Lyrical Meaning
"Won't Get Fooled Again" is sung in first person, and describes the role of a reluctant revolutionary who goes along with the crowd, but secretly hides his indifference and/or distaste towards the change.
"We'll be fighting in the streets", refers to the revolution, which the main character is participating. "And the men who spurred us on; Sit in judgment of all wrong; They decide and the shotgun sings the song", shows the main character's hidden animosity towards the leaders of the revolt and their use of violence to carry out their motives. "I'll tip my hat to the new constitution; Take a bow for the new revolution; Smile and grin at the change all around me", shows the main character's apparent approval of the revolution in the public eye. “Pick up my guitar and play; Just like yesterday”, conveys the character’s feelings that nothing has actually changed despite the revolution, and that life is still as it was before the change. “Then I'll get on my knees and pray; We don't get fooled again”, is the subject of the song. The main character realizes that his fears and reluctance were correct, and that the revolution was not the glorious, just, and liberating idea that it was made out to be. Because of this, the character prays that a new revolutionary won’t come along and ‘fool’ the people once more into starting a revolt.
Various lyrics within the song allude to political and religious topics. “And the morals that they worship will be gone”; The “they” is referring to the counter-revolution, and suggests that part of the reason for the revolution was the moral convictions of the previous regime, possibly referring to their religious motivation. “Then I'll get on my knees and pray”, alludes to the main characters renewed faith as a result of seeing the failure of the revolution to change the status quo. “And the parting on the left; Is now the parting on the right”, makes reference to the “left” and “right” in politics, and suggests that the revolution (the left) has now become the “right”, and another “left” wing group has stepped in to take its place.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Won't_Get_Fooled_Again>