Styx is best known for the hit songs "Lady", "Come Sail Away", "Babe", "Boat on the River", "The Best of Times", "Too Much Time on My Hands", "Renegade" and "Mr. Roboto". The band has had four consecutive albums certified multi-platinum by the RIAA.
High Crimes & Misdemeanors
Styx Lyrics
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The unbelievable
They say you should accept
The unacceptable
Forget your common sense
It isn't sensible
Good times for fools and dreamers
The undeniable
See how they refute
The unrefutable
They're ready to defend
The indefensible
High times for lawyer schemers
They say we must forgive
The forgivable
They want us to respect
The unrespectable
The pious and the hip
So hypocritical
High crimes and misdemeanors
Hip hop hip hop-cracy hip hop
Hip hop hip hop-cracy hip hop
Hip hop hip hop-cracy hip hop
See how they explain
The inexplicable
Watch 'em debate
The undebatable
Apparently a lie
Is never liable
Prime time for talk show screamers
They say we constitute
The Constitutional
With justice here for all
So justifiable
I'm tryin' not to laugh
But man it's laughable
High crimes and misdemeanors
Hip hop hip hop-cracy hip hop
Hip hop hip hop-cracy hip hop
Hip hop hip hop-cracy hip hop
Hip hop hip hop-cracy hip hop
Hip hop hip hop-cracy hip hop
And so
Today we find
They've changed their minds
They've switched their points of view
Oh what tangled webs they weave
When their beliefs ain't really
What they believe
They're trying to divide
The indivisible
Because they think we're fools
So foolable
I'm tryin' not to laugh
But man it's laughable
Boom times for Wall Street dreamers
They want you to believe
The unbelievable
They say we should accept
The unacceptable
The pious and the hip
So hypocritical
High crimes and misdemeanors
High crimes and misdemeanors
High crimes and misdemeanors
Hip hop hip hop-cracy hip hop
Hip hop hip hop-cracy hip hop
Hip hop hip hop-cracy hip hop
Hip
hop hip hop-cracy hip hop
The song "High Crimes and Misdemeanors" by Styx is a critique of politics and society, and how they operate under a veil of deception. The lyrics suggest that people are expected to believe and accept things that are illogical and nonsensical, and to forgive and respect individuals in power despite their unethical behavior. The song argues that people, especially those in politics and the media, try to refute undeniable truths and defend indefensible actions, creating an atmosphere of hypocrisy and corruption. The song also mocks the legal system and lawyers who use technicalities and spin to serve their own interests rather than serving justice.
The chorus of the song refers to "Hip Hop-cracy," which can be interpreted as a critique of democracy, suggesting that the system is rigged and subject to manipulation by those in power. The overall message of the song is that people should think critically and not be fooled by those who are seeking to deceive them. The song takes a cynical view of politics and society, underscoring that it is important to question authority and not blindly follow what they say or accept the unacceptable.
Line by Line Meaning
They want you to believe
They want you to trust something that is not believable
The unbelievable
Something that is impossible or too strange to be true
They say you should accept
They encourage you to tolerate something that is not acceptable
The unacceptable
Something that is not permissible or intolerable
Forget your common sense
They want you to ignore your logic or intuition
It isn't sensible
Something that does not make rational or practical sense
Good times for fools and dreamers
Those who are naive or unrealistic may benefit from these situations
Watch 'em all deny
They all refuse to acknowledge the truth
The undeniable
Something that is impossible to dispute or reject
See how they refute
Notice how they disprove or contradict the truth
The unrefutable
Something that is impossible to deny or refute
They're ready to defend
They are prepared to support or justify something that is indefensible
The indefensible
Something that cannot be justified or excused
High times for lawyer schemers
Attorneys may take advantage of these situations for personal gain
They say we must forgive
They claim it is necessary to pardon something that is forgivable
The forgivable
Something that can be pardoned or excused
They want us to respect
They expect us to admire something that is unrespectable
The unrespectable
Something that is not respectable or deserving of admiration
The pious and the hip
Both the moral and trendy individuals
So hypocritical
Acting contradictory to one's own beliefs or values
High crimes and misdemeanors
Serious wrongdoing and minor offenses
See how they explain
Notice how they attempt to clarify something that is inexplicable
The inexplicable
Something that is impossible to explain
Watch 'em debate
Observe how they argue or deliberate about something
The undebatable
Something that is impossible to argue about or refute
Apparently a lie
Something that seems to be untrue or deceptive
Is never liable
It is impossible to hold a lie accountable for its actions
Prime time for talk show screamers
Opportunistic individuals may exploit these situations for public attention
They say we constitute
They claim that we make up the nation
The Constitutional
Relating to the fundamental laws of a nation
With justice here for all
They assert that fairness is available to everyone
So justifiable
Something that can be reasonably explained or defended
I'm tryin' not to laugh
They are struggling to avoid amusement or ridicule
But man it's laughable
A situation that is absurd or ridiculous
And so Today we find
Currently, we discover that
They've changed their minds
They have altered their opinion or viewpoint
They've switched their points of view
They have adopted a different perspective or stance
Oh what tangled webs they weave
They have created complex and deceitful schemes
When their beliefs ain't really
Their convictions are not actually
What they believe
What they truly think or feel
They're trying to divide
They are attempting to separate or disconnect something that is inseparable
The indivisible
Something that cannot be divided or separated
Because they think we're fools
They believe that we are naive or gullible beings
So foolable
Something that can easily be fooled or deceived
Boom times for Wall Street dreamers
Traders and investors may take advantage of these situations for economic gain
High crimes and misdemeanors
Serious wrongdoing and minor offenses
Hip hop hip hop-cracy hip hop
An expression to denote how society operates in modern times
Contributed by Lily E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.