Goodbye To The Factory
Aloha Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Goodbye to the make-believe
Goodbye to the foundry
Long have you pumped oxygen
Into everything around me
If you saw the factory
You would know exactly
Time machines, fringe tame freeze
Which one can we reprieve?
We don't see it anymore
Not in this life, maybe yours

We'll not come home
We'll not touch ground
Take me to my favorite spot
And promise me they're still around
What's blown up, must come down
It seems a waste to grow so great
Just to be put in the ground
No, the earth will reject this now

Goodbye battle, paper thin
Money's thicker, market wins
Buy the boss a frosty drink
?'s playing, hearts sink
Confectionary memories
Are all I have to guide me
Golden leaves, union dreams
What are these all worth without them?
We don't argue anymore
Not in this life, maybe yours
Our childhood toys
From the aisles made noise
Took them while the captor slept
Now with us they're kept
Oh, let 'em die
The world goes by
Their home's among the dawn poised and laid to fall
Without a thought at all
The earth will accept them large and small

Don't let it die, the world goes by
I love the cold for freezing time
What's the hurry? Do you mind?
What goes up, must come down
It seems a waste to grow so great
Just to be pushed to the ground
The earth's gonna turn us down
There's another way out

It's all around




C'mon, c'mon, forward
Oh, c'mon, c'mon, everyone

Overall Meaning

The song "Goodbye to the Factory" by Aloha is a lament to the declining value placed on the traditions of hard work and craftsmanship, as well as to the decline of the industrial age. The first verse of the song speaks to the industrialization of modern society, with the make-believe and foundry referring to the factories and assembly lines that produce so much of the goods that we take for granted. The singer is recognizing the world-changing impact of these factories, which have "pumped oxygen into everything around me", but is also cognizant of the cost, asking "which one can we reprieve?"


The second verse speaks to the impact of deindustrialization on the working class, with the battle (between owners and workers) giving way to the power of money and the market, and the recognition that the memories of the past are all we have to guide us in this new world. The final verse suggests that there is a third way out, that "It's all around", and that we need to move forward together ("c'mon, c'mon, everyone") if we are to find it.


Overall, the song reflects on the larger arc of history and the way in which industrialization has transformed society, while also recognizing the very human cost of that transformation.


Line by Line Meaning

Goodbye to the make-believe
Farewells to the illusions and daydreams


Goodbye to the foundry
Saying goodbyes to the metal-casting factory


Long have you pumped oxygen
For years, you infused life into my surroundings


Into everything around me
Making everything lively around me


If you saw the factory
If you witnessed the manufacturing plant


You would know exactly
You would accurately comprehend


Time machines, fringe tame freeze
The machines that compress and delay time


Which one can we reprieve?
Which machine can we save?


We don't see it anymore
We can no longer see it in existence


Not in this life, maybe yours
While it's not in our world anymore, it may still exist elsewhere


We'll not come home
We will not return to our previous life


We'll not touch ground
We will not settle back to our former state


Take me to my favorite spot
Take me to the place I resonate the most


And promise me they're still around
And reassure me that those things still exist


What's blown up, must come down
What goes up, must come back down


It seems a waste to grow so great
It appears ineffective to grow so vast


Just to be put in the ground
Only to end up buried underground


No, the earth will reject this now
The earth will no longer allow this to happen


Goodbye battle, paper thin
Farewell to the fragile argument


Money's thicker, market wins
Money is more vital, market prevails


Buy the boss a frosty drink
Give the boss a refreshing beverage


'?'s playing, hearts sink
Unknowns, making us feel dejected


Confectionary memories
Memories that are sweet like candy


Are all I have to guide me
They are my only source of direction


Golden leaves, union dreams
Leaves with a golden hue, dreams of a better future


What are these all worth without them?
Do these have any value without those things?


We don't argue anymore
We don't disagree or debate anymore


Not in this life, maybe yours
Maybe in another life, you can still experience it


Our childhood toys
Our toys from the bygone days


From the aisles made noise
Creating sounds and echoes from the shelves


Took them while the captor slept
Stole them while their owner was asleep


Now with us they're kept
Now, they are in our possession


Oh, let 'em die
Let them die out


The world goes by
The world continues to move forward


Their home's among the dawn poised and laid to fall
Their place is among the sunrise and moments that will fade away


Without a thought at all
Without any remembrance or concern


The earth will accept them large and small
The planet will embrace them, regardless of size


Don't let it die, the world goes by
Don't let it extinguish, the world goes on


I love the cold for freezing time
I appreciate the cold for slowing time down


What's the hurry? Do you mind?
Why do we have to rush? Do you object?


What goes up, must come down
Everything that ascends, will descend


It seems a waste to grow so great
It looks like a pity to contribute, only to be discarded


Just to be pushed to the ground
Only to be ground back to where you started


The earth's gonna turn us down
The planet will dismiss us in the end


There's another way out
There is a different resolution to this problem


It's all around
It's everywhere


C'mon, c'mon, forward
Come on, let's move forward


Oh, c'mon, c'mon, everyone
Oh, come on, let's all go




Contributed by Zoe B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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