Double Life
Lead Vocals by James Young
In the dark so all alone
Slowly reach for the telephone
A message waits just for you
A secret place, another rendezvous
It's not always honesty
That is the best policy
But little lies can give you away
Though you'll deny it if they say maybe you're just
Leading a double life
Friends in the daytime, strangers at night
Leading a double life
Can it be wrong when you know that it's right?
The other side of the Berlin Wall is
Not far enough to avoid the call
Somebody knows, somebody's seen
Somebody knows right where you've been
And that you're just
Leading a double life
Friends in the daytime, strangers at night
Leading a double life
Can it be wrong when you know that it's right?
Nowhere to hide, though we both might try
I'm schizophrenic, and so am I
Double life, a double life, a masquerade
You know we all live a masquerade
I know you're out there!
Leading a double life
Friends in the daytime, strangers at night
Leading a double life
Can it be wrong when you know that it's right?
From the album liner notes:
THE PASTDr. Everett Righteous, founder and leader of the MMM, (The Majority for Musical Morality) became influential in American politics through the use of his own cable T.V. network. He spoke about the evils of rock 'n' roll music, and how its permissive attitudes were responsible for the moral and economic decline of America. He was charismatic, entertaining, and above all, he understood the media. The MMM soon gained enough power to have rock 'n' roll banned.
Robert Orin Charles Kilroy was a world famous rock 'n' roll star. As this new law was passed, Kilroy and his band were finishing a national tour. Their last performance, at the Paradise Theatre, would serve as the test case. On the night of the concert, as Kilroy played to a packed house, the MMM marched in and stormed the stage. When it was over, an MMM protester was dead...Kilroy was convicted of murder and sent to a prison ship with other rock 'n' roll misfits...
THE PRESENT
...is a future where Japanese manufactured robots, designed to work cheaply and endlessly, are the caretakers of society. "Mr. Robotos" are everywhere, serving as manual labor in jobs that were once held by humans.
Dr. Righteous enforces his own morality by holding nightly rallies where crowds hurl rock 'n' roll records and electric guitars into huge bonfires...Jonathan Chance, the rebel leader of an underground movement to bring back rock 'n' roll, has made Kilroy the symbol of his cause. Meanwhile, Kilroy has spent a number of years in prison. With no hope of release, he is subjected to the humiliation of mind control via the MMM cable network. In an attempt to contact Kilroy, Jonathan jams the airwaves of the MM network, replacing a mind control session with outlawed footage of a Kilroy concert. Inspired by Jonathan's message, Kilroy plots his escape. Late one night, he makes a daring attempt to free himself by overpowering a Roboto guard. Disguised as a Roboto Kilroy moves freely throughout the city leaving graffiti coded messages for Jonathan.
Interpretation
The hypocrisy of politicians and some televangelists claiming the moral high ground while living immoral lives was evident at the time this song was written. Dr. Righteous is anything but the pillar of moral purity his public persona may otherwise suggest. He claims to be on the side of morality and purity, but he secretly arranges for one of his own supporters to be murdered at a Kilroy concert, while framing lead singer Robert O. C. Kilroy in order to further the agenda of the Majority for Musical Morality, led by Dr. Righteous, cementing his personal political influence for years to come.
After Kilroy's escape, Righteous also realizes that Kilroy must be leading a double life in order to evade capture.
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