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Boot Stamping On A Human Face Forever
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10/09/2009 at 13:07
References to Orwell's "1984" resound throughout the lyrics of The Empire Strikes First. For example, "two minutes hate" is referenced in the title song, and "all they ever gave to them was a war [...]" in Let Them Eat War (which is reminiscent of the political environment in the novel). Those references serve to compare the Bush Administration to the The Party's totalitarianism in Oceania, and this song continues to perpetuate that theme.
This is perhaps the only song on the album which expresses that sentiment so directly. For example, "Sometimes it's never a crime to spend the day in bed" might be seen as a little shot of irony, since that's exactly what Winston and Julia were doing when The Party arrested them. And "She made certain that the curtains were red [...] light they would shed" is a specific description of the room where Winston and Julia took their refuge from The Party. In the third stanza, the line "He knew better than to pull on a thread [...] thoughts in his head" is a perfect way to describe the struggle Winston faced early in the novel when he was trying to decide whether or not to act on his impulses to defy The Party. |
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10/24/2005 at 00:34
I believe that this song shows how history repeats itself and no matter what you do you can't win, just like in war. War continues to happen all over and nothing good ever comes out of it, both sides lose lives, they have lost too many people to war.. Te number of people lost to war should have been none because war should have never begun for any reason.
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09/07/2005 at 09:44
I don't think this song is particularly political. I think you're all kinda looking at it from the wrong perspective. It seems to be a simple little story of a couple who are stuck together in a kind of crappy situation, not particularly in love, not very well-off, in a country/world with dubious morals, who finally resign themselves to their situation ("I know there's nowhere to go/So I'll just stay here instead"). The political bent at the end is more of a way to show the scope of their ennui. The Orwell quote was used in Winston's indoctrination, when he became resigned to the totalitarianism, and I think it's used as a metaphor. Not a political statement as much as a social one, like how Kieslowski supplanted the ideals of the French flag in the Three Colors trilogy.
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05/24/2005 at 23:32
This song is addressing the subject of Orwellian totalitarianism in a subtle and clever way. Rather than directly addressing the well-known concepts of Big Brother and the thought police, Brett focuses on a single more obscure scene from the novel. The song evokes (for me) a scene in which Winston and Julia lie in bed and discuss their impending doom with one another. As such, the song is more about the impotence of the individual free thinker in a society gone mad. From the first chord, the sound is subdued and downbeat. The prominent refrain is another direct quote from the novel: "We can't win!". It encapsulates the despairing tone of the isolated freethinker, which is also the tone of the song. The parallels to the modern state of affairs, hinted at in verse three, (feverish patriotism, unthinking masses, continuous war) are left for the listener to ponder.
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04/23/2005 at 02:09
I agree strongly with the "1984" reference. I would just like to make one other point. I think that the line 'She sang songs and went along for the ride/and the other side complied' refers to how passive the democrats have been during all of this crap Bush has been pulling. It is phrased excellently in a quote I read that says 'The American Democratic Party just needs to regrow their spines. Don't be afraid to be a liberal, be proud of it.
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02/11/2005 at 05:46
I agree, it's definitely about 1984's main characters. However, despite it's somewhat morbid tone I think it's a positive message. Despite the fact that they "can't win" they still stay together.To clarify a previous point, "1984" is a totalitarian dystopia; not a communist utopia. A Utopia is good, a dystopia however is bad.
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12/30/2004 at 20:54
I definately agree with the "1984" reference. I believe it's about the similarities between the modern political/social or even personal climate of the world. Liberties and personal freedoms are being removed at an alarming rate and in a similar fashion to the way Orwell describes Big Brother policy. With the Patriot act and other rights infringements we are becoming increasing defeated ("You can't win/Think it over again"). The song basically compares the Bush admin to The Party in "1984" with it's totalitarian control and media.
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11/13/2004 at 12:32
Very interesting interpretation comparing the song to Orwell's "1984." I do agree strongly with it. It's fairly obvious the reference to the Irag war in the lines "You can't win! Think it over again, I can't win! look at the trouble I'm in, We can't win! and we're stuck here together, Yeah, I hope it will last forever."
"She made certain that the curtains were red, To dream better by the light they would shed" clearly refers to spilling blood. "With good books and looks on their side And hearts bursting with national pride, They sang songs that went along for the ride, And the other side complied," shows the biased viewpoint of each side and the propaganda to help support their beliefs. |
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09/24/2004 at 21:36
This song is obviously about being as optimistic In the most pessimistic times of the harsh journey of life. In George Orwell's "1984" Winston and Julia lived in a communistic Utopian society. They had to keep their love secret, and literally hide their individuality. Yet they both did everything they could to make life better every day.
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07/24/2004 at 19:31
I view the song as a conflict between the U.S, and Iraq (or other countries in similar peril). She equals us, and He equals them. Lines like "Sometimes its never a crime to spend the day in bed," come to mean it would have been better if we had never started the war. "Could it be that mother's superior lied?" or "is it possible too many have died?" merely clarify that our war is unjust etc...the US is so strong and unbeatable "it only hurts when I laugh she said" very ironic to me
To me its about the US vs. the war on terrorism. |
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07/21/2004 at 09:45
If you read George Orwell's 1984 you'll probably understand more of the allusions in this song.
The "he" and "she," as I perceive it, are the characters Winston and Julia from 1984. It's not a love song per se, it's actually quite morbid in the context of the story. But, importantly, Winston & Julia knew they were doomed to imprisonment and horrible torture. Yet they would not commit suicide, due to a primal and (and I think admirable) will to live. "We're stuck here together, and I hope it will last forever" Even though they were almost certain it wouldn't last forever, they still had hope. Although the song masquerades as macabre, I think it radiates a very optimistic message. Even in the most unfortunate and terrifying circumstances, there is still value in hope and trying to survive. Giving up is for chumps. Fight till the bloody end. |
