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Today's the Macy's Day parade
The night of the living dead is on its way
With a credit report for duty call
It's a lifetime guarantee
Stuffed in a coffin ten percent more free
Red-light special at the mausoleum
Give me something that I need
Satisfaction guaranteed to you
What's the consolation prize?
Economy sized dreams of hope
When I was a kid I thought
I wanted all the things that I haven't got
Oh, I learned the hardest way
Then I realized what it took
To tell the difference between
Thieves and crooks
Lesson learned to me and you
Give me something that I need
Satisfaction guaranteed
Because I'm thinking about
A brand new hope
The one I've never known
Cause now I know
It's all that I wanted
What's the consolation prize?
Economy sized dreams of hope
Give me something that I need
Satisfaction guaranteed
Because I'm thinking about
A brand new hope
The one I've never known
And where it goes
And I'm thinking about
The only road
The one I've never known
And where it goes
Because I'm thinking about
A brand new hope
The one I've never known
Cause now I know
It's all that I wanted
The night of the living dead is on its way
With a credit report for duty call
It's a lifetime guarantee
Stuffed in a coffin ten percent more free
Red-light special at the mausoleum
Give me something that I need
Satisfaction guaranteed to you
What's the consolation prize?
Economy sized dreams of hope
When I was a kid I thought
I wanted all the things that I haven't got
Oh, I learned the hardest way
Then I realized what it took
To tell the difference between
Thieves and crooks
Lesson learned to me and you
Give me something that I need
Satisfaction guaranteed
Because I'm thinking about
A brand new hope
The one I've never known
Cause now I know
It's all that I wanted
What's the consolation prize?
Economy sized dreams of hope
Give me something that I need
Satisfaction guaranteed
Because I'm thinking about
A brand new hope
The one I've never known
And where it goes
And I'm thinking about
The only road
The one I've never known
And where it goes
Because I'm thinking about
A brand new hope
The one I've never known
Cause now I know
It's all that I wanted
Lyrics submitted by kevin, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Track duration: 03:33
"Macy's Day Parade" as written by Billie Joe/wright Iii Armstrong
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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"Today's the Macy's Day Parade
The night of the living dead is on its way"
You could interpret this as it being a good day for him, but something bad is about to happen that night.
"Give me something that I need
Satisfaction guaranteed to you"
He's saying that he wants the girl to give him her love, and he's saying that she'll enjoy their relationship.
"What's the consolation prize?
Economy-sized dreams of hope"
He's saying that he built his hopes up, and he got rejected, or something bad just happened between the two, and he wants to know what does he get for his hard work.
"When I was a kid I thought
I wanted all the things that I haven't got
Oh, I learned the hardest way"
He thought he wanted her, something he couldn't have. And he learned that by being rejected (the hardest way).
"Then I realized what it took
To tell the difference between
Thieves and crooks
A lesson learned to me and you"
This is a little more personal. To me, he means that she was a thief for taking his spirit, and he was a crook because he either acted like an ass, or there's just something wrong with him (he's 'crooked').
"Because I'm thinking about a brand new hope
The one I've never known
'Cuz now I know
It's all that I wanted"
He's thinking about being hopeful, because she's all that he wanted.
"And I'm thinking about the only road
The one I've never known
And where it goes"
She's the only road, and since he never had a relationship with her, he doesn't know what it's like, or where the road goes.
This song means that while you are growing up, you learn things the hard way (obviously one thing is stealing) the difference between a theiv and crook is that a crook is another word for bent or mis-shapen, and in life something or someone made the "crook" the way he is. so that person is mentally torn so-to-speak leading to him acting out by stealing instead of just being a theive and stealing just because the crook did(tryed to fit in). and that's the lesson they both learned. and hes talking about a brand new hope, where as i see it, he wants guarantee of a good, non-stressful life ahead of him, but where it goes... you wont really know. but its all he really wanted.
The point that pokes out to me is
was the Macy's Day Parade- Thanksgiving
Night of the Living Dead- Black Friday
As far as a less generalized interpretation, here's my two cents: (and yes, it being Thanksgiving did make me think of this song)
Today's the Macy's Day Parade - obviously the biggest advertising scheme in history
The night of the living dead is on its way - Black Friday Sales start at midnight, turning most people into consumer zombies.
With a credit report for duty call - nameless, faceless credit cards. You're nothing but your credit limit.
It's a lifetime guarantee, Stuffed in a coffin "10% more free", Red light special at the mausoleum - People plan their funerals ahead of time and pay for them to ensure they get the best prices. It's a pathetic (not mention morbid as fuck) attempt at feeling like you have some control over everything in your life--even your own death and what happens after you're dead.
Give me something that I need
Satisfaction guaranteed to you
What's the consolation prize?
Economy sized dreams of hope - I think this is pretty self explanatory. Consumer: Give me something that I need. Corporate America: Satisfaction's guaranteed! Consumer: What's the consolation prize? Corporate America: Dreams of all the shit you'll never have!
When I was a kid I thought
I wanted all the things that I haven't got
Oh, I learned the hardest way
Then I realized what it took
To tell the difference between
Thieves and crooks
a lesson learned to me and you
When he was a kid he probably thought he wanted to be a bad ass rock star, money, women, drugs, booze, houses, cars--the whole nine yards. But he had to acquire all of that garbage to realize that he didn't want any of it--none of it made him happy none of it made him anything. That's when he realized thieves may break into your house and still your shit, but a crook will cheat you into dreaming of a life that's supposed to be everything everyone wants and if you get it--you'll realize it only adds to the misery.
Give me something that I need
Satisfaction guaranteed
Because I'm thinking about
a brand new hope
The one I've never known
cause now I know
its all that I wanted
He's thinking about a brand new hope--and honestly, I assume this is where the song gets really personal. At this point in his life he had a 5 year old and a 2 year old and a wife. I'm pretty sure he probably figured out that they were way more important than anything he could ever buy. That's his reason for existing--and that's the only means that he's going to find anything slightly resembling true happiness. He's a husband and a father, he's responsible for a family which I'm guessing he probably didn't dream of as a kid.
I think the rest of the song is just reiteration of everything already stated. He's thinking about a brand knew road, one he's never know and where it goes because now he knows it's all that he wanted. He wanted (as hippyish as it sounds) to be loved for no more reason than he's him. He wanted acceptance. He wanted to belong somewhere and he has it. So, instead of being a consumer or a publicity whore, he's going to be a father and a husband. He's going to be the kind of man he would want his sons to grow up to be. He's going to take the high road, so to speak.
Well...that's my 75 cents. lol.
Today IS the Macy's Day Parade, Thanksgiving. The Macys Day Thanksgiving parade is the most watched televised event all year long. The night of the living dead is on its way- is referring to Black Friday - The biggest shopping/consumer day of the year. "Red light special at the mausoleum" is sort of a joke that people are so eager for a deal or a discount they'll buy their own graves.
This song is about breaking about from the consumerism and materialism and finding something meaningful.
A person who steals something he really needs (for himself or others) is technically a thief, whereas a person who rips people off selling them things they don't need is just a crook.
Morally you could argue that these thieves are better than those crooks, or you could use other examples to make the opposite argument depending where you stand.