Welfare Music
The Bottle Rockets Lyrics
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Senator on TV calls her welfare queen
Used to be daddy's little girl
Now she needs help in this mean ol' world
Buys cassette tapes in the bargain bin
Loves Carlene Carter and Loretta Lynn
Tries to have fun on a Saturday night
It's welfare music
Watch the baby dance
To the welfare music
Well she ever stand a chance?
Takes two to make three but one ain't here
Still chasing women and drinking beer
Says nobody understands how he feels
But that don't pay the monthly bills
Angry fat man on the radio
Wants to keep his taxes way down low
Says there oughta be a law
Angriest man you ever saw
Welfare music
Just watch the baby dance
To the welfare music
Well she ever stand a chance?
Solo
Baby dance circles on the floor
Round and round just like before
Baby fall down
Baby get up
Baby needs a drink from a lovin' cup
It's welfare music
Watch the baby dance
To the welfare music
Well she ever stand a chance?
Welfare music
Just watch the baby dance
To the welfare music
Well she ever stand a chance?
The Bottle Rockets's Welfare Music offers a poignant and often overlooked perspective on the complex interplay of poverty, family, and government assistance. The song tells the story of a woman who has fallen on hard times and now depends on welfare to support herself and her child. She's a victim of societal ills, including absent fathers, alcoholism, and systemic discrimination. The woman grew up with a privileged life before falling into financial hardship, which serves as the backdrop for the song.
The song highlights the woman's taste in music, which is whatever she can afford to buy at the bargain bin. She loves country music, particularly the music of Carlene Carter and Loretta Lynn, as it captures the essence of the struggles of the working-class people. Welfare Music features a catchy chorus in which an innocent baby dances to the music while the woman is stuck in poverty. The woman's circumstance is the result of various factors, including her pursuit of a relationship that turned out as a dead end.
Welfare Music is a relatable song that delivers a clear message about the ongoing struggle of the impoverished. While the song speaks specifically to the struggles of a single mother, it ultimately explores the larger implications of living in a society that often blames the poor for their own misfortunes.
Line by Line Meaning
Quit school when she was seventeen
She dropped out of school at a young age.
Senator on TV calls her welfare queen
She is being negatively stereotyped by a government official on television.
Used to be daddy's little girl
She was once loved and protected by her father.
Now she needs help in this mean ol' world
She is struggling to navigate the harsh reality of the world without her father's support.
Buys cassette tapes in the bargain bin
She is limited in her spending and shops for cheap, discounted items.
Loves Carlene Carter and Loretta Lynn
She finds solace and joy in listening to country music.
Tries to have fun on a Saturday night
She makes an effort to enjoy herself despite her struggles.
Sunday morning don't shine too bright
Her happiness is temporary and fleeting.
It's welfare music
The music she listens to is associated with her financial situation.
Watch the baby dance
Her child is still able to find joy and innocence despite the hardship surrounding them.
To the welfare music
The music they are dancing to is a product of their circumstances.
Well she ever stand a chance?
Will the child be able to break the cycle of poverty they are born into?
Takes two to make three but one ain't here
She is raising their child alone without the father.
Still chasing women and drinking beer
The father is not providing support and is focused on his own pleasures.
Says nobody understands how he feels
The father is feeling misunderstood and perhaps even victimized.
But that don't pay the monthly bills
His feelings do not contribute to the practical needs of his child.
Angry fat man on the radio
A talk show host is spewing hateful rhetoric.
Wants to keep his taxes way down low
The host is advocating for policies that benefit himself at the expense of those in need.
Says there oughta be a law
He believes that people like the singer should not be receiving government assistance, despite their circumstances.
Angriest man you ever saw
He is filled with rage and prejudice, and uses his platform to spread hate.
Solo
An instrumental break in the song.
Baby dance circles on the floor
The child is still dancing despite the stress around them.
Round and round just like before
Their life follows a repetitive pattern of struggle and hardship.
Baby fall down
The child experiences setbacks and falls due to their circumstances.
Baby get up
They also show resilience and the ability to persevere.
Baby needs a drink from a lovin' cup
The child seeks comfort and affection from their caregiver in the midst of difficulty.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN HENNEMAN, S. TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bill Troester Sr.
This video touched my heart deeply. My Mother, God rest her soul, was born and raised in a very poor family a few miles outside the tiny little town of Sugar Grove, West Virginia. She used to tell me of the hard times of her childhood. How she and her 10 siblings would carry live chickens to the country store in town to trade for provisions. How they would all sit on the front porch of their little shack nestled in the beauty of the mighty Blue Ridge Mountains and play Bluegrass after a hard day in the fields. I think of those stories often, and thank God for being raised poor. This kind of music will forever be deep in my soul.
emmit Meyer
I did most of my growing up in the late 60's and early 70's in southern Mississippi, While I was lucky enough to be the son of a Navy petty officer, most, if not all of my friends were as you see in this video...Those people were my friends...I am 58 years old, work construction all week,and I would not have it any other way.
The WestPointRouteGuy
Bill, my late father-in-law was born and raised at Sugar Grove...a half mile west of the little white board Methodist church, where he & his wife are buried. (Nicholas County) Years later when he was in a nursing home in Richmond, he would tell me about the times there during his youth before he went off to WWII. Growing their own food....slaughtering farm animals, and walking miles along the dirt road (it's still unpaved today) to Quinnwood for supplies. They grew quite a bit of crops and he told me that especially during the hard years of the great depression, they would give food to neighbors whose children were going hungry Hard times indeed. .
Spider Monkey
Wilsondale little town ..hell nothing there
Spider Monkey
Mine too Wayne West Virginia..still poor country.
Marilee Dent
My mom too West Virginia up Turkey Creek Wilsondale near Cabwaylingo my family buried on tick ridge
Lube's Iron-CSL Farms llc
Awesome tune! Sounds like a cross between the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Steve Earl
William Miller
My God, this is a great song. I saw these guys open for Lucinda Williams in Portland, ME around 20 years ago. Great live show.
Duke Briney
breaks my heart. I watch it over and over. I love the Bottle Rockets
emmit Meyer
The memories of the visuals in this song bring a 58 year old man to tears.