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
Fuck Machine
Propagandhi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's something physical, conditioned attraction.
But have I finally escaped?
Will my eyes no longer rape the innocent womyn, children, humyn beings?
Seeing the pain that it brings.
Shallow, superficial decision.
Real beauty obscured by my television.
But this just in! Bikini film at ten.
The female anchor smiles and shrugs it off,
"Boys will be boys!"
Do you really want to be our fucking toys?
And in again, condone it with a grin.
Sit back, idly chat, smile, prove you're just a fuck machine.
Is that what you really want to fucking be??
Conditioned reaction. Conditioned attraction.
Conditioned suggestion. Conditioned rejection.
And yet again, subjecting womyn.
The female anchor's fists finally clinched,
"I'm not your fucking toy!"
And though I long to embrace, I will not misplace my priorities:
Humor, opinion, a sense of compassion, creativity,
And a distaste for fashion.
The lyrics of Propagandhi's song "Fuck Machine" delve into the issue of objectification and sexualization of women in media and society, and how it is perpetuated through conditioning. The song starts off with the lines "It's something physical, conditioned reaction. It's something physical, conditioned attraction.", which suggest that our responses to sexual stimuli have been conditioned, rather than being natural or innate. The singer wonders if they have finally "escaped" this conditioning and if they will no longer view women, children, and human beings as objects, causing them pain. The chorus repeats the phrase "Conditioned reaction, conditioned attraction," emphasizing the idea that our responses are learned, and not necessarily reflective of our own desires or values.
The second verse focuses specifically on media's role in perpetuating this conditioning, with lines like "Real beauty obscured by my television" and "Bikini film at ten." The singer notes how the female anchor just brushes off the overt sexuality, and how the media treats women as mere toys. The chorus repeats again, but this time it adds in "Conditioned suggestion, conditioned rejection," perhaps pointing out how society encourages these behaviors, but also how women are conditioned to accept them and suffer the rejection that comes with challenging them. The final verse, however, sees the female anchor standing up for herself, and the singer resolving to prioritize humor, opinion, compassion, and creativity over superficiality.
Overall, the lyrics of "Fuck Machine" are a powerful commentary on how objectification is both systemic and learned, and how it can be challenging to escape from this conditioning. The use of the word "womyn" instead of "women" in the lyrics is also noteworthy, as it is a feminist spelling that rejects the use of "men" as the root word.
Line by Line Meaning
It's something physical, conditioned reaction.
Physical attraction to someone is a biological reaction that is automatic and uncontrolled by the person feeling it.
It's something physical, conditioned attraction.
Physical attraction is an inherent result of human biology and cannot be controlled.
But have I finally escaped?
The singer is questioning whether he has overcome his inherent physical attraction to others.
Will my eyes no longer rape the innocent womyn, children, humyn beings?
The artist is questioning whether he will be able to stop objectifying women, children, and others with his gaze.
Seeing the pain that it brings.
The artist realizes that objectification causes pain and harm to those being objectified.
Shallow, superficial decision.
Objectification is a shallow, superficial way of interacting with others.
Real beauty obscured by my television.
The media often obscures true beauty by portraying unrealistic standards of beauty on TV.
But this just in! Bikini film at ten.
The media sensationalizes sex and objectifies women for profit.
The female anchor smiles and shrugs it off, 'Boys will be boys!'
The female anchor accepts and excuses the objectification of women as just boys being boys.
Do you really want to be our fucking toys?
The artist questions whether men really want to be viewed as objects and treated like toys by women.
And in again, condone it with a grin.
The singer observes that men often accept and condone the objectification of women with a smile or a laugh.
Sit back, idly chat, smile, prove you're just a fuck machine.
The artist warns men that if they do not actively reject objectification, they will be viewed as nothing more than sex objects.
Is that what you really want to fucking be??
The singer questions whether men really want to be viewed as nothing more than sex objects.
Conditioned suggestion. Conditioned rejection.
Society conditions people to view women as sexual objects and to reject them if they do not conform to narrow beauty standards.
And yet again, subjecting womyn.
Men continue to subjugate and objectify women through societal norms and expectations.
The female anchor's fists finally clinched, 'I'm not your fucking toy!'
The female anchor rejects the objectification and demands to be treated with respect and dignity.
And though I long to embrace, I will not misplace my priorities: Humor, opinion, a sense of compassion, creativity, And a distaste for fashion.
The artist acknowledges the desire for physical intimacy but refuses to place it above the importance of having humor, opinions, compassion, creativity, and holding values above superficial traits like fashion or physical appearance.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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