Ten In 2010

Song details

Bad Religion original
Yes
First released
1996
First release
The Gray Race (album)
Songwriter
Greg Graffin

Lyrics

Ten In 2010

Parched, cracked mouths, empty swollen guts, Sun-baked pavement encroaches on us, Haves and have-nots together at last, Brutally engaged in mortal combat. Ten in 2010. What kind of God orchestrates such a thing? Ten in 2010, Ten billion people all suffering, Ten in 2010, Truth is not an issue just hungry mouths to feed, Ten in 2010, Forget what you want, scrounge the things you need. Happy and content it can't happen to you, Ten in 2010, Fifteen years we'll think of a solution, Ten in 2010, It won't just appear in one day, Ten in 2010, For ten in twenty-ten we're well on our way. Like piercing ear darts, I heard the news today, Ten in 2010, Ten billion people coming your way...

Versions & recordings

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Song statistics

Archive coverage at a glance

107release versions
#22

22nd most featured song

59documented shows
#110

110th most played song

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Song Interpretations

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

8

legacy memberMay 18, 2007 · edited Date unknown
just noticed this, and dunno if its at all right but it kinda makes sense. 'have and have nots' could be a reference to people for and against abortion which would tie in with the 'brutally engaged in mortal combat' though the mortality doesn't mean they're killing eachother rather that they're arguing over a 'life' of an unborn child thus making it mortal (perhaps?)
legacy memberOct 13, 2004 · edited Date unknown
If this song is indeed about the overpopulation of earth, the phrase 10 in 2010 probably means 10 billion people in 2010
eeZeeJul 17, 2004 · edited Date unknown

I don't think those lines were meant to be about diminishing the lines of class because of some common enemy. I think the general gist of the song is based around the problem with overpopulation and how no one apparently gives a shit but I think people are thrown off by the 3rd and 4th lines. Greg uses the terms 'haves and have-nots' which was a phrase coined by Karl Marx in his Communist Manifesto. Marx believed t…

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I don't think those lines were meant to be about diminishing the lines of class because of some common enemy. I think the general gist of the song is based around the problem with overpopulation and how no one apparently gives a shit but I think people are thrown off by the 3rd and 4th lines. Greg uses the terms 'haves and have-nots' which was a phrase coined by Karl Marx in his Communist Manifesto. Marx believed that the classes ('haves and have nots together at last') would fight in a massive class struggle ('brutally engaged in mortal combat') resulting in the have-nots (proletariats) winning and forming a perfect communist society. I think these lines were added for a bit of irony in that amidst the end of our entire civilization, we have finally taken steps to making it better. On a personal note, I must say that my outlook on the future of humanity is not as bleak as it may seem. No one pities the stupidity of man as much as I do and I think something earth shaking (not quite shattering...) will happen in the near future that will send the entire species into recession but I think that we will ultimately survive and in another thousand years, be taking another proverbial razor to our wrist.
legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Date unknown

Ten in 2010 seems to be an understatement in today's in time. We already have 6.5 billion people on the earth and it's only 2001 [ the latest figures from demography studies indicate the opposite: we won't have reached ten billion by 2010 -ed. ]. But if you think about it, it's very true in the fact that the people of the world will be starving and fighting with each other to stay alive. I think that when he says, 'h…

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Ten in 2010 seems to be an understatement in today's in time. We already have 6.5 billion people on the earth and it's only 2001 [ the latest figures from demography studies indicate the opposite: we won't have reached ten billion by 2010 -ed. ]. But if you think about it, it's very true in the fact that the people of the world will be starving and fighting with each other to stay alive. I think that when he says, 'haves and have-nots together at last' is very true, people will no longer consider themselves in a higher class because all people will be fighting to stay alive. Money won't matter, or if you're a part of the upper class, food and water will make you rich, not money or a nice car and home. I think the only solution to stopping the rise in population is to put limits on birth in the world. Otherwise there will be 'Ten billion people all suffering.'
legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Date unknown
This song reminds me a lot about Hitler. We're all humans, but he had to find the smallest part that makes us different, and used it to make war.
legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Date unknown
Don't forget that if we all don't die in a war that the exhaustion of the earth's resources due to the large population will definitely get us eventually. It's weird 'knowing' you're going to die, hopefully for us it will be of old age, not war or starvation. As for our children...
legacy memberJul 17, 2004 · edited Date unknown
This is about how in the year 2010 the earth's population will reach and pass an estimated 10 billion people. This is gonna cause a SHIT LOAD of problems and mostly leading down the inevitable road to war.
simianJul 13, 2004 · edited Date unknown

After the agricultural developments in the Near East around 10,000 years ago, the human population started growing RAPIDLY. At that time there were around 10 million humans. By 1850, there were 1 BILLION humans. By 1931, there were 2 BILLION humans. By 1960, there were 3 BILLION humans. By 1974, there were 4 BILLION humans. By 1989, there were 5 BILLION humans. By 1999, there were 6 BILLION humans. Get the idea? We'r…

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After the agricultural developments in the Near East around 10,000 years ago, the human population started growing RAPIDLY. At that time there were around 10 million humans.
By 1850, there were 1 BILLION humans. By 1931, there were 2 BILLION humans.
By 1960, there were 3 BILLION humans.
By 1974, there were 4 BILLION humans.
By 1989, there were 5 BILLION humans.
By 1999, there were 6 BILLION humans.
Get the idea? We're fucked. Read "THE STORY OF B" by Daniel Quinn for more info.
That is, in a nutshell, what this song is about.