04-17-18
Entertainment is constantly changing itself, but the pace at which it has transformed over the last hundred years has been startling. We went from being barely able to connect two coasts to a radio broadcast, to a world-wide-web with everything you can ever dream of being at your fingertips.
Radio was once the sole-dominating force for entertainment, then came television, cable, and the internet. Radio still is in use, and even has an impressive hold over averaged individuals, especially in the United States. Most people listen to radio at least once a week, and generally for several minutes at a time. This may seem negligible, but I’m sure some of your first thoughts were how little relevancy radio actually still holds.
Conceptually, the radio was the deciding factor for artists. It didn’t matter how great their lyrics were, or how stellar their shows may be if it didn’t perform well on the radio, and get enough play on the radio, you were never going to be able to be successful as a musician.
“Lyrically, this is mostly me talking to myself. Hilariously enough this song is on the radio now, but at the time I was feeling an immense amount of pressure to write new songs for What Now even though we were still mid-cycle on our first record. Most of the song is spent accusing myself of trying to become a successful musician when there are so many other important things to be doing other than sucking up to the man, trying to get America to think you are cool. Also — getting on mainstream radio is like trying to join a secret society, particularly if you are female. Stations have literally come back to us saying that they already have ‘a female vocal’ in their playlist. GUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
Lyrics:
[Verse 1]
Give me a new single
Make me a new baby
Gonna eat all the candy while you straddle and lay me
Gonna know all the words before you come on top
And I sing them back at you while you try to nap
While the world riots on, we’re so happy to be listening to our radio
Our saviour, oh
While the world melts on down we’re so happy to be listening to our radio
Now break it on down slow
[Chorus]
Slave to the radio, slave to the radio, slave to the radio
3.30
Slave to the radio, slave to the radio, slave to the radio
3.30
[Verse 2]
Now don’t you look good sucking American dick
You’re so surprised they like you
You’re so cute and so quick
Singing I’ve got the moves of a tv queen
Folk girl hero in a magazine
Faking the truth in a new pop song
Don’t you wanna sing along
[Chorus]
Slave to the radio, slave to the radio, slave to the radio
3.30
Slave to the radio, slave to the radio, slave to the radio
3.30
[Bridge]
Highway blues and gasoline fumes
It’s all I seem to make while I’m playing my tunes
I know the rules
I asked for it too
But I just keep on yelling, keep on running, never stopping
Do you got the moves?
To make it stick, yeah
To get the clicks, yeah
Technicolor your every move
Can you keep ’em coming?
Like a machine, yeah
Be Your Blue Jean yeah
What can we do to get you on the news?
[Chorus]
Slave to the radio, slave to the radio, slave to the radio
3.30
Slave to the radio, slave to the radio, slave to the radio
3.30
[Outro]
Slave to the radio, wait til’ they forget you though, slave to the radio
3.30
Slave to the radio, slave to the radio, slave to the radio
3.30