Purina Hall Of Fame
Propagandhi Lyrics


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Sleeping masters roused to burning homes from beds. Steeping toddlers plucked from their watery deaths: ribbons, plaques and soft-soap are the ephemeral rewards paid to the slaves whose selfless acts accord a higher value to their masters, while parting gifts (bolt pistols) console the rest. The remainder. Too bad the tributes paid to lives that relegate these thrones to lives spent valuing the runners-up, are known to be neither fleeting nor desirable. But nothing surprises me these days. I just sit and watch the box-cars roll by and wait. Patient. Unattended. A package under a terminal bench. A short fuse to scatter steady hands if I forget to remember that better lives have been lived in the margins, locked in the prisons and lost on the gallows than have ever been enshrined in palaces.




Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Propagandhi's song "Purina Hall of Fame" express a scathing critique of the way society values certain lives over others. The song challenges the notion that those who selflessly serve their masters deserve to be celebrated and rewarded with ephemeral honors such as ribbons and plaques, while those who do not fit into this mold are essentially left to die. The line "too bad the tributes paid to lives that relegate these thrones to lives spent valuing the runners-up" highlights the idea that those who are not born into privilege will be doomed to a life of valuing the scraps that are offered to them rather than aspiring to greater things.


The lyrics also criticize the way that society often celebrates and rewards violence, such as when the "remainder" are given bolt pistols for their efforts. The song suggests that this type of violence is only perpetuated in order to maintain the status quo, and that those who engage in it are acting as pawns for their masters. The final lines of the song suggest that the true heroes in society are those who have lived on the margins, in prisons, and on the gallows, rather than those who are celebrated by the powers that be.


Line by Line Meaning

Sleeping masters roused to burning homes from beds.
The masters are woken up from their comfort by crisis but soon return to their affluent lifestyles.


Steeping toddlers plucked from their watery deaths:
Rescuing the innocent is rewarded with trivial honours, despite toddlers' lives being in peril.


Ribbons, plaques and soft-soap are the ephemeral rewards
The rewards given to the helpers are temporary, and easily destroyed or forgotten.


paid to the slaves whose selfless acts accord a higher value to their masters
The subservient's acts elevate the value of their masters, while not actually helping the subservient.


while parting gifts (bolt pistols) console the rest.
Even the farewell gifts given to the subservient to console them are essentially meaningless if not insulting.


The remainder. Too bad the tributes paid to lives that relegate these thrones
Unfortunately the tribute given for those in subservient positions are not enough to remove the poverty and inequality inherent in society.


to lives spent valuing the runners-up
People spent their lives trying to be the runners-up because the system is rigged against them psychologically and economically.


are known to be neither fleeting nor desirable.
The rewards given to the winners are not really desirable nor lasting because they are their whole lives.


But nothing surprises me these days.
The artist is not surprised by the unfairness and inequality in society.


I just sit and watch the box-cars roll by and wait.
The artist is passive, and helpless while sitting idle watching while the world passes by.


Patient. Unattended. A package under a terminal bench.
The author is waiting, useless and waiting for someone to come help them like a lost package in an abandoned place.


A short fuse to scatter steady hands if I forget to remember that better lives have been lived in the margins, locked in the prisons and lost on the gallows than have ever been enshrined in palaces.
If nothing is done, lives will be lost not in palaces but in the margins, prisons and gallows. The explosive anger that arises from this fact should never be forgotten.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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Comments from YouTube:

Barry Kydd

The greatest song of all time. Hands down.

Fred Spears

How I felt when it came out, how I feel about it 20 years later. Incredible.

Throgmorton Art Studio

I have been a fan of Propaghandhi for like so many years and I just forgot how good they are! best punk band ever.

Jordi

"It's not your fault. There is nothing you can do. It is just the way it is. There is nothing we can do." First time I heard that, I was like sure we can do something about this. Duh, sarcasm :) This song and ofcourse loads of other stuff made me vegan, and I'am still very grateful for the message Propagandhi has for all us. Be the change you want :)

4321carlos1234

Also absolutely love Last Will and Testament with a similar message: "Here in the few remaining moments we have left, just what do you propose we say in our defense? That much was decided before any one of us were born? That we were nothing more than objective observers to the madness and throw up your hands in sadness? “We’re powerless to change anything anyways.” So just lay back upon your death bed and gaze idiotically back up the chain of command from which we receive our directives. I guess it’s just common sense to preach what ought to be but ensure it never is in the present tense."
Some of the most powerful lyrics ever imo!

tpyo

The lyrics for this track are incredible. I find that I don't always agree with the ideology of Propagandhi but I always have the utmost respect for the eloquence they demonstrate in putting their message out.

Chocklad

very nice of you to say that.

Marcus

A really nice treatise on the idea that often the lowest class of people among us are the actual heroes more often than not, and the ones you see "enshrined in palaces" are the ones who benefit from the hard work of the common man.

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Chocklad

When I became vegetarian 7 years ago I found this band and this song, still good!

adamx78

escucha esta banda es vegana https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbqbWSWelEQ

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