It's easy to make fun of Nickelback because, well, Nickelback.
But while the Canadian band has become known for being so formulaic that one could put two of their songs in different speakers and barely tell the difference, Nickelback has broken into new territory on their new album "No Fixed Address." Not only have Chad Kroeger and co. experimented with electronics and teamed up with rapper Flo Rida, they've also dabbled in protest rock. Yes, really.
To put this into perspective, their last album featured a song called "Something In Your Mouth" about a thumb-sucking stripper "with a million dollar body" that went: "You're so much cooler when you never pull it out / 'Cause you look so much cuter with something in your mouth."
But on "Edge of a Revolution," Kroeger bellows about NSA spying and sings "Wall Street, common thief / When they get caught they all go free." The chorus rhymes "mass delusion" with "mass confusion" and it all ends by echoing a famous 60's protest chant: "What do we want? We want the change / And how're we gonna get there? Revolution!"
You're probably surprised. Well, apparently so was Kroeger as he revealed in an interview with Yahoo Music where he was asked if Nickelback will make more politically charged rock.
"Y'know, I'm just as surprised as anybody else when something comes out of my mouth. I get to hear it for the first time, too. I think other people actually think about the things that they say. And with songwriting, it's the same way. It's just kind of happens. It comes out that way. There's no agenda. There's no 'Let's plan this. Let's plot this. Let's see where this will take us.' And for that song that line just came out. Then I said, 'What if we wrote a song called 'Standing on the Edge of a Revolution?'"
Oh, and if you think the song's politics are a bit simplistic, this other Kroeger quote may explain why.
"You turn on CNN and it's like, 'Wow!' We'd have it on for 15 minutes and we'd have to shut it off because it was so depressing."
He also cited the Ferguson protests — "When we were working...there was rioting like crazy. So it definitely felt like the seeds of revolution were being planted" — however, Billboard points out the song, then called "Revolution," was announced a month before the Aug. 9 shooting of Michael Brown and was first released as a single on Aug. 18.
Full lyrics after slideshow
"Edge Of A Revolution"
Head high, protest line
"Freedom" scribbled on your sign
Headline, New York Times
Standing on the edge of a revolution
Hey, hey, just obey.
Your secret's safe with the NSA
In God we trust or the CIA?
Standing on the edge of a revolution
Yeah, we're standing on the edge of a revolution
Revolution, revolution, revolution
No, we won't give up, we won't go away
'Cause we're not about to live in this mass delusion
No, we don't wanna hear another word you say
'Cause we know they're all depending on mass confusion
No, we can't turn back, we can't turn away
'Cause it's time we all relied on the last solution
No, we won't lay down and accept this fate
'Cause we're standing on the edge of a revolution
Wall Street, common thief
When they get caught they all go free
A brand new yacht and a finders fee
Standing on the edge of a revolution
Same shit, different day
Can't keep fed if I can't get paid
We'll all be dead if the shit don't change
Standing on the edge of a revolution
Yeah, we're standing on the edge of a revolution
Revolution, revolution, revolution
No, we won't give up, we won't go away
'Cause we're not about to live in this mass delusion
No, we don't wanna hear another word you say
'Cause we know they're all depending on mass confusion
No, we can't turn back, we can't turn away
'Cause it's time we all relied on the last solution
No, we won't lay down and accept this fate
'Cause we're standing on the edge of a revolution
We'll all be dead if this shit don't change
Hey hey hey hey
What do we want? We want the change
And how're we gonna get there? Revolution
What do we want? We want the change
Standing on the edge of a revolution
What do we want? We want the change
And how're we gonna get there? Revolution
What do we want? We want the change
Standing on the edge of a revolution