The Red and the Black
Empire's Reflection: A Surreal Journey Through Power and Dreams
Lyrics
Reflecting on the Empire after eight
Reflecting on the state of the Empire after eight.
Pig's head on a plate
Symbolic imagery of a pig's head on a plate, possibly representing decadence or corruption.
White wine the mint imperials circulated
White wine and mint imperials circulating, suggesting a sense of luxury or excess.
Captain sips his brandy curses Ghandi
The captain sips brandy and curses Ghandi, indicating a disdain for non-violent resistance.
Dreams Napoleon and Delhi turns
Mention of dreams involving Napoleon and Delhi turning to jelly, hinting at distorted or unreal aspirations.
To jelly Bombay ducks
Reference to Bombay ducks, possibly signifying chaos or disorder.
Calcutta shivers down in it's
Calcutta shivering, depicting unease or instability in the city.
Hole old England is out to rule the waves
Old England seeking to rule the waves again, expressing imperialistic ambitions.
Again - banging on the table! Routing the
Mention of banging on the table, possibly indicating assertiveness or determination.
Reds and the browns and the
Routing the Reds, Browns, Yellows; a reference to opposition or enemies.
Yellows black sky the missles blast home!
Black sky and missiles blasting home, evoking a sense of destruction or conflict.
(It's half for me, half for my company)
Half for the speaker, half for their company, suggesting personal and corporate interests.
My union's name is Jack
The speaker's union named Jack, possibly representing a collective force.
And it's a ripper! hammers her head with a
Violent imagery of hammering a head with a sickle, indicating aggression or conflict.
Sickle, nails monkey to the tree the lasers
Lasers beaming from stars and Moscow charred, suggesting destructive forces from outer space and geopolitical conflict.
They beam from the stars and
No specific interpretation given; repetition of the lasers beaming from stars.
Moscow is charred peking is
Moscow charred, Peking leaking, and Tripoli stripped, indicating devastation in various locations.
Leaking tripoli's stripped (ha! ha)
Humorous remark about Tripoli being stripped (ha! ha).
Mohammed, he flees from his mountain
Mohammed fleeing from his mountain, possibly symbolizing displacement or upheaval.
Counting the corpses in the stadiums
Counting corpses in stadiums, portraying a grim and violent scene.
With his shades on cos the white
Mohammed wearing shades because white light hurts his eyes, implying sensitivity to certain elements.
Light hurts his eyes and Captain, he
Captain crying and screaming, suggesting distress or emotional turmoil.
Cries, Captain, he screams
The captain falling out of bed; it's revealed to be only a dream, possibly questioning the reality of the depicted events.
Falls out of bed it's only a dream
Nightnurse wiping the captain's forehead and advising to try to sleep, indicating a soothing presence in times of distress.
Nightnurse wipes his forehead
Repetition of the suggestion to try to sleep; reinforcing the calming intent.
Whispers "try to sleep back to sleep"
Final whisper urging the captain to try to sleep and go back to sleep.
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