Guerilla Radio

Album: The Battle Of Los Angeles (1999)
Charted: 32 69
Play Video
  • Transmission third world war third round
    Decade of the weapon of sound above ground
    No shelter if you're looking for shade
    I lick shots at the brutal charade
    As the polls close like a casket on truth devoured
    Silent play in the shadow of power a spectacle monopolized
    The camera's eyes on choice disguised

    Was it cast for the mass who burn and toil?
    Or for the vultures who thirst for blood and oil?
    Yes a spectacle monopolized
    They hold the reins, stole your eyes
    All the fistagons the bullets and bombs
    Who stuff the banks and staff the party ranks?
    More for Gore or the son of a drug lord
    None of the above fuck it cut the cord

    Lights out guerilla radio
    Turn that shit up
    Lights out guerilla radio
    Turn that shit up
    Lights out guerilla radio
    Turn that shit up
    Lights out guerilla radio

    Contact I hijacked the frequencies blockin' the beltway
    Move on DC way past the days of bombin' MCs
    Sound off Mumia guan be free
    Who gott 'em yo check the federal file
    All you pendejos know the trial was vile
    Army of pigs try to silence my style
    Off 'em all out that box it's my radio dial

    Lights out guerilla radio
    Turn that shit up
    Lights out guerilla radio
    Turn that shit up
    Lights out guerilla radio
    Turn that shit up
    Lights out guerilla radio

    It has to start somewhere, it had to start sometime
    What better place than here, what better time than now

    All hell can't stop us now, all hell can't stop us now
    All hell can't stop us now, all hell can't stop us now
    All hell can't stop us now, all hell can't stop us now
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 18

  • Henry from Austin, Tx"army of pigs" refer to police as people cal cops pigs
  • Carlo from Munich, Germanyit propably refers to Radio Rebelde,right?
  • Jeff from Austin, TxThank God there are people like Zack De la Rocha to tell us what kind of political views to have.
  • Brandon from Aurora, IlThe music video for this song portrays a whole different meaning than the one posted here.
  • Chris from Camrose, CanadaCould it still reference Cuba with the Army of Pigs, maybe refering to the bay of pigs?
  • Adam from Weston, AustraliaHey I am an Australian, and Midnight Oil is awesome, just like Rage, whether you realise it or not the politics of other nations affect those of our countries, and they usually ralate to us, I mean look at this War on Terror, Bush and Howard (the Australian Prime Minister) have taken away some of our rights because other countries don't agree with us.
  • Jeff from Columbia, ScNoah, Boston just about hit it on the head but regardless this is my fave RATM song. This is one of the most powerfull and respected bands ever after only 4 albums. Ask anybody in any band from 1990 til today who was the best-it's either Rage or Tool-hands down. Soon to be Audioslave....
  • Tom from Erie, Pa"I wonder if it had anything to do with the Guerilla Radio of the Cuban Revolution?"

    The bamd's hero his Che Guevara, the revolutionary who pretty much created the Cuban Revolution, but Guerilla Radion is in now way related to the Cuban Revolution.
  • Will from Ballarat, AustraliaAdrian, i care about midnight oil. they are interesting, i bet youve never even properly understood them anyway. And you are an idiot for saying that no one will care about politics in 'el salvador' or wherever. by putting their message in their songs they are educating us, and your just too stupid to understand it, so you blindly criticise it. RATM's album sales and their worldwide popularity will tell you that people actually do care about politics in any country.
  • Ariel from Woodbridge, Ctzach de la rocha is half mexican, tom morello is half black
  • Adrian from Duluth, GaWho cares about politics in el salvador or wherever unless you live there. About as interesting as listening to Midnight Oil go on about Australian politics.
  • Vince from Philadelphia, PaIt was pretty easy to see what would happen in that election. Gore v. Bush. Zack is actually Mexican more than black.
  • Rene from Chicago, IlI wonder if it had anything to do with the Guerilla Radio of the Cuban Revolution?
  • Billy Ross from Hagerstown, Mdyeah actually now that i think about it, im pretty sure it was about the election cuz of the polls and the reference to Al Gore. There's also a reference to Mumia Abu-Jamal. The band really supports him. Thanks Brendan.
  • Matt from Millbrae, CaGood song. Rage Against the Machine also does a cool cover of N.W.A.'s F**k the police thats floatin around as a bootleg. They did it live, and Zach actually pulls it off...since hes black of course.
  • Brendan from Hobart, AustraliaFor billy ross: although it may not be about the 2000 election, it has to be about politics and SOME sort of election if you took the time to read the lyrics.
  • Noah from Boston, MaThis doesnt refer to the outcome of the race, but rahter the charade of the race itself. Lines like "A spectacle monopolized, the camera's eye on choice disguised." When Zach speaks of the "Third world war, third round" hes talking about the thrid world war being one of the US media against the people. The line "A decade of the weapon of sound above ground" to me means the cable news boom of the 90s with CNN, Fox news et all. They are the ones bringing the thrid world war... and the thrid round refers to the three presidential elections since cable news. First Bush I v Clinton, second Clinton v Dole, third round was Gore v Bush II.

    well, if you cant understand that mess, then overall the song's just about how good the media has gotten at spinning its views and dominating their publics' thought. The image i take away from the song in the end is at the end of hte music video they show a short clip of Ralph Nader saying, "The people have to turn on to politics or it will turn the people out."
  • Billy Ross from Hagerstown, Mdhow could it be about the 2000 election? no one knew how that would turn out in 99.
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