Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: emo
Song Meaning of “burger king (demo) [what is this, democracy or uhhh… the other thing]” by Camping In Alaska
Camping in Alaska’s song “Burger King (Demo) [What is this, democracy or uhhh… the other thing?]” brings up important questions about how our society runs, and how we make decisions. The song asks, “What is this, democracy or uhhh… the other thing?” It almost seems obvious that they are referring to the belief in democracy, which is the idea of governing through majority rule. However, the fact that these words are followed by “uhhh… the other thing” implies that there is an alternative to democracy that they’re referring to here. The lyric might be insinuating that we have put too much faith in democracy, and there are other ways of making decisions and running our society that should be considered.
The chorus of the song, “Wake up in the morning, it’s the same damn thing / Pop down to the Burger King, place our order at the drive thru / It’s the same song and dance every day, what can I say?” reveals how complacent people have become in the decision-making process. We go through the same motions of the morning routine, day in and day out. And no matter the scenario, it’s almost as if we’re going on autopilot. This is reflected in the habit of going to Burger King to order our food. However, this alludes to the bigger picture of how decisions are being made in the world. People are just blindly taking instructions, rather than doing their own research and coming up with their own solutions and opinions.
People are lulled into a sense of security that democracy is doing its job in providing us with the best solutions, and that nothing else is necessary. However, just as there may be healthier food options than Burger King, there could also be different forms of decision making other than democracy. We should not be content with how our government is making decisions, and should continue to think strategically and critically about the best methods for our society. This is the message Camping in Alaska wants to convey in their powerful song “Burger King (Demo) [What is this, democracy or uhhh… the other thing?]”