Cheer It On

Song Meaning

The lyrics to "Cheer It On" immediately plunge the listener into a world teetering on the edge of crisis, signaled by an urgent call to the "President of the world." This global emergency quickly narrows to a chillingly mundane instruction: "Clip out all the sad bits" from the morning paper. It sets a tone of enforced, artificial peace, where harsh realities are actively suppressed for superficial calm. The central tension emerges with the recurring presence of "Tokyo Police Club" and the stark, unsettling declaration: "Arresting you for being in love." This phrase is a powerful, surreal image, suggesting a society where fundamental human connection is not just discouraged but criminalized. The band's name, integrated directly into the chorus, takes on the role of an omnipresent, watchful authority, always near, always observing. As the narrative progresses, the lyrics shift from external observation to a more personal, desperate plea. The speaker describes catching a "fever that's spreading" and being among "sick boys in this house," hinting at a broader societal malaise or neglect. The advice, "Dumb kid you should have hid," underscores a dangerous environment where vulnerability is punished, contrasting sharply with the earlier facade of neighborly favors and enforced tranquility. This blend of the mundane with the dystopian makes the lyrics particularly effective. The casual suggestion to censor news, followed by the chilling criminalization of love and the desperate search for a "warm bed," creates a world both familiar and terrifying. It's a masterclass in crafting a sense of pervasive unease, leaving the listener to ponder the cost of enforced peace and the fragility of human connection in a policed existence.