Talk:Only a Lad

Libertarianism

I don't really see the lyrics of this album as having a libertarian message. Can anyone provide any sources that prove that the person who wrote this analysis is correct, or opinions from critics who agree with these opinions? (Sugar Bear (talk 04:17, 25 September 2006 (UTC))

I think, since the title track itself it's a really anti-liberal song (it's about a guy whose criminal actions are justified by telling that is the society's fault) that Elfman could be sarcastic in its pro-liberal songs such as Capitalism... i dont' know much about the guy or the band itself to be sure, so i try to do a bit of research on google and i found this:

http://divisionoflabour.com/archives/002662.php The 50 greatest libertarian songs

http://donignacio.com/oingoboingo/onlyalad.html Don Ignacio's reviews

I really don't know what to say...the already mentioned title track seems anti-libertarian to me...but...if i had more time i'd read more about it, unfortunately i don't... it's surely a shared opinion, but i don't agree.Sickboy3883 21:10, 18 November 2006 (UTC)

The title track is clearly not anti-libertarian; the final portion of the lyrics make it clear that most of the lyrics are sarcastic and that "only a lad" is not an excuse for young men to shoot and run over innocent people. "Capitalism" was mentioned by National Review Online as one of the "50 greatest conservative rock songs" [1]. However, the song interpretations clearly need to be better sourced. Since the album is old and not the most well-known, however, this means digging through old magazines and such, and thus may never be done unless someone really loves this album (and this interpretation of it). Hopefully someone will source these claims before a zealous Wikipedian deletes them as WP:OR. Calbaer 20:29, 1 January 2007 (UTC)

Danny Elfman was a conservative at the time he wrote these songs, and a liberal in the 1990s and 2000s, writing anti-Republican songs on Boingo and writing an article hoping for Obama's election. So there. --WTF (talk) 01:47, 28 January 2012 (UTC)

little girls

The song little girls seems to have a feeling of paedophillia, is this what the song is about? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.29.43.57 (talk) 15:39, 24 January 2008 (UTC)

Probably just an innuendo.76.197.254.226 (talk) 02:30, 6 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes, it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jItz-uNjoZA There is the music video Fruckert (talk) 06:04, 21 January 2009 (UTC)

It's also on the Lulz album...so it's definitely about pedo...Pressondude (talk) 01:33, 22 April 2009 (UTC)

Actually, it's a social commentary on politicians and stars dating much younger women. Sitbunnynow (talk) 18:12, 9 September 2010 (UTC)

Left-wing/right-wing

At the time Elfman wrote the song "Capitalism", he considered himself to be right-wing. He only changed his views later and NOW CLAIMS that the song was facetious. He'd rather go back on his earlier word rather than admit that he believed in the song's lyrics when he wrote them.--50.39.221.35 (talk) 06:09, 27 August 2016 (UTC)

See the comments section here. One reads as follows:

I’ve been reading through some 1980s Elfman interviews to understand his meaning to the song. Elfman had been traveling the world and saw the horrible conditions most of the world’s population live under first hand. He also saw the badside of Socialist control. Elfman stated “I came back real right-wing patriotic”. I think the song was both satire and trueism. I think Elfman was trying to point out the hypocrasy of “middle class, socialist brat”s that don’t REALLY know how bad people in non-Capitalist countries have it as they themselves reap the benefits of Capitalism. He also is satirically (sp?) mocking the pro-Capitalist zealots that were pushing the “Me” generation.