john butler trio "used to get high"

Butler, John. “Used to Get High.” (performed by) John Butler, Bryon Luiters, Nicky Bomba. CD format (Album name Grand National). Split production between John Butler himself and Mario Caldato Jr. (Beastie Boys Tone Loc), released on 24 March, 2007 in Australia, and 27 March, 2007 Worldwide.

My reaction to this piece of music, “Used to Get High” By John Butler Trio, at first was one of ignorance because I thought it was just another song about getting high. However after listening to the song many times I began to realize that the drugs were a metaphor for the government’s propaganda. The song seems to be about drug abuse and coming clean. However, I believe that it is about becoming numb or oblivious to what the government is doing to the people under its jurisdiction. “I used to get high for a living, believing everything I saw one my TV” shows how he used to be numb to the government’s propaganda, and was unaware of “the monster that (hes) feeding.” After he “comes clean” so to speak he realizes what is really going on in the world. For instance he realized “Big business do what they like and you do what they say,” that applies to what AIG was accused of doing after their stimulus package, they spent the stimulus package on bonuses for the CEOs. “Got links of the Cheney getting crazy, getting lazy with their foreign relations. Starting wars, closing doors…” shows that due to the lack of foreign relations wars are being started and doors for alliances are being closed to America. In a blog post concerning this song and its meaning one person named “Kizza” has derived the same rationale as I have (http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858668760/). He speaks of how the lyrics speak to how the government is trying to cover up all the negative effects they are having on America threw positive propaganda and not airing all parts of a new story etc.
This music would be considered to be in more of the modern movement, with a seventies appeal. The laid back style and feel of the music gives it a seventies sound, but the lyrics are on modern topics, for example talking about the ineffectiveness of the government, and its inability to provide wise and successful rule of its people. In the past the FBI has declassified information proving that the government has completely lied to the U.S. people. For example a 250 page document was declassified concerning a plane crash in 1948 that was ACCTUALLY caused by poor maintenance of the aircraft and poor training of the pilot. This was covered up for “National Security” as the government said. Would it make you angry to know that your government is hiding things from you? Or perhaps afraid of what could be so bad that they believe we shouldn’t know. Propaganda and campaign ads that don’t tell the whole truth along with bias news stations and radio hosts are all fuel for warping how people view the world, and what is going on in it. These all assure that people only see what can help the government succeed, be portrayed in the best light, or even forgotten in times of crisis when they fail to solve the problem and make it worse.
By: Damon Owens