DEAD OR ALIVE
Scattergun Lyrics

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Where do we go
From here where we stand
The genealogical command
A vacant dream
A puppet, a machine
This is the modern way to be
And what we see
A world wide sugery

The building of a creature
A dried out creature
And we try to understand
That part of our lives mortality

Cause we're dead or alive
It's the question
How to survive

We need material o bend
But to life we put an end
Where power rules
It is defended by crime
The extinction alibi
Oppressive jerks
All the bombs are theirs
In every fuckin country
Either east or west countries
They fight for dollar notes
Or of religious cause
Everywhere you look around is war

Cause we're dead or alive
It's the question
How to survive
Cause we're dead
Or out of our heads
It's a question
I cannot say

We are divided from each other
The evil one always another
Then you see
The puppets on TV
We are damned to believe
Dmned to believe
All I wanna be
Is a free living creature
And we try to run away
Try to hide away
The futurehas been sold so long ago

Cause we're dead or alive...

Overall Meaning

In Scattergun's song Dead or Alive, the lyrics express a conception of a world in turmoil. The first couple of lines ask the existential question of where do we go from here, which sets the tone for the rest of the song. The genealogical command refers to the idea that we are all bound by our ancestry and that our pasts have a significant impact on our present and future. Then, the song talks about the modern way of living, which is seen as a vacant dream, where people are merely puppets or machines that are a part of a larger system that builds machines for efficiency. These machines are metaphorical creatures that have a dried-out soul, but the facade of progress suggests the world is moving forward.

The lyrics then begin to talk about the divides that exist in society, how there is a need for material goods, which is pushing the world towards its own destruction. Those who have power and influence defend their position violently, and the public have to suffer the consequences of wars and oppression. Everywhere, nations fight for either money or religion, and the world seems to be in a state of perpetual conflict. The song goes on to say we are either dead or out of our heads, implying that our options are limited to either accepting the status quo or opting out of reality through other means.

The song goes from the micro-scale of personal lives to the state of the world as a whole. It becomes a call for freedom, for people to break free from the predetermined paths set out for them, to seek and find a better future. The song's message is clear: despite the world's current state, we must strive towards creating a better future for ourselves and for generations to come.

Line by Line Meaning

Where do we go
Uncertainty and confusion about the future.

From here where we stand
Feeling stuck in the present and unsure how to move forward.

The genealogical command
The pressure to conform to societal expectations and family traditions.

A vacant dream
Feeling unfulfilled despite the pursuit of the American Dream.

A puppet, a machine
Being controlled by external forces and losing individuality.

This is the modern way to be
The idea that conformity is necessary in order to be successful in a modern society.

And what we see
Observation of the world and society around us.

A world wide surgery
The literal and metaphorical changes being made to the world and its inhabitants.

The building of a creature
The creation of a new society that is different from the past.

A dried out creature
The negative consequences of change and how it can affect individuals and society as a whole.

And we try to understand
Attempting to comprehend the meaning and purpose of these changes.

That part of our lives mortality
The awareness of our own mortality and how it affects our thoughts and actions.

Cause we're dead or alive
The constant question of whether we are truly living or merely surviving.

It's the question
Putting emphasis on the importance of this question.

How to survive
The struggle to survive in a world that is constantly changing.

We need material to bend
The desire for material possessions and how it can lead to negative consequences.

But to life we put an end
Choosing material gain over a fulfilling life can lead to a loss of true satisfaction.

Where power rules
The influence of power and the control it can exert over society and individuals.

It is defended by crime
The lengths to which people will go in order to maintain power and control.

The extinction alibi
The use of justifications for advances that can lead to negative consequences or even the extinction of a species.

Oppressive jerks
Describing those in power who exploit and oppress others in order to maintain control.

All the bombs are theirs
Blaming those in power for the state of the world and its conflicts.

In every fuckin country
The universality of these issues and the pervasiveness of negative influences.

Either east or west countries
Emphasizing the reach and scope of these negative influences globally.

They fight for dollar notes
The obsession with material gain and how it can lead to negative consequences such as conflict and harm to others.

Or of religious cause
How religious ideas and beliefs can be used to justify extremism and lead to conflict.

Everywhere you look around is war
The pervasiveness of conflict and negative influences in the world.

Cause we're dead
Acknowledging that our mortality and the negative influences around us can sometimes make us feel as if we are already dead.

Or out of our heads
The ways in which societal pressures and negative influences can literally make us feel crazy.

It's a question
Highlighting the importance and urgency of this constant question.

I cannot say
Admitting that the answer to this question is not always clear or easy to articulate.

We are divided from each other
The ways in which we are separated from each other despite being part of the same global community.

The evil one is always another
The tendency to blame others for societal problems rather than taking collective responsibility.

Then you see
Observing societal influences on individuals.

The puppets on TV
The exploitative nature of media and the ways in which it can manipulate people in power.

We are damned to believe
Feeling trapped and helpless as a result of societal and media manipulations.

All I wanna be
A desire for individual freedom and expression in a world where this can often be limited.

Is a free living creature
A desire for personal autonomy and the ability to make individual choices that are not influenced by societal expectations.

And we try to run away
Individuals attempting to escape from negative societal influences and pressures.

Try to hide away
The ways in which individuals can retreat from society and withdraw from participation in order to avoid harmful influences.

The future has been sold so long ago
The realization that the world and its future have already been predetermined by societal and economic forces, limiting individual agency.

Contributed by Riley O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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