call the police by LCD Soundsystem Lyrics Meaning – A Dissection of Modern Anarchy and Rebellion
Lyrics
We all, we all, we all, we all know this is nothing
We all, we all, we all, we all know this is nothing
This is nowhere
We all, we all, we all, we all know this is nowhere
And there is no one
Here
It moves like a virus and enters our skin
The first sign divides us, the second is moving to Berlin
But that’s not the state I’m in
The air is thin but that’s not the state
The old guys are frightened and frightening to behold
Kids come out fighting and still doing what they’re told
But you’re waking a monster that will drive you from your orioles of gold
And your body will get cold
And we don’t waste time with love
It’s just death from above
Your head is on fire, your hands are getting weak
We all, we all get stupid in the heat
You’ve basted your brains with the shatter and defeat up on the street
And this is nowhere
The early years were boring
The quiet, unhappy punk
See mother was a cripple and my father was a drunk but gentle man
So we do the best we can
This is the plan
Wear your makeup like a man
‘Cause we don’t waste time with love
Yeah, we don’t waste time with love
It’s just a push and a shove
Well, there’s a full-blown rebellion but you’re easy to confuse
By triggered kids and fakers and some questionable views
Oh, call the cops, call the preachers
Before they let us and they lose
When oh, we all start arguing the history of the Jews
You got nothing left to lose
Gives me the blues
And we don’t waste time with love
And we don’t waste time with love
So call the police
Yeah, call the police
Yeah, call the police
Yeah, call the police
Go, call the police
Go call ’em, please
Just chase the cops
Yeah, call the police
You’re crazy, man
Yeah, call ’em up
Just call the police
The first in line
They’re gonna eat the ric
In a world fraught with sociopolitical tumult and generational dissonance, LCD Soundsystem’s ‘call the police’ emerges as a defiant anthem for the disillusioned. More than a thumping track to get lost in, it is a manifesto that paints a portrait of the zeitgeist, crafted by James Murphy’s acute sensitivity to the pulse of contemporary society.
The song is not just a soundscape but a landscape, delving into the divided state of human condition, the rebellion of youth against oppressive frameworks, and the struggle to retain a sense of self amid chaos. LCD Soundsystem executes a musical exploration that deserves more than passive listening – it demands introspection and discourse.
An Apocalypse Set to Dance Beats
Against the backdrop of a pulsating bassline and a steady beat, ‘call the police’ conjures images of an end-of-days scenario enacted within the consciousness. The refrain ‘We all, we all know this is nothing’ is less a claim of nihilism and more an acknowledgment of an ephemeral existence, recognizing that the structures we abide by could crumble in the face of a larger crisis.
The vivid depiction of societal decay through verses like ‘it moves like a virus and enters our skin’ encapsulates the contagion of fear and the inevitable nature of change. The song echoes themes of impermanence and the human tendency to seek stability in a world that is paradoxically in a constant state of flux.
Youthful Revolt and Geriatric Fear
A clear generational clash reverberates throughout ‘call the police.’ The ‘old guys’ embody the establishment now trembling at the revolution sparked by the young. These ‘kids come out fighting’ symbolize the spirit of rebellion and the breaking of chains imposed by the traditions and expectations of the predecessors.
LCD Soundsystem touches on the cyclical nature of history; every new generation inevitably wakes ‘a monster’ that threatens the gilded cages of the old, leading to the systematic dismantling of outworn customs and beleaguered orthodoxies.
Unraveling the Tapestry of Love and Warfare
A startling cynicism towards love surfaces in the chorus, ‘And we don’t waste time with love, It’s just death from above.’ The metaphorical linkage of love to destructive aerial bombardment implies the vulnerability that comes with emotional exposure — suggesting love as a battlefield where one must shield the heart.
Distilling the very essence of human connection to ‘just a push and a shove,’ LCD Soundsystem positions intimacy and camaraderie as casualties in an environment where survival is contingent on emotional armor rather than exposed hearts.
Peeling Back the Hidden Layers
There’s a deeper dive beyond the palpable social commentary — a personal history intertwined within ‘call the police.’ The glimpse into an individual backstory with ‘See mother was a cripple and my father was a drunk but gentle man’ layers the sociopolitical with the autobiographical, presenting the narrative through a deeply personal prism.
The song suggests that personal resolve and the armaments for social rebellion are often forged in the fires of domestic strife and personal adversity. Murphy’s lyrics drive home the point that our battles begin within the walls of our upbringing before they spill into the streets.
Memorable Lines that Define a Generation
Evocative and jarring, the lyric ‘The air is thin but that’s not the state’ conveys a sense of suffocation in an atmosphere devoid of empathy or understanding. It resonates with a generation feeling entrapped, seeking elevation above the socio-political smog but finding the environment increasingly inhospitable.
As the song escalates towards the call to action — ‘So call the police’ — there’s a raw irony embedded in turning to an authority that might simultaneously represent oppression and salvation. This line bleeds the chaotic energy of a society on the brink — where the protectors and the enforcers of order are no longer distinguishable.
