Album: Arrogance Ignorance and Greed (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Also known in longhand as "Arrogance, Ignorance And Greed," this topical polemic was written by guitarist Steve Knightley of the folk duo, and rightly won the prize for Best Original Song at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, 2010. The song is of course about the first worldwide financial crisis of the 21st Century - the so-called credit crunch, the bank bail out, the scandal over bankers' bonuses, and all the associated controversy. Knightley explained the inspiration for the song in a videotaped interview several months previously.

    AIG is a double entendre; after the US firm American International Group went belly up and was bailed out by the government (ie the taxpayer), the people at the top paid themselves a hundred and sixty-seven million dollars in bonuses. One commentator referred to AIG as an acronym for arrogance, ignorance and greed, and "I just thought that's such a good title for a song," he went on to equate it with a Springsteen type blue collar rant, and said it also struck a chord with the other contemporary financial scandal in Britain, that of MPs expenses, which although minuscule in comparison has generated even more outrage amongst the British public.
  • Steve Knightley and Phil Beer appeared on the February 18, 2009 edition of the BBC news programme Breakfast where they said that after filming the video in the studio they took it into the City of London and projected it all over the place. They said they were trying to capture the mood of their audience, and this one really connected.

    At every trough you stop to feed
    With your arrogance, your ignorance and greed
    You're on your yacht, we're on our knees
    Through your arrogance, your ignorance and greed

    Did Shakespeare himself ever craft a more perfect stanza? >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Bass Player Scott Edwards

Bass Player Scott EdwardsSong Writing

Scott was Stevie Wonder's bass player before becoming a top session player. Hits he played on include "I Will Survive," "Being With You" and "Sara Smile."

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" Album

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" AlbumSong Writing

In the summer of 1990, you could get arrested for selling a 2 Live Crew album or performing their songs in Southern Florida. And that's exactly what happened.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)Songwriter Interviews

Steve Cropper on the making of "In the Midnight Hour," the chicken-wire scene in The Blues Brothers, and his 2021 album, Fire It Up.

Mac Powell of Third Day

Mac Powell of Third DaySongwriter Interviews

The Third Day frontman talks about some of the classic songs he wrote with the band, and what changed for his solo country album.

John Doe of X

John Doe of XSongwriter Interviews

With his X-wife Exene, John fronts the band X and writes their songs.