.
(We're): 1) born 2) hired 3) disposed! Where that job lands, everybody knows and you can tell by the smile on the CEO's that the environmental restraints are about to go.
We are born, we work, and we are ultimately disposable to those in power. The CEOs who profit from our labor are happy to ignore environmental regulations.
You can bet that laws will be set to ensure the benefit of unrestricted labor-laws (all kept in place by displaced government death squads). They own us. They produce us. They consume us. Can you fucking believe this?
Laws will be enacted to benefit those in power, and these are enforced through violent means. We are owned by the powerful, who use us for their own gain.
What a stupid world. Fuck this bullshit display of class-loyalties. The media and "our" leaders wrap it all up in a flag- their fucking shit-rag. hooray!
The world is stupid and we reject the idea of loyalty to a certain social class. The media and our leaders hide their selfish actions behind patriotism, which is really just a facade.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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