Dead Kennedys - Holiday In Cambodia

DK's 1980 song, featured on there first album "Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables".


So you been to school
For a year or two
And you know youve seen it all
In daddys car
Thinkin youll go far
Back east your type dont crawl

Play ethnicky jazz
To parade your snazz
On your five grand stereo
Braggin that you know
How the niggers feel cold
And the slums got so much soul

Its time to taste what you most fear
Right guard will not help you here
Brace yourself, my dear

Its a holiday in cambodia
Its tough, kid, but its life
Its a holiday in cambodia
Dont forget to pack a wife

Youre a star-belly sneech
You suck like a leach
You want everyone to act like you
Kiss ass while you bitch
So you can get rich
But your boss gets richer off you

Well youll 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 people are one
Now you can go where they get things done
What you need, my son.

Is a holiday in cambodia
Where people dress in black
A holiday in cambodia
Where youll kiss ass or crack

Pol pot, pol pot, pol pot, pol pot, etc.

And its a holiday in cambodia
Where youll do what youre told
A holiday in cambodia
Where the slums got so much soul

• Category

  Music

[SkyShaw]

How is it the mere word "nigger" is racist? What about context? Christ, it doesn't make sense. If you were to say "he sounds like a nigger", that'd be racist but in the context of the song it's satire

[traumaticintegrity]

a little racey isn't it?

[dijonthecat]

I hate how people associate Punk with talentless musicians. I tell them listen to Dead Kennedys.

[jws2906]

I see you don't understand what satire is, so.

[brianpadrickdrake]

Exactly. "They" know this but they love to play "that game." Peace.

[shepherdspieuk]

Sorry but that version is pants and a cop out. They skip the "oh so controversial offending lyrics" - for the money. If you are gonna do a cover do it truthfully or go back under your stone !

[sea foam]

How insightful coming from a white person who has never been dehumanized by this word thank you

[Mike Baxter]

Nazi punks fuck off is a great song! lol

[fingerkalis]

you are so smart

[nirvana2295]

dead kennedys holiday in cambodia is the best and the foo fighters and serj did good but i have to stick with the original o and its true that the dead kennedys wrote it

[Matt Woodley]

i mean i kno this band wrote it i just like the serj one better