The Dead Milkmen's songs found moderate success on alternative and college radio stations. Videos, notably Punk Rock Girl, even found their way onto MTV in the late 1980s. Topics for their music include satire on the 1980s music scene, toxic waste, jellyfish afterlifes, UFOs, conspiracy theories, and cover bands.
Irreverent absurdity fueled their initial popularity, particularly among college DJs. However, this genre was somewhat abandoned with the 1992 release of Soul Rotation, a much more subtle album.
After the Dead Milkmen went on indefinite hiatus in 1994, Genaro and Sabatino formed a new band, Butterfly Joe. Sabatino was also in the punk rock bands Narthex, Big Mess Orchestra, and Hunger Artists. Genaro was in a band called Touch Me Zoo. Linderman was in a band called Burn Witch Burn. Schulthise left music in the early 1990s after developing tendonitis, preventing him from playing bass, and committed suicide in 2004.
The Dead Milkmen took the stage again for two consecutive nights in November 2004 at the Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia to play a show in memory of Dave Schulthise. Proceeds were donated to a variety of mental health organizations and to a Serbian monastery that Schulthise supported.
The band reunited in 2008 and released a new album (The King in Yellow) in 2011.
Ringo Buys a Rifle
The Dead Milkmen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Brains on the shelf
We'll all wake up
When Ringo buys a rifle
We live we breathe
We spread disease
That all must end
People told him what to say
Ordered (???) dream away
Paul was dubbing Ringo's drumming
John was dubbing Ringo's humming
People were starting to talk
We start wars
forget the poor
That all must change
Ringo buys a rifle
We stand tall
Try to evolve
We'll walk on water
Ringo buys a rifle
Animals will bear their fangs
Pope will join a gang
We'll all get new shoes
When Ringo buys a rifle
Buildings come crashing down
Lost things will be found
Life'll be so much better
When Ringo buys a rifle
Tried to keep his head level
Was possessed by the devil
Church is callin' Ringo's mom
Telling her Ringo's a bum
Rumors are starting to fly
We'll be one
To love a gun
That's how we'll live
Ringo buys a rifle
We start small
Must learn to crawl
We'll learn to fly
Ringo buys a rifle
Doesn't want to be cute
He just wants to shoot
Blow them away
Make them all pay
His mind has jumped track
He's a Beatle maniac
Hey Paul, you asshole... Dub this!
When Ringo buys a rifle
When Ringo buys a rifle
People told him what to say
Ordered (???) away
Paul was dubbing Ringo's drumming
John was dubbing Ringo's humming
People were starting to talk
He is one with indoor plumbing
Paul's still dubbing Ringo's drumming
He's formed with the NRA
(???) away
Rumors are starting to fly
He let (???) acid dream away
The Dead Milkmen's Ringo Buys a Rifle is a satirical song that comments on society's obsession with guns and violence. The first verse suggests that everyone has lost their sense of self, as though their actions are controlled by an unseen force. The use of the phrase "brains on the shelf" suggests that people's intellect has been put aside, possibly because it's easier to follow a crowd. However, it appears that the only way people will wake up to the societal problems is when Ringo buys a gun. In other words, this society is waiting for a celebrity to take an action that will force them to acknowledge their problems.
The second verse suggests that many problems with society may be resolved when Ringo buys a gun. It mentions that wars will end, the poor will no longer be forgotten, and people will evolve. The third verse highlights that the idea for the song may have started when people were talking about Ringo Starr's lack of talent or usefulness in The Beatles. It mentions that Paul and John had to dub his drumming and humming in the studio. However, the verse ends with rumors starting to fly, possibly indicating that the song is turning out to be controversial.
Line by Line Meaning
We aren't ourselves
We do not behave the way we actually are.
Brains on the shelf
We are not using our intelligence.
We'll all wake up
We will realize our reality.
When Ringo buys rifle
When Ringo gets weapon.
We live we breathe
We exist and breathe in this world.
We spread disease
We are the cause of many problems in the world.
That all must end
All of this must stop.
When Ringo buys a rifle
When Ringo gets weapon.
People told him what to say
Others dictated what he should say.
Ordered(???) dream away
Urged him to forget his dreams.
Paul was dubbing Ringo's drumming
Paul McCartney was recording drums instead of Ringo.
John was dubbing Ringo's humming
John Lennon was recording humming instead of Ringo.
People were starting to talk
Rumors about Ringo were starting.
We start wars
We begin conflicts between countries.
Forget the poor
We ignore the needy.
That all must change
This must change.
Ringo buys a rifle
Ringo gets weapon.
We stand tall
We are standing firm.
Try to evolve
We attempt to develop or change.
We'll walk on water
We will do something impossible.
Ringo buys a rifle
Ringo gets weapon.
Animals will bear their fangs
Animals will show aggression.
Pope will join a gang
Even the Pope will participate in the chaos.
We'll all get new shoes
We will get something new.
When Ringo buys a rifle
When Ringo gets weapon.
Buildings come crashing down
The buildings are collapsing.
Lost things will be found
Things that were lost will be found.
Life'll be so much better
Life will be more satisfying.
When Ringo buys a rifle
When Ringo gets weapon.
Tried to keep his head level
Tried to stay sane.
Was possessed by the devil
He was under the influence of evil.
Church is callin' Ringo's mom
The church called Ringo's mother.
Telling her Ringo's a bum
Informing her that Ringo is a failure.
Rumors are starting to fly
Rumors are starting to circulate.
We'll be one
Together we will become one.
To love a gun
To have affection for guns.
That's how we'll live
That is how we will continue to exist.
Ringo buys a rifle
Ringo gets weapon.
We start small
We start with modest beginnings.
Must learn to crawl
We must start from scratch.
We'll learn to fly
We will succeed with time.
Ringo buys a rifle
Ringo gets weapon.
Doesn't want to be cute
He doesn't care about being charming.
He just wants to shoot
He only wants to fire a gun.
Blow them away
To fire a gun, killing a group of people.
Make them all pay
To make them pay with their lives.
His mind has jumped track
His mind is no longer clear.
He's a Beatle maniac
He is obsessed with The Beatles.
Hey Paul, you asshole... Dub this!
Hey Paul, you jerk... Record this!
When Ringo buys a rifle
When Ringo gets weapon.
When Ringo buys a rifle
When Ringo gets weapon.
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