We meet in underground parking lots
And late night in coffee shops
With voices low unless we're drunk
We got hats and cop sunglasses

We question all that is wrong
We discuss conspiracy
Are we enemies of the state?
Or idealist bourgeoisie?

I'll get this one, put it on my card
I get frequent flier miles and a book of upgrades
So next visit the third world I won't have to fly second class
The people's revolution is gonna be a podcast

We took the bus to the anarchist's bookfair
I left the Hybrid at home
I scored an extremely rare signed copy of
The communists manifesto

We protested the G8
Got maced by female police
In hot black uniforms and boots
I got one's e-mail address

Still I'm waiting to see if my bid on eBay was enough
To get "Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes" on Soviet red vinyl
It's going on the wall next to "The Battle of Los Angeles"




Lyrics submitted by punkpirate

Track duration: 02:44


The Marxist Brothers song meanings
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48 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:NOFX is not trying to discredit Propagandhi, Rage, or Chumbawamba. They are dissing the people who claim to be socialist/anarchist yet continue buying in to the system. They're not dissing rich people either really. I think most of the individuals listening to these bands have absolutely no clue what the lyrics mean.

    If you really, truly understood Propagandhi you would not be using a credit card from a major capitalist bank, using your miles to fly first class, or spending a fortune on rare copies of the Communist Manifesto, or a copy of Propagandhi's album.

    Coincidentally, I think the message of this song is very much the message of Propagandhi's Anti-Manifesto:

    "Dance and laugh and play. Ignore the message we convey. It seems we’re only here to entertain. A rebellion cut-to-fit. Well I refuse to be the soundtrack to it. While we entertain we’re still knee-deep in shit. There’s something wrong inside. We’ve played it safe, enjoyed the ride. You won’t like this but I have something to confide. We strive for something more than a faded sticker on a skateboard. Now we’ve rained on your parade and we’re out the door. And I don’t even care any fucking more. Witness this pair in accomplice. Witness a pair; lethargic, unconscious. No brows furrowed in question, complacent, completing their tasks (no questions asked). Consider this critic a cretin. Just resting on laurels (completely invented). Word acrobatics performed with both harness and net. I am so full of shit. But I will remain until this self-awareness fades. Until I defeat the the purpose served by this soapbox that you made. That you made."
    Flag llemparton May 16, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this is a description of what Propaghandi's fans are. A bunch of amateur punks who get stereotypical/reknowned records and think shit punk is good punk.

    Flag ZeroXFallenon March 24, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i don't think anarchism/socialism is a joke i think people pretending to be anarchists are jokes. they want to be cool so they fuck up something great. hey anarchism beats the hell out of capitalism.
    Flag gg allinon November 08, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:This song is making fun of all of the "revolutionary wannabes" out there. And god knows there are a shitload of them. It's pointing out how everyone who acts like they would like to overthrow the government or revolt in any way are all really hipocrates.

    Also, the title is a play on The Moron Brothers, becasue the people described in the song are morons.

    God damn NoFx is the shit.
    Flag timwins31on May 12, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I sincerely doubt that the reference to Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes is a shot at Propaghandi seeing as how that record was released on Mike's record label and the label they release on now was started on a $50,000 loan from Mike. Totally forgot about the Marx Brothers thing but remember thinking it when I first saw the title, good call laurel.
    Flag spartanfan10on April 26, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:why's everybody focus on politics?what about the bus the Hybrid the mileage?do they have anying to do with
    Flag DoctorFon August 19, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:How you all missed the title allusion is a shame.

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…
    Flag laurelinwyntreon August 06, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:the song isnt making fun of Rage or anything like that, people need to be educated before they write crap like that.

    its just pointing out the irony in the fact that so many people who are anti-establishment and support certain left wing agendas happen to also be rich and and just as part of the capitalist system that they criticize. (such as how he talks about buying various anti-establishment products by wholely capitalist means such as e-bay).

    the song is partially self depracating because fat mike himself is filthy rich, but is still a part of the counter-culture, so to speak.

    the song, however, is not necessarily criticizing any leftist, socialist, or anarchist ideals, but is more a commentary on how EVERYTHING in our culture now is monetized, commercialized and capitalized, even the resistance and revolution to that very system.

    its a clever song, it DOES have meaning but its also making fun of things too... typical NOFX, joke with some teeth behind it. it is making fun of pseudo-anarchists too, but mike can't really do that so well because he is rich and lives in the suburbs
    Flag nickpapajorgioon December 01, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:it's interesting they mention Today's empires, Tomorrow's Ashes (by propagandhi) in that propagandhi is signed on NOFX's label (if i recall correctly)
    Flag mrguy6on March 25, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The title is also a reference to NOFX' earlier song "The Moron Brothers" indicating that NOFX feel that wannabee Marxists are Morons.
    Flag bugoffon March 22, 2007   Link

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