How does freedom of speech cause heart disease and bootleg clothing?

[Marcel]

Maybe a silly question but I'm interested in some answers.

[starstruck]

possibly just a reference to "decadence" flooding in to former Soviet countries?

[mrvitaminpill]

or just another jibberish wire lyric

[centralscrutiniser]

I'd take it as a critique of wittering about issues - the two preceding lines are something like 'we complain about our human rights and worship obesity as our birthright', yet freedom of speech doesn't actually help anyone because we still all get fat (and heart disease) and wear bootleg clothing (presumably referencing the horrible working conditions of sweatshops, alluded to in the 'human rights' line.

Just my thoughts - interesting question though.

[everlasting]

Don't know, never thought about it. Well, sometimes I just think "huh, silly Nicky, he makes me chuckle".

[JamesyEsquire]

I have always seen it as a dig at those who say capitalism is the superior choice to communism in that yes we have freedom of speech but the reason we are so 'free' is because kids in vietnam are making our clothes and supplying us with cheap produce to get fat on... or something like that

[starstruck]

it's the reference, or if you will dig, at worshipping the Beastie Boys in the song that puzzles me. the day that Nicky & Co make a video as cool as either Sabotage or InterGalactic then they can talk, in the mean time they should keep their jealousy to themselves.

[Son of Stopped]

Heart disease bought on by sitting around listening and reading every example of free speech. Bootleg clothing to make the wearer feel rebellious without that tear gas stuff?
Is there a subtext in Nicky's writing that there should only be one speech to follow and listen to? Or am I paranoia bollocks today?

[begging_to_be_cool]

Originally Posted by leericketts

it's the reference, or if you will dig, at worshipping the Beastie Boys in the song that puzzles me. the day that Nicky & Co make a video as cool as either Sabotage or InterGalactic then they can talk, in the mean time they should keep their jealousy to themselves.

The Beastie Boys line ties in with the Dalai Lama stuff, which I think was Nicky criticising the media for concentrating on a cause du jour (Tibet) and ignoring everything else.

The song in general, to me, seems to be about how capitalism just brought the working people of the former socialist block a new set of problems, rather than the Disneyland version of the west they were promised in the propaganda. I like it.

[starstruck]

Originally Posted by begging_to_be_cool

The Beastie Boys line ties in with the Dalai Lama stuff, which I think was Nicky criticising the media for concentrating on a cause du jour (Tibet) and ignoring everything else.

oh yes, so it does. there's a non-hamster/gerbil related reference to Richard Gere in there somewhere too, isn't there?

haven't played the track in a while, will give it a spin later.

[Donkey]

It's just another Wire's hysteric attempt to rip off All Is Vanity and add some shocking lines. But musically it's one of their best

[Alt.Duck]

needs poll option...

[RobynLove]

Originally Posted by JamesyEsquire

I have always seen it as a dig at those who say capitalism is the superior choice to communism in that yes we have freedom of speech but the reason we are so 'free' is because kids in vietnam are making our clothes and supplying us with cheap produce to get fat on... or something like that

I've always thought this was it. Us fat americans always wanting to go "liberate" other countries, when all we end up doing is destoying what little government and economy they do have and put them to work in sweat shops to make clothes for our fat asses. And maybe someday they can be as free as us and be chubby materialistic egomaniacs.

I always thought it was a great line but I could be off.

I also thought part of the Beastie Boys thing came out of when they asked Prodigy not to sing Smack My Bitch Up at Reading. It goes with the whole "freedom of speech" thing.

[starstruck]

Originally Posted by RobynLove

I've always thought this was it. Us fat americans always wanting to go "liberate" other countries, when all we end up doing is destoying what little government and economy they do have and put them to work in sweat shops to make clothes for our fat asses. And maybe someday they can be as free as us and be chubby materialistic egomaniacs.

that's unduly unfair on Americans mate - most of us Europeans were materialistic egomaniacs prior to the US assistance in WWII, but yeah, the chubby bit does tend to relate to a certain fast food franchise you unleashed on us.

[Scarecrow]

I'd agree with all of the above.