Know something about this song or lyrics?
Add it to our wiki.
[Chorus:Repeat x2]
Cast off the crutch that kills the pain
The red flag never meant the same,
The kids of tomorrow don't need today,
When they live in the sins of yesterday.
Well I've never seen us act like this,
Our only hope is the minds of kids,
And they'll show us a thing or two.
Our only weapons are the guns of youth,
It's only time before they tighten the noose,
And then the hunt will be on for you.
We don't need them
[Chorus: x2]
Like the smallest bee packs a sting,
Like the pawn checkmates a king,
We'll attack at the crack of dawn.
Build a ladder if there's a wall,
Don't be afraid to slip and fall,
Speak for yourself or they'll speak for you.
We don't need them.
[Chorus: x2]
Light a fire,
There'll be water,
Like a jury,
Needs a liar
Like a riot,
Turning over,
Like a madman,
Needs a martyr.
[Repeat: x8]
We don't need them.
[Chorus: x5]
[Repeat: x17]
We don't need them
Cast off the crutch that kills the pain
The red flag never meant the same,
The kids of tomorrow don't need today,
When they live in the sins of yesterday.
Well I've never seen us act like this,
Our only hope is the minds of kids,
And they'll show us a thing or two.
Our only weapons are the guns of youth,
It's only time before they tighten the noose,
And then the hunt will be on for you.
We don't need them
[Chorus: x2]
Like the smallest bee packs a sting,
Like the pawn checkmates a king,
We'll attack at the crack of dawn.
Build a ladder if there's a wall,
Don't be afraid to slip and fall,
Speak for yourself or they'll speak for you.
We don't need them.
[Chorus: x2]
Light a fire,
There'll be water,
Like a jury,
Needs a liar
Like a riot,
Turning over,
Like a madman,
Needs a martyr.
[Repeat: x8]
We don't need them.
[Chorus: x5]
[Repeat: x17]
We don't need them
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
Cast off the crutch that kills the pain
the red flag waving never meant the same
The kids of tommorow don't need today when they live in the sins of yesterday
(end chorus)
Well I've never seen us act like this
Our only hope is the minds of kids
And they'll show us a thing or two
Our only weapons are the guns of youth
It's only time before they tighten the noose
And then the hunt will be on for you
We don't need them
(chorus)
Like the smallest bee packs a sting
Like the pawn checkmates a king
We'll attack at the crack of dawn
Build a ladder if there's a wall
Don't be afraid to slip and fall
Speak for yourself or they'll speak for you
We don't need them
(chorus)
Like a fire
Don't need water
Like a jury
Needs a liar
Like a riot
Don't need order
Like a madman
Needs a martyr
We don't need them (x8 )
(chorusx5)
We don't need them (x17)
Wrong= 'bring a ladder if there's a wall'
RED FLAG=SOCIALISM.
Communism is a red flag with gold.
Anarchy is black (unless a sub branch then it is split diagonally say red and black for anarcho-syndicalism which is socialism/anarchy)
The red flag is usually a union reference. See Jim Connell's song "The Red Flag" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…
"The Red Flag is a protest song associated with left-wing politics, in particular with socialism." (from the above link on Jim Connell's song)
What exactly this song is about I can not tell you. But I'm rather sure its not about kids fighting parents and I'm positive it's not about anarchy.
***After watching the music video and paying hella close attention to the lyrics I think it may be about the empowerment of youth in the social movement.
"the red flag waving never ment the same" to me shows that the middle aged protesters of the past have grown old and settled in and the radical social movement of the past is now in the hands of the children. Right in the beginning of the song he starts with:
"Well I've never seen us act like this
Our only hope is the minds of kids
And they'll show us a thing or two"
Kids have never been the bearers of the red flag but now with "idles" like Che Guevara the youth of today are becoming more informed and more radicale at a younger and younger age. And of course all that about re writing history and such.
I think taken in context of the video, the song is clearly an incitement to proletarian revolution.
Don't need water
Should be...
Like a fire
Don't need water
Well dissecting the song, I find that the song is very anti-goverment and anarchist in a since. However, I do not believe the "red flag waving" is specifically referring to anarchism. If this were the case then he could have just as easily chose black. I agree with most of the mainstream interpretations of the song but with some slight altercations. I believe he is referring to a specific type of communism known as anarcho-communism or libertarian communism.
"red flag waving never meant the same".
- Means that all currently implemented forms of communism have failed because, specifically, of governments but this time it is different, "never meant the same".
"we don't need them"
- I disagree with the interpretation that he is referring to our elders/ancestors. I think Billy is talking about government in general, we don't need government control and corruption. Hence, anarcho-communism.
"Like a jury
Needs a liar"
- I believe he is referring to government corruption in general whether it be capitalist or the failed implementations of communism.
"The kids of tomorrow don't need today when they live in the sins of yesterday"
- Could be referring to the problems that greed and capitalism have caused for society. Kids of today have to live in these sins.
This is what it means to me anyways.
-----I think the 'crutch' is drugs (because,for some people, it kills the pain). Because we know how much our generation has be targeted for drug abuse so BT is saying to throw it off (or diminish it) and take lead of society.
But to me,anyways this song meaning is about sexual harassment, and how women get raped.
The kids of tomorrow don't need today when they live in the sins of yesterday
In this line they are not literally talking about children/ kids. But more about man in general.
And if you think about it, Red flag...colour of blood? Red, exactly.