Song Meaning

The narrator adopts a detached, observational stance, using the phrase "turned on an attitude" to describe a conscious decision to disengage from immediate reactions. This attitude is initially framed by passive consumption of media: the "radio," "morning news," and a "newspaper" article titled "The People's Voice." The initial posture is one of waiting, of seeing "what's gonna happen?" rather than taking a definitive position. This passive observation is contrasted with an external expectation of reaction, particularly in the lines "They're expecting shots all right / Guns of terror spark the night." The narrator perceives the information consumed as "one-sided" and designed to create "wrong connections" that "stick." This suggests a critique of how media shapes perception, leading to a sense of unease and repeated questioning about future events. The lyrics then shift to a more abstract, almost spiritual interpretation of "turned on an attitude," linking it to "revelation" and "the word of God." This new perspective is described as "plain to me, so expressive," implying a newfound clarity or understanding. However, this clarity is immediately followed by a stark, almost fatalistic observation: "Where some die and others meet," suggesting that even with this revelation, the outcome of events remains ambiguous and potentially tragic. The effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their portrayal of a mind grappling with overwhelming, often biased information. The repeated question "What's gonna happen?" functions as a refrain of uncertainty, amplified by the narrator's evolving, yet ultimately still passive, "attitude." The shift from media consumption to a quasi-spiritual insight highlights a search for meaning amidst a confusing, predetermined-seeming world.