Kill The Poor

Album: Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables (1980)
Charted: 49
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  • Efficiency and progress is ours once more
    Now that we have the Neutron bomb
    It's nice and quick and clean and gets things done
    Away with excess enemy
    But no less value to property
    No sense in war but perfect sense at home

    The sun beams down on a brand new day
    No more welfare tax to pay
    Unsightly slums gone up in flashing light
    Jobless millions whisked away
    At last we have more room to play
    All systems go to kill the poor tonight

    Gonna kill kill kill kill kill the poor
    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor
    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor tonight

    Behold the sparkle of champagne
    The crime rate's gone, feel free again
    Oh, life's a breeze with you, Miss Lily White
    Jane Fonda on the screen today
    Convinced the liberals it's okay
    So let's get dressed and dance away the night

    While they kill kill kill kill kill the poor
    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor
    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor tonight

    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor
    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor
    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor tonight

    Behold the sparkle of champagne
    The crime rate's gone, feel free again
    Oh, life's a breeze with you, Miss Lily White
    Jane Fonda on the screen today
    Convinced the liberals it's okay
    So let's get dressed and dance away the night

    While they kill kill kill kill kill the poor
    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor
    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor tonight

    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor
    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor
    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor tonight

    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor
    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor
    Kill kill kill kill kill the poor tonight Writer/s: EAST BAY RAY, JELLO BIAFRA
    Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., O/B/O DistroKid
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 21

  • Dr.gordo from CaliforniaA band that started my interest in punk...and that way of thought...now hardcore...its still against norm. But different way..and different view..
  • Markous from Romeoville, IllinoisAnti-fascist here and can certainly say dead Kennedys is a
    great band
  • William from Seattle, WaThe song is an indictment of capitalism in that it describes the neutron bomb's potential for use by the owners of property to eliminate the poor. Thick with Irony, Biafra takes the position of the devil's advocate in order to show the jaded inhumanity of the rich and their beloved property and to what lengths that they will go to to protect it...
  • Ross from Leicester, United KingdomI think the song is attacking both the shift to the right in the US (Reagan was elected the year this was released - his economic policies were widely seen as helping the rich while leaving most of the poor on the scrapheap)and the invention of he neutron bomb. As has been already said the invention of the neutron bomb was a breakthrough because for he first time a weapon could kill a lot of people without damaging property! The song points out the obvious advantage of this weapon to a ruling class who saw the poor as a drain on resources!!
  • Steve from Norristow, Pathis song is about how the nuetron bomb was created to only kill people and still leave buildings intact so that the poor would be dead and the rich could use all of their stuff.
  • Ziggy from Redding, CaI love this song, probably the first Dead Kennedy song ive ever heard, its on one of my punk albums... i know they werent literally talknig about killing the poor, i think it just went with the whole "rebel-and-anarchy" attitude of punks
  • Mark B. Stoned from Desperate Hot Springs, CaThat's a great interpretation, MusicMama.
  • Tony from Escondido, Caandy your a retard. I Fought the Law isnt even about the police. its about the killer Dan White.
  • Musicmama from New York, NyGreat song! I like to think of it as a more visceral, earthier incarnation of Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal." Dead Kennedy no more wanted to kill the poor than Swift wanted people to eat them (the ones in Ireland, anyway). I think that the best punk songs were satires, and this is one of the best, if not the best, example.
  • Evan from Canyoun Country, Ca, CaThe live song is almost better.... well I think, simply for the lyric change.

    ALSO: someone do something on Rawhide or Police truck :(
  • Rob from Vancouver, CanadaThe Nuetron Martini.....leaves you bombed but still standing.
  • Kim from Stuart, FlOK, bands, raise your hand if you've NEVER done a cover of "I Fought the Law." (crickets chirp, no hands raise)
  • Alec from Sewell, NjThe neutron bomb wasn't Reagan era. It was made in the early 70s. Anyway it should also be mentioned that musically the rockabilly-tinged song structure was probably loosely based on the Ramones song "You're Gonna Kill that Girl". This one's one of the DKs' best songs. It's catchy and to the point.
  • Zachary from Charlotte, NcTechnically the original version of I fought the Law was done by the Bobby Fuller Four.
  • Mike from Pittsburgh, PaOf course they didn't want to kill the poor. The song is about the Reagen-era Neutron bomb which killed people but left buildings intact. DKs spin was it was a way to rid inner cities of poverty stricken individuals, which i too believe to be the case.
  • Dj from Coniston, CanadaActually Andy, "I Fought The Law" is not a Clash parody, but rather a parody of The Crickets. The Clash merely covered it as well as a handful of other bands.
  • Dan from Pacific, MoYeah DK was probally the most sarcastic band ever. Like the song I Kill Children. Horrible Lyrics just an aweful thing to do. But if u dont get the humor you'll hate DK
  • Andy from Halifax, EnglandOne of the songs that earns the DKs the reputation of being one the most sarcastic bands ever. See also: Police Truck and clash parody I Fought The Law refering to police. California Ã?ber Alles, Kinky Sex (Makes The World Go Around) about politicians. And most of their other songs really.
  • Kieran from Brewster, NyAlso found on SLC Punk! at the end of the movie when the credits are rolling.
  • Niko from Davis, CaYeah it does.
  • Ivan from Albany, Nythis site needs more DK songs.
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