Signs
Telsa Lyrics

And the sign says long hair freaky people need not apply
The sign is discriminatory towards individuals with long hair and unconventional appearances.

So I put my hair under my hat and I went in to ask him why
The singer tries to hide his appearance in order to adhere to the establishment's standards and approaches the person responsible for the sign.

He said you look like a fine outstanding young man I think you'll do
Despite the singer's unconventional appearance, the person responsible for the sign believes he is a good fit for the job based on his other qualities.

So I took off my hat I said imagine that huh me working for you
The artist removes his hat to reveal his long hair and expresses surprise at being accepted for the job despite the discriminatory sign.

And the sign says anybody caught trespassing will be shot on sight
The sign warns that trespassers will be met with deadly force.

So I jumped the fence and I yelled at the house, hey! what gives you the right
The singer challenges the property owner's authority to put up a fence and threaten trespassers with violence.

To put up a fence and keep me out or to keep mother nature in
The singer questions why the property owner is preventing him from accessing nature or keeping it contained within the property.

If god was here he'd tell it to your face man you're some kind of sinner
The artist suggests that the property owner's actions are sinful and would be admonished by a higher power if they were present.

Oh say now mister can't you read
The artist questions the person's inability to read when faced with clearly printed signs.

You got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat
The establishment requires patrons to dress formally to gain admittance.

You can't watch no you can't eat you ain't supposed to be here
The establishment denies the singer access to both entertainment and food, suggesting that he does not belong there.

And the sign says you got to have a membership card to get inside, huh
The establishment requires members to hold a membership card for admittance.

And the sign says everybody welcome come in kneel down and pray
The sign appears welcoming to all those who wish to enter and engage in prayer.

But then they passed around a plate at the end of it all
The organization requests donations from its members or attendees.

And I didn't have a penny to pay
The singer does not have any money to contribute to the donation plate.

So I got me a pen and paper and I made up my own fucking sign
The artist creates his own sign to express his sentiments towards the establishment and their practices.

I said thank you lord for thinking about me I'm alive and doing fine
The artist expresses gratitude towards God for his current state of being despite being denied entry to the establishment.

Signs signs Everywhere there's signs Fucking up the scenery Breaking my mind Do this, don't do that Can't you read the sign
The repeated refrain emphasizes that the pervasiveness of signs is not only an eyesore but also frustrating as they dictate behavior and can be difficult to comprehend.