Dead Kennedys Video Showcase

The Dead Kennedys are noted for the acerbity of their lyrics, which generally express a staunchly left-wing view of contemporary America. Unlike other leftist punk bands who use more direct sloganeering, the Kennedys' lyrics are often satirical and sarcastic, all the while retaining the deliberately shocking lyrics of punk. "Holiday in Cambodia" is a multi-layered satire targeting both liberal elites and Cambodia's then-current Khmer Rouge regime (who, together with the US government who at the time of recording, were tacitly supporting Pol Pot in his war against Vietnam). Songs such as "Kill the Poor", "California Über Alles", and "Police Truck" actually take the lyrical viewpoint of the band's hated right-wing (and liberal elitist) targets.