It's hard: in weeks they'll re-open the shipyard
and draft up official statements for the front page
citizens drown their sorrows all in a drunk rage
or culture unreality in brains with a skunk haze
self-medication got me stressing and questioning the possession
the lesson was suspect from inception
grit in our eyes when we could be diving for pearls
seems like everybody's striving for the end of the world
minstrel boy went to war, she washes up his coffee cup
heart blacker than anything striking miners be coughing up
pray to the carpenter's father knocking up the coffins
as we go down with the same ship we sailed off in
as we batten down the hatches and hoist up the mainstay
line up the soldiers, send them off to war the same day
water off a duck's back; lambs to the slaughter
the ships went down in the shallowest of water

past hasn't passed away, fam raise your glass today
transcend dimensions, find yrself a castaway
treasure every yesterday, celebrate the masquerade
with wine from a golden cup, time isn't holding up

do you remember the 1980s?
i was there too - vaguely
and lately it's crazy how revivals go way past dayglo
grey areas painted over by shades of rainbow
patriotic spectacles, war drum lullabies
this is what it sounds like when more than doves cry
still over a barrel at the mercy of some Thatcher kin
the past don't die, they just switch up the packaging
the future only reruns, history in front of me
i'm sorry Saint Pete, i owe my soul to the company
the barrel's held steady in the weapon hand
the minutes say it's five to midnight, cuz everything is second-hand
it's stopped ticking locked in a familiar position
remember the three R's - they're all repetition
fighting words fluid, we're the ones that dive through it
let the dead bury their dead - who else is gonna do it?

past hasn't passed away, fam raise your glass today
transcend dimensions, find yourself a castaway
treasure every yesterday, celebrate the masquerade
with wine from a golden cup, time isn't holding up
past doesn't ever die, clock-watchers testify
nothing new under sun, no moment left behind
every accomplishment, equal and opposite
time isn't after us, see you in a second life