Harvey Danger's song "Humility on Parade" is a critique of the prevailing social order at the time it was written. The lyrics suggest that society has lost its way and is headed towards ruin. The opening lines express the sense of confusion and chaos that surrounds the speaker: "This road leads to Rome, That road leads to ruin. I'm all up in the madding crowd, The general's been screwin' us around." The first verse continues by describing the state of the land, which is "no longer arable." The farmhands are feeling "terrible," and the river runs red with "rebel blood." The speaker then asks if the listener remembers these things. The chorus is a call for humility, with the phrase "Humility on parade" repeated three times. The welcome has been overstayed, suggesting that people have become too proud and arrogant. The river imagery is repeated in the lines "let it run, let it run, let the river run," implying that change is necessary for society to survive. The second verse criticizes the "leisure class," who will eventually "crumble." The speaker calls for "forcible miscegenation," or the mixing of different races and classes, in order to break down the social barriers that exist. The final lines of the verse suggest that traditional markers of status, such as bow ties and invitations, are no longer relevant or necessary. The bridge of the song introduces a note of urgency, with the speaker urging the listener to "look the prisoners in the eyes." The prisoners are a metaphor for those who have been marginalized or oppressed by society. The speaker suggests that their boldness might be intimidating, but it is also necessary to recognize their humanity. The final chorus returns to the theme of humility, with the repetition of "Humility on parade." The speaker describes himself as the "mustard on the wedding dress" and the "weevil in the watercress," suggesting a sense of being out of place in the current order. He has lost the language, or the ability to communicate effectively, and can only see hope beyond the "false horizon." The rising up represents the hope for change and renewal.
