Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: grindcore
Song Meaning of “A Gag Reflex” by Napalm Death
A Gag Reflex, by Napalm Death, appears to be a musical exploration of the idea of education and society’s increasingly stringent standards of intellectual and moral excellence. The song speaks of how oppressive and oppressive practices are stifling innovation and expression, and limiting our ability to think and act freely. It calls for the revival of ‘old flame’—a reference to the more accepting attitude of the past—so that we can become ‘our true selves.’
The lyrics speak of the ‘reflex that we learn to hide’, which is a figurative gag reflex—a physical reaction to something threatening or uncomfortable—that we the people were taught to overcome and ignore. The song goes on to assess the detrimental effects of this ‘gag reflex’, and how it keeps us from connecting with the true nature of the world and each other.
The song ultimately delivers a call for liberation, for humanity to ‘face the firing line’ in order to overcome the oppressive forces that have been restraining us. A Gag Reflex is a bold and powerful track that encourages us toquestion our systems of power and regulation. It speaks of the need to embrace our freedom, and to break away from the status quo.