silver pieces of eight
Reversal of Man Lyrics

The lyrics of Reversal of Man's song "Silver Pieces of Eight" express a criticism of the flawed system of military funding and its impact on individuals. The line "Paying back funding for a flawed statement" suggests that the military-industrial complex often allocates resources based on faulty or biased justifications, which can lead to wasted funding and poor decision-making. The singer laments the suffering caused by lies propagated by those with power, and the dehumanizing effects that can come from being identified solely by a common label or group identity (as in "zombie because of a common label shared"). The question of when military objectives should be prioritized over due process is also raised, as the singer suggests that sometimes problems and abuse are overlooked under the guise of national security. The final line, "Problems are overlooked it comes down to aristocratic bondage but butt," may be interpreted as a critique of the patriarchal, elitist structures that underpin much of military culture and policy-making, with the "butt" perhaps implying that the singer is fed up with the bullshit attitudes and behaviors of those in power.