Range-Bound-I.mp4
Range-Bound-Unplugged-Underground-XVIII.mp3
Range-Bound-Unplugged-Underground-XVIII.mp4
They say (“Hey!”)
Things are under control
(Let the good times roll)
We’re with in a range
(A trading range)
Though it may seem strange
(As we rearrange)
Thinking we are bound
(Thinking we are chained)
While life’s rearranged
(Life’s found… sound…)
They say (“Hey!”)
Things are under control
(Let the good times roll)
No! (Don’t get in the way)
Of our brand new day
Woe, you know…
(“Home on the Range”)
We’re trading in a band
Restricted by what we understand
(As we rearrange)
Thought of being bound
(Come unbound, unwound)
Time’s have gone “too strange”
(Too, too far…)
They say (“Hey!”)
Things are under control
(Let the good times roll)
No! (Don’t get in the way)
Of our brand new day
They say (“Hey!”)
Things are under control
(Let the good times roll)
The song “Range Bound” uses financial market metaphors—specifically the concept of being stuck in a “trading range”—to comment on political stagnation, delusion, and false optimism during the Trump presidency. It offers a layered critique of both economic complacency and manipulated narratives of control, stability, and prosperity.
Financial Markets Metaphor:
In markets, being range bound means that prices are stuck between support and resistance levels—no breakout, no collapse, just constrained movement. The song uses this concept to symbolize:
A lack of real progress (economically, politically, or socially),
The illusion of control or success, despite underlying volatility or dysfunction.
Verse 1: Stuck in Place, Disillusioned
“We’re within a range (A trading range)”
“Thinking we are bound (Thinking we are chained)”
“I ain’t sticking ’round”
These lines suggest the illusion of freedom or mobility during the Trump years—especially in the markets or the broader economy—where real wages stagnated for many, and inequality soared, even while stocks hit record highs. It critiques the trap of manipulated optimism and the sense of economic entrapment many Americans felt.
Refrain: False Narratives of Control
“They say (‘Hey!’) / Things are under control / (Let the good times roll)”
This chorus mocks the administration’s repeated claims that everything was great, even in the face of:
Tax cuts that benefited the wealthy,
COVID denial and economic chaos.
“No! (Don’t get in the way) / Of our brand new day (Despite your dismay)”
This line skewers the dismissal of critics and experts—people who pointed out warning signs were often branded as “haters” or part of the “deep state.” The “brand new day” implies a manufactured sense of renewal or greatness—“MAGA” rhetoric—built on shallow indicators.
Verse 2: Cultural Decay and Cognitive Limits
“We’re trading in a band / Restricted by what we understand”
This highlights the limits of understanding or denial—political polarization, misinformation, and economic illiteracy all kept many trapped in a cycle of false confidence and poor decisions.
“Times have gone ‘too strange’ / Beyond bizarre”
A direct nod to the Trump era’s surreal and chaotic nature: QAnon, January 6th, disinformation, the cult of personality—all deeply unsettling shifts in political normalcy.
Outro: The Illusion Persists
“They say (‘Hey!’) / Things are under control / (Let the good times roll)”
Repeating the refrain at the end suggests a cycle of denial, where surface-level optimism (“markets up, tax cuts delivered”) masks deeper instability, corruption, and erosion of democratic norms.
Interpretation Summary:
“Range Bound” critiques how the Trump presidency and its economic narrative trapped the country in a volatile status quo. It portrays a public lulled into complacency by market performance and political spin, even as reality grew “too strange” and “beyond bizarre.” The song uses financial metaphor to reflect emotional, social, and political paralysis, ultimately calling for awareness and change.
From the album “Under Control“
Trumpenomics: The Decline of the US
The Human Induced Climate Change Experiment
