It’s strange, the way a song can stick with you. Oingo Boingo released their first full album, “Only a Lad”, in 1981 (although I admit to not owning it until 1986 or so). On that album was the song Capitalism. Last night I dreamt I was on American Idol and performed that song. I had a field day belting it out, and got booted off the show. Then Danny Elfman called to thank me for singing it. It was a great dream, because I love the song but I don’t want to be dodging paparazzi and having my children’s wardrobe criticized in People Magazine and thus wouldn’t want to win the contest.
Capitalism appeals to me, in part, because of it its snarkiness and refusal to pull punches. Danny Elfman wasn’t messing around when he wrote this one. Consider the bridge, “You’re just a middle-class socialist brat from a suburban family and you never really had to work. Now you tell me that you’ve got to get back to the struggling masses, whoever they are.” Truly, I could add the lyrics for the whole song, but why ruin the surprise?
Buy Capitalism
Categories:
80s music,
oingo boingo
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