State Farm

Yazoo's song 'State Farm' delves into the gritty and often harsh realities of urban life, painting a vivid picture of a world filled with vice and desperation. The lyrics are a stark commentary on the struggles and moral decay that can accompany life in the city. The repeated phrase 'And don't it make you feel good?' is laced with irony, suggesting that the fleeting pleasures and escapism found in this lifestyle come at a significant cost.

The song opens with imagery of a car, 'High & dried, tyre rubber starts burning,' which sets the tone for a fast-paced, high-stakes environment. The mention of 'Louie's got the gear' and 'Charlie's got his back up' hints at a world where people are constantly on edge, relying on each other for survival in a hostile environment. The line 'Somebody feeds her, sure ain't the State Farm' implies that the support systems one might expect, like insurance or social services, are absent, leaving individuals to fend for themselves in a harsh reality.

The lyrics also touch on themes of addiction and exploitation. The lines 'Puts the liquor in her stomach and the powder up her nose' and 'You're a bad stain and you need to be cleaned up' highlight the destructive behaviors that are prevalent in this world. The song's narrative suggests a cycle of abuse and neglect, where people are used and discarded, much like the 'dirt box' and 'cannibal' metaphors used to describe the characters. The repeated refrain 'And don't it make you feel good?' serves as a biting critique of the superficial and temporary nature of the satisfaction found in such a lifestyle, ultimately questioning the true cost of these fleeting moments of pleasure.