Candidate

Song details

Bad Religion original
Yes
First released
2019
First release
Age of Unreason (album)
Songwriter
Brett Gurewitz

Lyrics

Candidate

As I walk along this road paved with human kindness I can never forget the price you've paid I'm an actor on a role, an artificial virus I'm your daddy, I'm your disgrace I say, "Kid, just move along, we don't want it - don't need it Your politics just breed despair I salute an empty flag of ancient tribalism And trust me, nobody cares" For I am your candidate I am bloody lips and makeup I'm your caliphate, opioids and mutilation A celebrity, and my name is competition I've come to bear your pain, and I can make it go away I'll make it go away, I'll make it go away Believers, dupes and clowns I want you to all gather 'round To glorify ignorance and fear I dispense misinformation to a post-truth generation My darlings, don't shed a tear For I am your candidate I am bloody lips and makeup I'm your caliphate, opioids and revelation An hermaphrodite in restrooms and service stations I truly feel your pain, and I can make it go away I'll make it go away, I'll make it go away

Versions & recordings

Grouped by recording

1

Song statistics

Archive coverage at a glance

16release versions
#241

241st most featured song

128documented shows
#64

64th most played song

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Song Interpretations

What do you think this song is about? Share your interpretation and explain your reasoning.

2

legacy memberJan 29, 2021

This song is obviously about Donald Trump. Sadly, the entire song, minus the lines about outright lying, could as easily have been about Obama. Brett is sadly ignorant of this parallel, althoigh it is clear enough to anyone who is not enchanted by either party. But Brett was enamored by Obama amd therefore blind to the parallel. The saddest part is that Brett related Trump to Islam in an Islamophobic way, in the line…

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This song is obviously about Donald Trump. Sadly, the entire song, minus the lines about outright lying, could as easily have been about Obama. Brett is sadly ignorant of this parallel, althoigh it is clear enough to anyone who is not enchanted by either party. But Brett was enamored by Obama amd therefore blind to the parallel. The saddest part is that Brett related Trump to Islam in an Islamophobic way, in the line about the Caliphate, perhaps assuming Caliphates are "bad" and equating modern ISIS with Islams golden age, or at least not worried that the line could be read that way. Why is it so sad? I bet Brett thought Trump was Islamophobic when Trump called Obama a Muslim, no? Fyi I am on the left and I dont like Trump.
legacy memberAug 22, 2020

As a BG song, feel like some of the specific words or phrases hit just as completely as the entire set of lyrics together. The subject (i.e. 'candidate') of the song seems like it switches a little between the perspective of a political figure generally speaking and also the perceptions of rival political sides e.g. right vs. left leaving a simultaneous experience of joy/acceptance/hope and disgust/disappointment. "B…

Read moreRead less
As a BG song, feel like some of the specific words or phrases hit just as completely as the entire set of lyrics together. The subject (i.e. 'candidate') of the song seems like it switches a little between the perspective of a political figure generally speaking and also the perceptions of rival political sides e.g. right vs. left leaving a simultaneous experience of joy/acceptance/hope and disgust/disappointment. "Bloody lips and makeup" is a perfect odd visual to tie it together.

Perhaps favorite song on the album :)