Produced by Todd Rundgren.
Engineered by Jam… Read Full Bio ↴Written by Russell Mael.
Produced by Todd Rundgren.
Engineered by James Lowe.
RON: The main reason we never used a vibra-clap since 1972. I don't get this song, ask Russell.
RUSSELL: A weight-reducing song. You should have heard the home demo we recorded in our living room. More character.
Saccharin and the War
Sparks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before it moved on into the town
Eye liner worn by all their girls
Through the night the war was fought
Each "eye liner" took two small drops
Reaction - Elation - Joy, Joy, Joy
The Constitution says: "you must house the men"
Each doctor undermined a plot
All the weight that was soon lost
They erected as a golden cross
Remember the weight is no longer here
Through the street girls sang
The marching bands brought on the rain
The Doctors stood by the gold cross
One "eye liner" she had an idea
She read the Book, the Golden Book
It seems another Man had come across a cross
Dr. Jones they crucified
But, all their weight was returned back
Ha, Ha for all the girls now
The lyrics to Sparks's song Saccharin and the War tell a cryptic story that is up for interpretation. The song begins with a bus waiting for fifteen years before moving into town where the girls, symbolized by their signature eyeliner, are eagerly anticipating the night's events. The war in this context is not explicitly stated, but it can be interpreted as a metaphorical battle between the girls and their struggles with their weight. The lyrics suggest that the girls are taking drops to help them lose weight and that the reaction is one of elation and joy.
The lyrics then proceed to describe how every girl takes in a doctor, referencing a loophole in the constitution that required households to provide housing for troops. Each doctor undermined a plot, which can be interpreted in various ways. It is possible that the doctors were helping the girls with their weight loss, but it might also signify a more covert operation to achieve their goals. Interestingly, the weight that the girls lose is later erected into a golden cross, symbolizing their sacrifice.
As the song progresses, the girls sing in the street, accompanied by marching bands that bring on the rain. The doctors stand by the golden cross, possibly as a symbol of their collusion in the girls' cause. It is then revealed that one particular girl has read the Golden Book, a reference to the Christian Bible, and has an idea related to a Man who has come across a cross. This segment of the song is particularly cryptic and open-ended.
The song concludes with the mention of Dr. Jones being crucified, which could be a reference to the Indiana Jones movie series, but it is unclear how it fits into the story. The final line of the song is "Ha, Ha for all the girls now," which could be interpreted as a sarcastic jab at the girls, or as an indication of their ultimate success.
Overall, the lyrics to Sparks's Saccharin and the War are meant to be puzzling and open-ended, leaving ample room for interpretation. The theme of weight loss and sacrifice is prevalent throughout the song, but the exact nature of the events and characters is left to the listener's imagination.
Line by Line Meaning
Fifteen years the bus had waited
The bus waited for a long time before moving into the town.
Before it moved on into the town
The bus eventually moved into the town.
Eye liner worn by all their girls
All the girls wore eyeliner.
Through the night the war was fought
The war was fought during the night.
Each 'eye liner' took two small drops
Each girl took two small drops of something related to the war effort.
Reaction - Elation - Joy, Joy, Joy
The girls experienced positive emotions due to the war effort.
Every girl took in a doctor
Every girl housed a doctor as required by the Constitution.
The Constitution says: 'you must house the men'
The requirement to house men is found in the Constitution.
Each doctor undermined a plot
Each doctor worked against the enemy's plot.
All the weight that was soon lost
The weight that was lost is no longer there.
They erected as a golden cross
They erected something, maybe a monument or statue, that looks like a golden cross.
Remember the weight is no longer here
It's important to remember that the lost weight is no longer present.
Through the street girls sang
The girls were singing as they went through the street.
The marching bands brought on the rain
The marching bands caused it to rain.
The Doctors stood by the gold cross
The doctors were standing near the golden cross.
One 'eye liner' she had an idea
One of the girls who wore eyeliner had an idea.
She read the Book, the Golden Book
She read a book that might be called the Golden Book.
It seems another Man had come across a cross
It seems that someone had found another cross.
Dr. Jones they crucified
Dr. Jones was crucified by someone.
But, all their weight was returned back
All the weight that was lost was regained.
Ha, Ha for all the girls now
The girls are now happy and laughing.
Contributed by Skyler T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Philip Kassabian
on Scheherazade
A great Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on Aeroflot
This song is amazing.
Philip Kassabian
on Irreplaceable
Sparks is an absolutely fantastic band.
Philip Kassabian
on It's Educational
An absolutely great Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on The Calm Before the Storm
A great and fantastic Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on Perfume
A very catchy and great Sparks song.