Plastic Raincoats/Hung Up Minds

Song Meaning

The lyrics drop us into a rainy-day discotheque, a scene of flashing neon and casual observation. There's an immediate, sharp judgment: "some hippie's really gone." This opening sets a cynical tone, hinting at a deeper critique beneath the surface glamour. At its core, the piece draws a stark line between outward appearance and internal reality. Phrases like "Plastic raincoat means you got a plastic mind" directly link superficial fashion choices to a perceived lack of depth. The narrator appears to see a world where people are "checking out each others' cool-looking hair" but have "nothing to say," suggesting a pervasive emptiness behind the curated image. The critique deepens with the powerful, almost morbid imagery of "Wild-colored beads to hide the fact that you died." This isn't just about bad fashion; it's an accusation of spiritual or emotional demise, masked by vibrant, external displays. The repetition of these blunt assessments, like "Hung up earrings mean you're hung up inside," reinforces the idea that external adornments are often just symptoms of internal struggles or a desperate need to conform: "Gotta be in or else you're out." Ultimately, the lyrics become a demanding call for authenticity. The repeated command, "little hippie you better be devout," shifts from observation to a direct challenge. It suggests that amidst the artificiality and performative rebellion, there's a yearning for genuine conviction, a plea for true belief that stands in stark contrast to the "nothing people do nothing things" described earlier. It's a cutting demand for substance over style.