Problems by The Sex Pistols Lyrics Meaning – Anarchy and Disillusionment in a Post-Modern World

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for The Sex Pistols's Problems at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Too many problems
Oh why am I here
I need to be me
‘Cause you’re all too clear
And I can see
There’s something wrong with you
But what do you expect me to do?
At least I gotta know what I wanna be
Don’t come to me if you need pity
Are you lonely you got no one
You get your body in suspension
That’s no problem, problem
Problem, the problem is you

Eat your heart out on a plastic tray
You don’t do what you want
Then you’ll fade away
You won’t find me working
Nine to five
It’s too much fun being alive
I’m using my feet for my human machine
You won’t find me living for the screen
Are you lonely all your needs catered
You got your brains dehydrated

Problem, problem
Problem, the problem is you
What you gonna do

Problem
Problem

Problem, problem
Problem, the problem is you
What you gonna do with your problem
The problem is you
Problem

I ain’t equipment, I ain’t automatic
You won’t find me just staying static
Don’t you give me any orders
For people like me
There is no order

Bet you thought you had it all worked out
Bet you thought you knew what I was about
Bet you thought you’d solved all your problems
But you are the problem

Problem, problem
Problem, the problem is you
What you gonna do with your problem
I’ll leave it to you
Problem, the problem is you
You got a problem
What you gonna do

They know a doctor
Gonna take you away
They take you away
And throw away the key
They don’t want you
And they don’t want me
You got a problem
The problem is you
Problem, what you gonna do
Problem, I’ll leave it back,
I have a problem, you got a problem

Problem, problem,
Problem, problem,
Problem, problem,
Problem, problem,
Problem, problem,
Problem, problem,
Problem, problem,
Problem, problem, problem

When The Sex Pistols erupted onto the music scene with ‘Problems,’ they weren’t merely releasing another punk track to shake up the status quo; they were encapsulating an entire ethos that would go on to define a generation disillusioned by the rigmarole of conformist society. ‘Problems’ isn’t just a song—it’s a battle cry for personal autonomy and a scathing critique of a system that manufactures discontent.

The raw energy of ‘Problems,’ plucked straight from the heart of punk’s anarchic garden, speaks as much today as it did back in the late 70s. Stripping down the complex web of societal expectations to its bones, The Sex Pistols touch upon human nature’s innate need for self-expression and the friction it encounters with prescribed social roles. This song is a mirror held up to the essence of the punk philosophy — defiance articulated with every searing note.

Punk’s Razor-Sharp Commentary on Personal Freedom

In ‘Problems,’ The Sex Pistols aren’t just lamenting personal grievances; they’re rejecting the notion that they must fit into pre-determined molds. The lines ‘I need to be me / ‘Cause you’re all too clear’ are not just about individualism, but about the fight for the freedom to be one’s true self without the smothering clarity of society’s blueprint for life.

The track underscores a type of existential defiance, an unwillingness to succumb to the prescribed 9-to-5 lifestyle that epitomizes much of Western society. By declaring, ‘You won’t find me working nine to five / It’s too much fun being alive,’ the song champions a life lived on one’s own terms and exposes the hollow nature of consumer-driven existence.

Dissecting the ‘Human Machine’: Are We More Than Our Labor?

With a sneering vocal delivery, Johnny Rotten challenges the audience to reconsider our roles as components within a larger economic system. When he proclaims, ‘I’m using my feet for my human machine,’ he seems to be questioning whether our purpose is reduced to the mere mechanisms of productivity in a capitalist society.

The concept of the human as a ‘machine’ underscores a critique of the dehumanization inherent in societal constructs that value productivity over individuality. By refusing to be ‘just staying static,’ the song becomes an anthem for those who resist being cogs in the machine.

The ‘Plastic Tray’ of Consumerism and the Fading Away of Identity

The Sex Pistols lay bare the banality of consumer culture with the line ‘Eat your heart out on a plastic tray.’ This imagery evokes the mass-produced, disposable nature of modern life, and how it encourages conformity rather than genuine self-expression.

They caution against the dangers of succumbing to a passive existence where one does not ‘do what you want,’ warning that it leads to fading away—both metaphorically in terms of losing oneself in the homogeneity of society, and literally, as the spirit diminishes under the weight of mundanity.

The Hidden Meaning: Reclaiming Existence From Societal Expectations

Delving deeper into ‘Problems,’ one unearths a more nuanced message: the confrontation with and rejection of external authority that seeks to dictate individual purpose. ‘Don’t you give me any orders / For people like me / There is no order,’ stands out as a blatant repudiation of hierarchical systems.

This hidden meaning is a call to arms for resistance against any form of control that suppresses the human spirit and contradicts intrinsic desires. It implies that true liberation arises from rejecting norms and constructs that fail to serve the inherent chaos and order one finds within oneself.

Memorable Lines: Rebellious Anthems Quotes for the Disaffected

‘But you are the problem’—a simple yet powerful line that flips the script on whom the burden of rectification falls. It’s not the individual who must change to accommodate a broken system, but rather, it’s the system itself that’s the issue.

‘You got a problem / The problem is you’—these words encapsulate the essence of accountability and personal agency. The repetition of ‘problem’ throughout the song serves as a relentless reminder of the persistent, unresolved issues that plague both individuals and society, demanding an internal revolution for change to take effect.