Lights Go Out

I went to my mother, said - please make me king

I went to my mother, said - I've got to be king

She said son - well you've got to wait your turn

Patience is a virtue that you never seemed to learn

You were born with nothing, to nothing you'll return

Now, now the lights go out - there's no warning

Now, now the lights go out - there's no reason

Now, now the voices cry - we don't need you now

I went to my father, said - please make me king

Went to my father, said - I've got to be king

He said son - you've got to do your time

I've done fifty-three years and I haven't yet done mine

You're just one of the millions waiting in line

Now, now the lights go out - there's no warning

Now, now the lights go out - there's no reason

Now, now the voices cry - we don't need you now

History gave us meaning, gave us a place

Gave my father reasons for the lines on his face

But we asked for the money and money they gave

And God, how that made us easy to enslave

So today at the office, we picked up the cheque

The handshake of gold, the stab in the back

The old men went home silent and bowed

The young men went drinking, drowning it out

So in every street, in every town, comes some young pretender

Just gunning for a crown - take it- take it all

Now, now the lights go out - there's no warning

Now, now the lights go out - there's no reason

Now, now the voices cry - we don't need you now