Chickenshit Conformist

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"Chickenshit Conformist" is a song by the Dead Kennedys; released on their 1986 album Bedtime for Democracy. It accuses punk rock of becoming "a closed-minded, self-centred social club", and accuses the punks of becoming "chickenshit conformist[s] like [their] parents."

The song also mentions the phenomenon of people being "harder core than thou for a year or two, then it's time to find a real job"; a topic Jello Biafra addressed years later on his spoken word albums, noting that the individuals who are the most hardcore tend to be the ones who end up becoming the most conservative and pro-establishment later in life.

[edit] References in popular culture

The Canadian progressive thrash band Propagandhi refer to "chickenshit conformists" in the song "Back to the Motor League", from their 2001 album Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes.

The band Thought Riot quotes the line "Or are we just chickenshit conformists like our parents?" in the song "Breaking Old Tablets" on the album Shattered Mirror Syndrome.