Jello Biafra

Buy My Snake Oil

Jello Biafra


I'm gettin' tired of being 
Legendary and broke 
And I'm too damn weird 
To hold no straight job 
My checkbook's feelin' unfulfilled 
Being an old underground die-hard 
Won't pay the kids' dental bills 

My dad sez I 
Gotta learn to compromise 
So I figure now's about that time 
Now that I've run out of things to say 
That alone will make my music pay 

Buy my snakeoil 
I used to be so angry 
I ain't gettin' any younger 
Now I'm eager to please 

C'mon and buy my snake oil 
Til my well runs stinking dr7 
I'll be your Rondo Hatton 
I'll be your Dwight Frye 
Get mighty jealous watchin' 
My old roomates gettin' signed 
The world owes me a living 
I want my taste of the pie 

Woh-oh oh-oh 
Buy my snake oil 

Meet my new band: Tis, Ass and Money 
The most deliberately watered down 
Meaningless music 
I have ever made 
Sing about myself 'stead of what's goin' on 
Company tells me how my records should sound 
Do what my manager tells me to 
Every inch a rockin' dude 

Random shuffling, same old cards 
Bring on the night, she done me wrong 
I love my weenie and I love my car 
Man it's such hell being a star 
I'll tour til you wish I'd go home 
Moan about my life on the road 
200 overdubs to sound sincere 
>From now on every album sleeve's 
Just a great big picture of me 

Buy my snake oil 
Critics cheer how I've matured 
Got top management behind me, man 
Phone rings like never before 

"I grew up on your stuff, man 
It means so much to me 
I can hear it jinglin' now 
In commercials sellin' beer 
I got wiggle girl videos 
In heavy rotation 
If I dye my skin white enoguh 
I'll buy me the elephant man" 

Woh-oh oh-oh 
Buy my snake oil 

And remember 
You got what you pay for 

And if that doesn't work 
I got another idea 
Now that I've signed on the bottom line 
I'll call my music "Alternative" (R) 
Same word those lovely people used 
To hype the Knack in 1980 

Join the 
College dollar emo-jangle 
Spoiled white music for spoiled white people 
Pat those slackers on the head 
To stroke and profit off their fears 
"Yeh, man, it's OK 
Feel sorry for yourself all day 
Life sucks 'cos it ain't easy 
Happiness should be handed to me..." 

Buy my snake oil 
Cleansed of vision and sense 
I'll bet your bottom dollar 
You'll let me get away with this 

I'll be your pregnant junkie 
Help you sell cigarettes 
Or a lonely tortured muscle hunk 
That no one understands 
Punk without rebellion 
We'll call it Grunge (R) for you 
I'll dress just like Don Henley 
And sing just like him too 

Boo hoo-oo hoo hoo-oo-hoo 
Boo hoo-oo hoo hoo-oo-hoo 
Boo hoo-oo hoo hoo-oo-hoo 
Boo hoo-oo hoo hoo-oo-hoo 

Down by the stream 
Where my babe left me 
I stand in my flannel shirt 
Looking confused 
A voice in the buses 
Says, "You got that look... 
I'm from Geffen Records 
How'd ou like a million bucks..?!?" 

Oh woh woh poor pitiful me 
Born white in the world's richest country 
I can't have my way, life is so depressing 
Nothing's as important as me 
And "my" girl 

And if that still doesn't work 
I got another idea 

Give in 
Ride the punk nostalgia wave 
For all it's worth 
Recycle the name of my old band 
For a big reunion tour 
Sing all those "hits' from the good old days 
'Bout how bad the good old days were 

And the orthodox 
Fudamentalism faction of the crowd 
Will say, "Horrary!" 
How politically correct 
He's quit trying different ideas at last 
Obeying the same kind of stodgy rules 
Punk used to rebel against 

Buy my snake oil 
This is all I've got to say 
Bought it once, now buy it twice 
Repackaged on CD 

Yeh, keep on buying my snakeoil 
Til my well runs stinking dry 
I'll be your institution 
Until the day I die 
Who cares if inspiration's gone 
It's safe in this here stall 
I'll give the fans just what they want 
And nothing else at all 

Woh-oh oh-oh oh 
Buy my snake oil 
Woh-oh oh-oh oh 
Buy buy buy b-b-b-buy buy 
My snake oil 

And remember 
I did it all for the scene