Lyrics for 21st Century (Digital Boy) as interpreted by M4R5

21st Century (Digital Boy) Lyrics
I can't believe it, the way you look sometimes,
Like a trampled flag on a city street, oh yeah,

And I don't want it, the things you're offering me,
Symbolized bar code, quick ID, oh yeah,

'Cause I'm a 21st Century digital boy,
I don't know how to live but I've got a lot of toys,
My daddy's a lazy middle class intellectual,
My mommy's on Valium, so ineffectual,
Ain't life a mystery?

I can't explain it, the things they're saying to me,
It's going yayayayayayaya, oh yeah,

'Cause I'm a 21st Century digital boy,
I don't know how to read but I've got a lot of toys,
My daddy's a lazy middle class intellectual,
My mommy's on Valium, so ineffectual,
Ain't life a mystery?
I tried tell you about no control,
But now I really don't know,
And then you told me how bad you had to suffer,
Is that really all you have to offer?

See I'm a 21st Century digital boy,
I don't know how to read but I've got a lot of toys,
My daddy's a lazy middle class intellectual,
My mommy's on Valium, so ineffectual,

That's what I yearn for (21st Century digital boy),
Neurosurgeons scream for more (21st Century digital boy),
Innocence raped with napalm fire (21st Century digital boy),
Anything I want I really need (21st Century digital boy),
21st Century schitzoid boy (21st Century digital boy),
21st Century video boy (21st Century digital boy),
21st Century digital boy (21st Century digital boy),
21st Century sofa boy (21st Century digital boy)...

Note: The first four lines in the last stanza are 'stolen from King Crimson'

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  • 33 Comments
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westy
03-27-2002

Rated 0 
i think this song is about, the way times are changing and how we have changed to match our environment. lazy slobs is what the kids are turning into, look around you, its plain to see, and how we are becoming dependant on technology.

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moonboy87
04-17-2002

Rated 0 
This song, to me, makes a political and underlying backslash at the way our technological society is upbringing newer generations. We do not expect people to accept their consequences anymore, which ultimately will lead to our country's greatest downfall. We are now focusing more and more on material advances than a whole-hearted, and stable family tie. The older generation was brought up with a mind set that they do not have to face their problems (hence the allusion to the parents), and the newer is even worse. This song, clearly coming from the more radical approach that the band members of Bad Religion, is what our ultimate society in America is coming to. Sad yet truthful.

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soowt
05-04-2002

Rated 0 
this song is actually about brett gurewitz himself.

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ThE GlOWiNg?
06-19-2002

Rated +1 
I think its refering to the technological brainwashing of the youth via television and the internet, and the "modern" ages dependency on technology and the inevitable collapse of our society.

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soowt
06-30-2002

Rated 0 
this song is actually about brett gurewitz himself. . . .

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Mutt
07-22-2002

Rated 0 
soowt's rite its about gurewitz and his mest childhood. i think its talkin bout how his parents didnt do shit for him, that meant n e thing. They stuffed him full of destractions to make him happy, but at tha same time theyre not teachin him n e thing. (i dont no how to read but i got a lot of toys)

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The_Albatross
10-12-2002

Rated 0 
This song is exelent

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reidy125
10-17-2002

Rated 0 
It is about Brett but mainly about how people are getting lazier and want more(anything i want i really need) I think anyone can understand this song after reading the lyrics (1 time is enough)

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Otakumonkey
10-17-2002

Rated 0 
It doesn't matter if the Mr. Brett wrote it off of personal experiences. The song can be applied to the children of the 21st century. The ones whose parents don't actually raise them, but instead the babysitter does, plus the TV. People don't know how to deal with there problems. They pop pills to make them feel good and content. It is all about me me me me, not about the better ment of society on a whole. It is a perveted contentness that faces the current generation.

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Madcappunk
03-24-2003

Rated 0 
Yeah, you guys got it right, society just doesn't raise us like they used to. It is all about gaining material goods and moving up on the social ladder. People can't deal with life or their problems. What is the world coming too?

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anima85uk
04-17-2003

Rated 0 
i cant be assed to type my oppinion, i aint fat, or lazy, but i agree with moonboy87 and Madcappunk. :/

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daaf21
06-01-2004

Rated +1 
there's a song called 21st century schizoid man by the band king krimson

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AAAlan
10-04-2004

Rated 0 
I didn't actually know that this song was about Brett, but either way, i think he's using himself as an example, just speaking from experience, knowing how the kids feel. I think its a powerfull song about where the emphasis of our society is and where our priorities lie. I know kids who can hook a LAN up in under 5 minutes, but couldn't tell you the capital of Sweden, and thats just sad.

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1 Reply
BobbyBouche
01-07-2005

Rated 0 
Where did you hear this song is about Brett. His dad pretty much paid for Epitaph.

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lil_helen_star
03-31-2005

Rated 0 
This is a fantastic song, like most Bad Religion songs, this is political and makes you realise about the world and the society we live in. This song is trying to say that the new generation are just becoming more and more lazy and pointless because all they care about is the modern technology..they have nothing better to offer; some people dont understand that stuff isnt all about how much money you make, or what kind of television you have, but thats how society makes us out to be these days... and its just gonna get worse and worse.

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blackdove
07-09-2005

Rated 0 
the song seems to be comeentary on the average american family

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ArianeTheFool
08-29-2005

Rated 0 
Popular culture in affluent areas of Europe and American and other countries is used as a distraction from the world's real problems and we're all being taught to turn a blind eye to them and watch Newlyweds instead or something.

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ArianeTheFool
08-29-2005

Rated 0 
Although I have to say, I've never looked at someone and thought how much they look "Like a trampled flag on a city street" but that's just me.

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punkpirate
01-26-2006

Rated 0 
"Trampled flag on a city street" implies something/someone who was once proud that has been reduced to something useless.

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funk
02-24-2006

Rated 0 
"I don't know how to live, but I got a lot of toys"
Yup, that sums it up.

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Durang0
03-16-2006

Rated 0 
Funny, I see that guy everywhere. Last time he was in the mirror

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Unright
04-14-2006

Rated 0 
I think people take this song the wrong way. People assume that he's distracted and made complacent by his "toys". That since he doesn't know how to read or live then he's fucked. It's the opposite. He's rallying against conformity.

He's disapointed by what the world (or America) has become, and he rejects the invitation to conform ("Symbolized bar code, quick ID"). He rejects attempts to tell him how to live properly ("I can't explain it, the things they're saying to me,
It's going yayayayayayaya").

He slams his parents as being lazy and ineffectual, it could be to explain his rebellion, show that they didn't have the power to stop him.

He a 21st Century digital boy. He's part of the new generation of malcontents. He doesn't know how to live or read, but he's got a lot of "toys" (instruments, maybe) that will help him get by.

"I tried tell you about no control,
But now I really don't know,
And then you told me how bad you had to suffer,
Is that really all you have to offer? "

"No Control" and "Suffer" are the two Bad Religion albums that were released before this this album (Against the Grain). Nobody seems to pick up on that.

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Iwasmadetobreak
06-27-2006

Rated 0 
I think that is more about society today and not Brett Gurewitz's life. This is most because he was born in 1962 and did not grow up in the 21st century.

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world_domination
07-26-2006

Rated 0 
Obviosly the person in the song has realised what's going on-the writer has stood back to look at our society objectively. The irony of it is that any society which doesn't need technology is looked down on and patronised.

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petetheelite
09-20-2006

Rated 0 
this song was written in 1990.

couldn't be more true today.

bad religion kick ass.

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