21st Century Schizoid Man

I think your interpretation was really interesting and quite good.

I think your interpretation was really interesting and quite good.

However, I think, give the year this was written, it's much more about the Vietnam war.

However, I think, give the year this was written, it's much more about the Vietnam war.

Being only 20 and not living at the time of the war, I can't decipher all of the symbols and some of what I do decipher may be wrong, but here's my take on it.

Being only 20 and not living at the time of the war, I can't decipher all of the symbols and some of what I do decipher may be wrong, but here's my take on it.

"Neuro-Surgeons scream for more" I think this connects to the post traumatic stress disorder and drug use many of the returning soldiers got into after the war. They were spit at and called murderers for the deed of serving their country and this, plus the pain and images of war caused many great mental distress.

"At paranoia's poison door" This, to me, is very obviously a connection to the paranoia the U.S. had and has concerning communism. A communist revolution was happening in Vietnam at the time led by Ho Chi Minh. U.S., at least the people, thought that if communism took root in one place, slowly, every country would turn to communism. (The domino theory.) This wasn't good for business, you see as the U.S. loves imports and exports.

"Blood rack, barbed wire" This simply sets the scene of war. The Vietnam war is one that is notoriously bloody and violent against women and children.

"Politicians funeral pyre" This symbolizes the selfish sacrifice politicians made by drafting young men into the war. They let these young men die for the ideas and beliefs of the government officials who were safe at home.

"Innocents raped with napalm fire" One of the most blatently violent lines is this song, this harkens to the horrid deeds done is the Vietnam war specifically. Vietnamese women were raped by soldiers coming trough villages. Not only that, the "innocents" or young Vietnamese children were maimed and often killed by a weapon which employed a sticky mixture consisting of napalm which was lit on fire. The mixture was meant to stick to enemies while it burned. It was often blasted into homes, killing families.

"Death seed, blind man's greed" Many people were either blind by choice or by their own naive thoughts that the war was for good. The death seed IS the blind man's greed. The man who thinks not of his brothers and sisters across the ocean plants the seed of death on their soil because he allows himself emotional distace between them and himself through his greed, therefore allowing no guilt to lie on his shoulders when he kills them or allows them to be killed. He plants the seed of death through apathy.

"Poets' starving children bleed" This line connects, I think with not only the American families who lost sons (the beat-nick subculture was quite popular at this time and they often were poets) but also to the children in Vietnam, in tiny villages who were dying from hunger and the brutality of war.

"Nothing he's got he really needs" Let's face it: The U.S. is spoiled we have no problem getting clean water, food, and shelter for the most part. And then we want more- cars, houses, computers, video games, money. We don't need these things. What we need is a sense of love and caring towards one another... if we had that, we'd all get wat we need. That's what I think this line is talking about. He has his material possessions but not basic good-will and love towards others.

"Twenty-first century schizoid man." This line, repeated at the end of each stanza, is an important one. It points the blame on to the government only... but to those who refuse to see the truth of the time: That the U.S. had no bussiness rushing into another country, killing others, killing children, all to protect it's greed. The blame is on every 21st century business junkie, out of touch with humanity, greedy, schizoid, pill-popping, blind government-following man.

I disagree that the song is not about greed. The first verse brings that concept in with neuro-surgeons screaming for more. It is their greed that feeds the paranoia. It is so prophetic too because here we are in the 21st century and pharmacutical companies control us. Psycho bablers work hand in hand. It is huge money. I also don't think the least useful line is "nothing hes got he really needs." In fact, I think that is one of the better lines. The line that makes this song out of date is the reference to napalm. For you Britts...

I disagree that the song is not about greed. The first verse brings that concept in with neuro-surgeons screaming for more. It is their greed that feeds the paranoia. It is so prophetic too because here we are in the 21st century and pharmacutical companies control us. Psycho bablers work hand in hand. It is huge money. I also don't think the least useful line is "nothing hes got he really needs." In fact, I think that is one of the better lines. The line that makes this song out of date is the reference to napalm. For you Britts that is a reference to the Vietnam war. That line for that time is quite radical since even Lennon made scarce mentions of that war in his lyrics. I think the most startling part of the whole song is Greg Lakes delivery. He is frantically shouting it as a prophetic warning. Almost as if he is already there himself. It is a great song, and maybe one of the best offerings by this band. Fripp is great, and I love Red maybe best of all.