Hidden Persuaders
Reverend and the Makers Lyrics


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The hidden persuaders
Are gonna infiltrate us
Till babes in consumer land
Can supply and demand
And the spending's contageous

Do you reckon it's outrageous
That they're paying the entertainers,
To get you buying the jeans
That you don't really need
From the fashion dictators?

Coz they're all trying to make me compromised
To these one a dollar conners telling lots of lies
Am I as bad as them
And you just realise that it's true

Coz you're free,
To do as we tell you

And you're free
To do as we say

And you're free
To do as we tell you

And you're free
To do it today

We've been at it for ages
Creating black holes from wages
To get you all hypnotised by the big dollar signs
Of the manipulators

The hidden persuaders
Are gonna infiltrate us
Till babes in consumer land
Can supply and demand
And the spending's contageous

They call it product placement in the industry
Coz it's designed to get you buying all the things you see
Do you think they're hoodwinking society and you?

Coz you're free,
To do as we tell you

And you're free
To do as we say

And you're free
To do as we tell you

And you're free
To do it today

And you're free,
To do as we tell you

And you're free
To do as we say

And you're free
To do as we tell you





And you're free
To do it today

Overall Meaning

The song "Hidden Persuaders" by Reverend and the Makers is a commentary on the power and influence of advertising and consumerism. The lyrics suggest that companies and corporations use hidden tactics and strategies to persuade people to buy their products or services. The "hidden persuaders" refer to these tactics, and the repetition of the phrase throughout the song creates a sense of unease and suspicion.


The lyrics also critique the role of entertainers and fashion figures in promoting consumerism. They suggest that these figures are being paid by corporations to promote products that people don't really need, creating a cycle of compulsive spending. The chorus, which repeats the phrase "you're free to do as we tell you," highlights the idea that people are being manipulated into making choices that benefit corporations rather than themselves.


Overall, "Hidden Persuaders" is a call to action for people to be more aware of the ways in which they are being influenced by advertising and consumer culture, and to resist the pressure to buy into it. The song suggests that true freedom comes not from blindly following the dictates of corporations, but from making conscious and deliberate choices based on one's own values and needs.


Line by Line Meaning

The hidden persuaders
The people who manipulate and control us through hidden messages


Are gonna infiltrate us
They will enter into our minds and influence our decisions without us knowing


Till babes in consumer land
Until even babies in our consumer-driven society are affected


Can supply and demand
When even babies understand what products they want and need


And the spending's contagious
When buying things becomes an unstoppable, infectious activity


Do you reckon it's outrageous
Do you think it's absurd?


That they're paying the entertainers,
That the manipulators are bribing the celebrities


To get you buying the jeans
To convince you to buy clothes that you don't really need


That you don't really need
Clothes that are not necessary for your survival or daily life


From the fashion dictators?
From the people who control the fashion industry and trends


Coz they're all trying to make me compromised
Because they are all attempting to manipulate me into doing something against my will


To these one a dollar conners telling lots of lies
To these manipulators who are deceiving me with false information


Am I as bad as them
Am I also guilty of manipulating others?


And you just realise that it's true
And you come to the realization that this is indeed what's happening


Coz you're free,
Because you have the freedom to choose


To do as we tell you
But you are also being influenced to follow what is being suggested


And you're free
You have the power to make your own decisions


To do as we say
But you are being pressured to do what they want


We've been at it for ages
They have been manipulating us for a long time


Creating black holes from wages
Exploiting our hard work and taking away our hard-earned money


To get you all hypnotised by the big dollar signs
To mesmerize us with the prospect of wealth and materialism


Of the manipulators
Of the people who control and sway our decisions without us realizing it


They call it product placement in the industry
They refer to this manipulation as 'product placement' in the advertising industry


Coz it's designed to get you buying all the things you see
Because it is created to convince you to buy all the things you come across


Do you think they're hoodwinking society and you?
Do you believe that they are fooling society and you personally?


And you're free
You have agency and freedom


To do as we tell you
But you are also being heavily influenced to follow their agenda


And you're free
You can make choices for yourself


To do as we say
But they want you to do things their way


And you're free
You have your own free will


To do as we tell you
But they want you to follow their suggestions


And you're free
You have autonomy


To do it today
But they want you to do it immediately




Contributed by Alexander W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Charlotte Harris

This band is amazing! Only just discovered them...Cant get enough. He's such a cool guy too!

ritaedu1

Can't wait to see the Revs at the Forum in November...one of my fave bands at the moment along with the mighty Pendulum.

Stuart Telfer

Ace Tune, have to say "No Soap In A Dirty War" for me. Love "The Rev" There all great, 1st and 2nd album. LOVE IIIT!!!!!

laffey31

BEST SONG ON THE ALBUM FOR ME!!

Sina

Nice song ... with great Lyrics... thank you Kaysho... smile

Biddle de bong

Lyrics are even more relevant today.

Sonia Felizardo

GORGEOUS.

dikkejos

The song reminds me of Muse.

Jake Lawton

@hobobuckettre69 Haha its fine! i seem to be one of the very few people who have uploaded the songs!

Stuart Telfer

you got the album too. ;-) lol

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