The Wasteland

Song The Wasteland
Artist Chumbawamba
Album Never Mind the Ballots

Lyrics

Said the party to the ad-man We'll conjure up a gimmick The way to lead an ass Is with a carrot and a stick Dig down for minorities Promise them concessions Ride in on their backs And then teach them all a lesson Unemployment means depression You're just victims of the recession We can count on their support If we can channel their emotions (Chorus) Populate the wasteland Between leisure and the grave Work and pray and place your vote And some day you'll be saved All these myths come tailor-made To suit the company director Myths that praise the dignity Of cheap, disposable labor Two different routes To an industrial heaven Work for boss and parliament And all will be forgiven It's the fear of being sacked That lets the boss step up the pace Because the minute you step out of line There's someone took your place (Repeat chorus) Said the MP to the media Can't we juggle this around Sprinkle sugar on the dog shit And we'll keep the figures down Never let the left hand See what's in the right No-one's any wiser And the problem's out of sight Take your democratic choice Take a scheme or starve Job clubs, restart, YTS, CPs, EAS Company profits doubled Wages chopped in half (Repeat) (Repeat chorus) Offer your life to the one true church In the name of the conservative party The labor party And the liberal alliance The promised land where banks outnumber churches And your cars shall be martyrs to the cause Capitalism in crisis But on the third day it shall rise again But on the third day it shall rise