the other mike
Diamond Member
- Thread starter
- #21
End of Vietnam war 1975. This was the topic of the postmodern poets of our time. I know because I was there.
Agents of the law - Luckless pedestrian - I know you're out there - With rage in your eyes and your megaphones - Saying all is forgiven - Mad Dog surrender - How can I answer - A man of my mind can do anything
How did we answer the call to go to Vietnam? Those of us were luckless pedestrians, while protesting this major injustice, rage and megaphones, the protest of our generation. We were mad dogs, we had to have a mind to stop this war and we could change society. To do that we had to believe in our minds we could do anything, even change society.
I'm a bookkeeper's son - I don't want to shoot no one - Well I crossed my old man back in Oregon - Don't take me alive - Got a case of dynamite - I could hold out here all night - Yes I crossed my old man back in Oregon - Don't take me alive
Those of us that were there know "Bookkeepers sons" no matter who we were we knew we were not going to go shoot people in Vietnam, the advice of my father to my protest, my "old man" was do what you think is right but many "fathers" were ex soldiers. It was a serious protest, it was run and we won't be taken alive. This was a very serious time in our history of the US and I don't think its beyond reason that this piece is a reference to knowing that this is a betrayal of the crowds consensus. That to consciously change society we have to "know what we have done" or "I have done" and we know who and what we are. Not traitors but patriots not to a crowd mentality, but to our own insides.
Can you hear the evil crowd
The lies and the laughter
I hear my inside
The mechanized hum of another world
Where no sun is shining
No red light flashing
Here in this darkness
I know what I've done
I know all at once who I am
"I hear my insides", this poetic reference is too our inner voice, that knows the mechanized hum of a war machine, the lies of Nixon, Eisenhower, the realization that inside we know who we are, and the other world is where no "sun is shining" because hear in that worlds darkness we "know what we've done", and that to change society we must consciously know what we've done, we must know all at once who we are. We are no idiots we do what we do to change the world, we will not go kill, not us, simple bookkeepers sons.
Now there is also a reference to a bombing made in the comments, this is also an act of protest and I can't say for sure that its not the actually reference in the song. My feelings and the military bombing reference are parallels. I think its important for those that may read this understand that protest is a high form of resistance to a unrelenting war based society, and sometimes is justifiable like in time of unjust war. A very high calling, and a excellent piece of art by Fagen and Becker. Peace everyone
https://songmeanings.com/songs/wiki/91533/
