Lyrics for Atomic Garden as interpreted by M4R5

Atomic Garden Lyrics
everybody wants to dance in a playpen
but nobody wants to play in my garden
I see the hippies on an angry line
guess they don't get my meaning
I'm enchanted by the birds in my blossoms
I'm enamored by young lovers on the weekend
I like the Fourth of July
when bombs start flashing
and I wish I had a shiny red top
a bugle with a big brass bell would cheer me up
or maybe something bigger that could really go pop!
so I could make the gardening stop
come out to play
come out to play
and we'll pretend it's Christmas Day
in my atomic garden
all my scientists are working on a deadline
so my psychologist is working day and night time
they say they know what's best for me
but thye don't know what they're doing
and I'm glad I'm not Gorbachev
'cause I'd wiggle all night
like jelly in a pot
at leats he's got a garden with a fertile plot
and a party that will never stop
I hope there's nothing wrong out there
I'm watching from my room inside my room

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hennessee101
06-03-2002

Rated 0 
He might be discussing the fact that many people live inside their "atomic garden" and never take the time to think outside of their box. He is saying that selfishness and ignorance is wrong. (just like the Bible). Although Christians don't practice it very well. But one can't let the people of any religon get in the way of what it truly teachs.

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ZeroStatic
06-14-2002

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Stupid question, but by any chance, would the singer, or any of the band members be communist?

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UnseenOp
07-20-2002

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Actually I think this song is about the threat of nuclear war. He he's "I'm glad I'm not Gorbachev" and his "garden with a fertile plot" is the Soviet arsenal of nuclear weapons and if just one goes of there'll be "a party that will never stop"

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soul_doubt
09-01-2002

Rated 0 
this song (to me) is about countries who flaunt their power and try to scare other countries with their number of bombs and how they think because they are richer and have more weapons, that they are better, i duno i dont think i get it

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InTylerWeTrust
10-14-2002

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I think it's about someone who is really bothered about something like the threat of war. Yet even though he's so bothered he doesn't od anything about it, he just gets people to reassure him about things and watches from his window.
I.e: I hope there's nothing wrong out there
I'm watching from my room inside my room
That's my take, ace song though.

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Kiljoy001
10-16-2002

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Well, I'd like to say this song is about the threat of nuclear weapons durring the cold war. I think that the singer of this song (not the actual singer) is the weapon it's self ( and I wish I had a shiny red top a bugle with a big brass bell would cheer me up or maybe something bigger that could really go pop! So I could make the gardening stop.) This song is littered with metaphors galore : "at leats he's got a garden with a fertile plot and a party that will never stop" refers to the communist party and it's policy of producing nuclear warheads, even after the intial exchange ( It was on the discovery channel one day). Here's more: "all my scientists are working on a deadline so my psychologist is working day and night time they say they know what's best for me but they don't know what they're doing" refers to america's policy of producing "better" warheads and the millitarys first strike policy first laid down by the SAC (now defunct) or Stratiegic Air Command... more to come latter -- need to get out of here ;)




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wrinkledPhole
04-16-2003

Rated 0 
Actually Jay Bentley said that this song is about "nuclear proliferation". So UnseenOp, Soul Doubt and Kiljoy001, you guys are absolutely right.

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Jakebert
06-10-2004

Rated 0 
It's actually pretty easy to figure out.
--------------
http://www.freewebs.com/thejakesite

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Omega1989
12-17-2004

Rated 0 
I'd agree its about nuclear proliferation, but I think it has other meanings too. There seems to be elements about this guy seeing the beauty in chaos.
'I'm enchanted by the birds in my blossoms
I'm enamored by young lovers on the weekend
I like the Fourth of July
when bombs start flashing'
seems to be comparing the beauty of these things to the explosions of bombs or fireworks, and then when he talks of wanting 'something that could really go pop', he seems to think the bigger the 'pop', the more chaos and disruption caused, the better. Others would appear not to understand this outlook of beauty in chaos though, as he sees 'the hippies on an angry line,
guess they don't get my meaning.'
That's always been a meaning for me, as well as the nuclear stuff. Any other thoughts on other meanings?

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BoTkIn
02-19-2005

Rated 0 
While the meaning remains unclear for me, it's still one of my favorite Bad Religion songs.

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fearnotofman
04-11-2006

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This song seems to be written from the perspective of a high ranking official in US government during the later years of the Cold War. That bit about hippies on an angry [picket] line not getting his meaning gives me an image of someone looking outside of their government building (White House or whatever) and seeing a protest taking place against nuclear weapons.

Making the gardening stop seems to imply that he's sick of growing the bombs, he wants to harvest them. In other words, he wants to blow up the Soviet Union instead of letting the bombs pile up in the garden.

"And I'm glad I'm not Gorbachev" Hahaha. It's like saying "You're screwed, buddy. Our weapons are better than yours!" But then he says "At least he's got a garden with a fertile plot" (he has a fair amount of weapons at his disposal as well) "and a party that will never stop" (the two countries could have prolonged warfare, which would be great in the eyes of the character in the song). As mentioned by Omega, this guy appreciates beauty in chaos.

"Come out to play" is inviting a nuclear war with USSR. "And we'll pretend it's Christmas Day..." It's like opening a present, being able to finally use these bombs that have been packed away for so long.

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ihoodz
06-14-2007

Rated 0 
Does anyone know the lyrics to the "Live at the Palladum" Version of this. Particularly the part were Jay Bently is talking at the end of the song.

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yendis622108
01-22-2008

Rated 0 
Well The CD that this song was released on (Generator) was released in 1992, and the soviet union was disbanded on December 26, 1991. A day after Gorbachev resigned Christmas Day 1991., soooo 1. This song might have been originaly writen before the fall of the soviet union that would make sence for alot of the subject matter. and 2. When the song says and we'll pretend its christmas day, I wonder if that is a reference to Gorbachev's resignation and fall of the soviet union, but I don't know I'll let you guys ponder that.

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mimi maliciousxx
05-25-2008

Rated 0 
pretty much like vendis said; except this song smells like fearful emotions of a nuclear war.

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pinkfade
02-27-2009

Rated 0 
fearnotofman seems to have a clue.

many of the lines change perspectives

bugle with a big brass bell.. well thats like a horn thing. brass bell idk

christmas day thing is right on the money. come out to play so we can open our presents(bombs)

-could it be the perspective of the bomb?

"All my scientists are working on a deadline
So my psychologist is working day and night time
They say they know what's best for me
But they don't know what they're doing"

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