No Rest for the Wicked

Ain't No Rest For the Wicked, Cage the Elephant

I think this may be the worst song I've heard in a long time.

The song basically outlines two philosophical points that I find beyond disgusting. The first is in the chorus: the only way to survive is evil. "I've got bills to pay, and mouths to feed, and ain't nothing in this world for free" is used as a justification for prostitution (which is legitimate--no reason to look down on the profession, as far as I'm concerned--but context shows that the band considers it evil), robbery and gunpoint, and embezlement from charity. We're supposed to have SYMPATHY for these people, because, well golly gee wisz, they had a hard life. And before anyone asks, I've spent time eating only when the dizzyness got too bad--I've been through hard times, so yeah, I know what it's like. Doesn't justify evil.

The final verse illustrates the other philosophical point that's repugnant: the band openly states that the narrator is just as evil as a priest who stole money from a church. No reason is given. The narrator had spent the rest of the song being propositioned (no indication of whether he accepted or not) and robbed, then watching television--he was a victim, yet we're supposed to accept that he's just as evil as a thief. For no reason. We're all human, so we're all worthless.

I can't determine if the song's popularity is because people accept the philosophy, or because people simply don't care about the words. Either way is a sad commentary on our culture.