This song describes a school expulsion hearing, and how that hearing focuses only on the “list of infractions” committed by our rule-breaking problem child, never interrogating the structures of society that lead to such behavior. The system has no use for such a person. It wants to throw them away...
There was a hearing
The rules were broken by one
Followed by another
The evidence was presented
An overwhelming list of infractions
An overwhelming representation
Of one's maladjustment to the system
The hearing was about him
About his attitude
About his behavior
He is, he represents
No, he embodies the problem
If he is expelled, the problem
Will go away
Responsibility
Relationship
Mutuality
Our solution
A person with a problem
I believe there's no such thing
As a person with a problem
If there is a problem it's a problem with the system
The system of home and family
Of school and community
He is not in this alone
He is not the problem
A reflection of the system
A mirror image of ourselves and our work
We acknowledge not all kids fit
Our ancillary design
And when they don't fit
They become the problem
The problem
Expel the problem
Make it go away
Expel the problem
Make it go away, make it go away
Make it go away
The Problem was written by Mark Durante & Chris Shepard & Svet Am & En Esch & Sascha Konietzko.
The Problem was produced by KMFDM.
KMFDM released The Problem on Wed Oct 13 1993.