The groups name came about as a mere fluke from some light hearted criticism. According to vocalist Jason Sears in a 2002 interview with Thrasher magazine: “It happened that some guy said, 'Ha, those kids will never be anything, they're just a bunch of rich kids on LSD, man.' The first party we played we didn't have a name for the band, so we put that one on the flier and it just stuck.”
U.S. Steel
Rich Kids on LSD Lyrics
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Wealthy rich stock holders frown.
IBM, computers for just another godly war.
They're gonna drop a bomb.
No more trace.
Your limbs are gone...
No escape!
Sent to kill soldiers
Green Berets can torture, too.
Killing children they never knew.
They're gonna drop a bomb.
No more trace.
Your limbs are gone...
No escape!
They're gonna drop a bomb.
No more trace!
Your limbs are gone...
And there's no escape!
The lyrics to Rich Kids on LSD's song "U.S. Steel" are a commentary on the intersection between capitalism, war, and violence. The opening lines, "U.S. Steel stock is down/ Wealthy rich stock holders frown," sets the tone for the rest of the song. The band is calling attention to the fact that the wealthy and powerful care primarily about their money and investments, even if those investments are in companies that profit from war and destruction.
The next few lines, "IBM, computers for just another godly war/ They're gonna drop a bomb/ No more trace/ Your limbs are gone... No escape!" further emphasize the idea that corporations and technology are being used to create ever-more powerful weapons that can bring devastating destruction with no accountability. The song then shifts focus to the soldiers responsible for carrying out these acts of violence, suggesting that they are often manipulated and controlled by their governments into killing, maiming, and torturing others.
The chorus of the song repeats the line "They're gonna drop a bomb/ No more trace/ Your limbs are gone... No escape!" in a haunting and repetitive fashion. This underscores the finality of violence and the brutality of war, leaving behind destruction, death, and trauma. Overall, "U.S. Steel" is a powerful critique of the military-industrial complex, and a call to recognize the humanity and consequences of violent actions.
Line by Line Meaning
U.S. Steel stock is down,
The value of shares in the U.S. Steel company has decreased.
Wealthy rich stock holders frown.
Those who own a lot of U.S. Steel shares are unhappy about their loss of wealth.
IBM, computers for just another godly war.
IBM is providing technology that will be used in a violent, religious conflict.
They're gonna drop a bomb.
A bomb will be released.
No more trace.
There will be no tangible evidence of the bomb's release.
Your limbs are gone...
Some individuals will lose their physical limbs due to the bomb's explosion.
No escape!
There is no way to avoid the effects of the bomb.
Sent to kill soldiers
Individuals have been assigned the task of killing combatants.
Go 'cause their country told them so...
These individuals are acting on behalf of their country's orders.
Green Berets can torture, too.
Members of the Green Beret unit are capable of inflicting pain and distress on others.
Killing children they never knew.
Children who have no personal connection to the killers will be murdered.
They're gonna drop a bomb.
A bomb will be released.
No more trace.
There will be no tangible evidence of the bomb's release.
Your limbs are gone...
Some individuals will lose their physical limbs due to the bomb's explosion.
No escape!
There is no way to avoid the effects of the bomb.
They're gonna drop a bomb.
A bomb will be released.
No more trace!
There will be no tangible evidence of the bomb's release.
Your limbs are gone...
Some individuals will lose their physical limbs due to the bomb's explosion.
And there's no escape!
There is no way to avoid the effects of the bomb.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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