Holiday in Cambodia
Dead Kennedys
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So, you've been to school For a year or two And you know you've seen it all In daddy's car Thinking you'll go far Back east your type don't crawl Playing ethnicky jazz To parade your snazz On your five-grand stereo Braggin' that you know How the niggers feel cold And the slum's got so much soul It's time to taste what you most fear Right Guard will not help you here Brace yourself, my dear Brace yourself, my dear It's a holiday in Cambodia It's tough, kid, but it's life It's a holiday in Cambodia Don't forget to pack a wife You're a star-belly snitch You suck like a leech You want everyone to act like you Kiss ass while you bitch So you can get rich While your boss gets richer off you Well, you'll work harder With a gun in your back For a bowl of rice a day Slave for soldiers Till you starve Then your head is skewered on a stake Now you can go where the people are one Now you can go where they get things done What you need, my son... What you need, my son... Is a holiday in Cambodia Where people are dressed in black A holiday in Cambodia Where you'll kiss ass or crack Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot It's a holiday in Cambodia Where you'll do what you're told It's a holiday in Cambodia Where the slums got so much soul Pol Pot
Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer
Written by: BRUCE SLESINGER, JELLO BIAFRA, KLAUS FLOURIDE, EAST BAY RAY
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Song Creation"Holiday in Cambodia" was recorded by Dead Kennedys in 1980, forming part of their debut studio album, "Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables."
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Lyrics ContentThe lyrics of the song are a critique of upper-middle-class American college students, using the backdrop of the Cambodian genocide under Pol Pot's regime as a stark contrast to their perceived comforts.
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Music VideoDespite being an early punk rock band, Dead Kennedys created a music video for "Holiday in Cambodia" in 1980. The video was directed by renowned photographer and filmmaker Joe Rees.
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Song Popularity"Holiday in Cambodia" is one of Dead Kennedys' most popular songs. It has been covered by several bands and featured in various media outlets, including video games and documentaries about punk music.
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Punk LegacyThe Dead Kennedys, through "Holiday in Cambodia," challenged the punk scene's casual acceptance of far-right imagery and Nazism, emphasizing their own anti-fascist stance.
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Bassline NotorietyThe bassline of "Holiday in Cambodia" is extremely well-known and often cited as one of the best in punk rock history.
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Difficult Guitar SoloThe song's guitar solo, where the guitarist uses a vibrato technique to create a peculiar "Eastern" sound, is considered quite challenging to play.
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Usage in Media"Holiday in Cambodia" was re-recorded by the Dead Kennedys for the video game 'Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock', with former lead singer, Jello Biafra, being the only band member not participating.
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Cover VersionsMetal band Slayer covered "Holiday in Cambodia" for the charity album "Nativity in Black, Vol. 2". Also, the Foo Fighters have regularly performed the song during live shows.
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Chart SuccessSurprisingly for a hardcore punk song, "Holiday in Cambodia" charted on the UK Singles Chart in 1980, reaching No. 67.
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Citation
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"Holiday in Cambodia Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 14 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/2387796/Dead+Kennedys/Holiday+in+Cambodia>.
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