We've Got A Bigger Problem Now

Dead Kennedys

Last call for alcohol
Last call for your freedom speech
Drink up, happy hour is now enforced by law
Don't forget our house special
It's called a Tricky Dickie Screwdriver
It's got one part Jack Daniels, two parts purple Kool-Aid
And a jegger of fermaldahyde
From a jar with Hitlers brain in it
We got in the back storeroom
Happy trails to you
Happy trails to you

I am Emperor Ronald Reagan
Born again with fascist cravings
Still, you made me president
Human rights will soon go 'way
I am now our Shah today
Now I command all of you
Now you're gonna pray in school
And I'll make sure they're Christian too

California uber alles
California uber alles
Uber alles California
Uber alles California

Ku Klux Klan will control you
Still you think it's natural
Nigga knockin' for the master race
Still you wear the happy face
You closed your eyes, can't happen here
Alexander Haig is near
Vietnam won't come back you say
Join the army or you will pay
Join the army or you will pay

California uber alles
California uber alles
Uber alles California
Uber alles California

That's it, just relax, have another drink
If you want pretzels, a little more MSG
Turn on those Dallas Cowboys on your TV
Lock you doors, close your minds
It's time for the two-minute warning

Welcome to 1984
Are you ready for the Third World War?
You too will meet the secret police
They'll draft you and they'll jail your niece

You'll go quietly to boot camp
They'll shoot you dead, make you a man
Don't you worry, it's for a cause
Feeding global corporations' clause

Die on our brand new poison gas
El Salvador or Afghanistan
Making money for President Reagan
Making money for President Reagan
And all the friends of President Reagan

California uber alles
California uber alles
Uber alles California
Uber alles California


Lyrics submitted by Ice

We've Got a Bigger Problem Now Lyrics as written by Eric Reed Boucher Darren Henley

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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We've Got A Bigger Problem Now song meanings
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18 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    iamtheowl, yes, it's California Uber Alles updated for Reagan's election as president. The original bashed a pretty harmless hippie governor, who just happened to be a little too ambitious for Biafra's tastes. But after Reagan got elected, Brown's ambitious hippie-state ideas started looking pretty damn insignificant. Hence the title of this song.

    MarkSandmanon May 21, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Pure genius!

    infotainment_ladon February 20, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    anyone know if this is just like part two of California Uber Alles, or why the similar lyrics?

    clumsy_childon April 04, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    was it re-written for reagens recent election victory or am i completely wrong?

    iamtheowlon April 05, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song its amazing.... so fucking good, i like this "update" better than the original California Uberalles

    +-+A.F.I+-+on July 28, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i love how in the mutiny on the bay version jello messes up on the word oppertunity (saying instead opperty) and not only do they leave it (how many bands would do that) but he is able to recover and make it sound good

    naes_masinon January 06, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    A lot of punk fans today bashed Reagan and don't even know why he deserves it. But there is a reason. He was an old man whose mind was going fast, who didn't like to actively participate in his own decision-making, who completely ignored the poor thinking that they were all poor by their own choice, who covered up his own gaping blunders with anecdotes that didn't actually happen, and whose administration made some of the most glaring oversights in the history of US politics. The media hailed him as the "Great Communicator". If Bush had the communication skills of Ronald Reagan, his approval ratings would probably be just as high.

    Balleron January 22, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    There's a version i've heard that opens with "Last call for alcohol, last call for freedom of speech. Drink Up, Happy hour is now enforced by law. Don't forget our house special, it's called a Trickie Dickie Screwdriver, it's got 1 part Jack Daniels, 2 parts Purple Kool-aid, and a jigger of fermaldahyde from the jar with hitler's brain in it we got in the back store-room"

    My question is, why the reference to RIchard Nixon (trickie dickie screwdriver), is he just like "yeah ronald reagan sucks, but don't forget when Richard Nixon screwed us over"? or what?

    iknowmyonionon January 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    iknowmyonion, that is the version we're talking about, but since he says it instead of sings it I guess it doesn't belong in the lyrics

    Pyrokinetic_Punkeron February 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i feel that if you replace Reagen with Bush many if not all of DK's songs remain relevent today.

    insane metal fanon April 09, 2006   Link

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