if
The Beautiful South Lyrics

If we crawl at two
If we slow down and take things at a more relaxed pace

We could crawl at twenty-two
We'll still get where we need to go, it doesn't have to be rushed

And grovel at
Suggesting that people are willing to act subservient to authority

The drop of a hat
And will do so at any given opportunity, without much questioning or resistance

And once they've got you down there
Once you've allowed yourself to submit to authority and power structures

It's so hard to re-straighten your back
It becomes difficult to stand up for yourself and challenge the status quo

We could crawl at one handred and two
Even at a frenzied pace, we still won't accomplish anything meaningful

And the target brainless don't quite reach
The people in power and those blindly following them lack real intelligence and understanding

Covered so kindly in your opening speech
Their actions and intentions are often hidden behind flowery language and nice-sounding speeches

Is a tiny crab of thought, crab of thought
But underneath it all there are small, hidden thoughts and motives that can cause harm

On a sideways beach
And these thoughts and motives are not directly obvious, but need to be uncovered and addressed

Let lessons not the pupils teach
We need to be careful about what we teach and learn, as sometimes power structures and authority figures perpetuate harmful ideas

Justice not the lesers breach
Those in power should not be above the law and should not be allowed to break it without consequences

And maggots not have fingers
Those who take advantage of the less fortunate should not be given even more power

Wagged at by leech
They should be held accountable for their actions and prevented from causing further harm

Well I made sure
The singer is emphasizing the importance of what he's saying

I wrote this song in braille
He's trying to connect with a wider audience, including those who are visually impaired

So you could touch the words
He wants people to engage with his ideas and feel empowered by them

The words that sail
His words are powerful and can inspire change

From my mouth back to the jail
He is speaking out against power structures that restrict people's freedom

You could touch the words that sail
He wants people to be part of the movement for change, and to feel empowered by his words

That is posing as tongue
Those in power are using their language to mask and justify their oppressive actions

Curtsies, bows, thank you sirs
Society is often structured around thoughtless acts of politeness and deference to authority

And the wearing of a business suit
Even our clothing can reinforce power structures and signal submission to authority

Lead to complaints of backache
Following the norms of society can be exhausting and disempowering

And end with a Nazi salute
When we follow these norms blindly, we can end up complicit in oppression and violence

If we crawl at two
The singer emphasizes again the importance of taking our time and not blindly following the norms of society

We could crawl at two two two
Even at this slower pace, we'll still be making progress towards a better world