Jackson Cannery
Ben Folds Five Lyrics

Stop the bus
I want to put an end to what's going on and take a moment to be alone.

I want to be lonely
I need some time to be by myself and reflect on things.

When seconds pass slowly
Time seems to drag by when I'm not engaged in something I enjoy.

And years go flying by
Yet, time seems to pass quickly in the grand scheme of things.

You gotta stop the bus
I'm fed up with the way things are going and need a break.

I'll get off here
I'm ready to step away from my current situation.

Enough's enough
I've reached my limit and can no longer continue on this path.

I'm leaving this factory
I'm ready to move on from my mundane, repetitive life.

All she wants
The only thing important to her is having enough to eat.

Is food on the table
She just wants to be able to provide food for herself and her loved ones.

I won't be able
I'm unable to meet her basic needs with my current job.

To bring it home
I can't provide enough to bring food and resources back to my family.

All she wants, come on,
She's not asking for much, just the necessities.

All I need is free
I want to break free from the constraints and expectations of my factory life.

Cause I'm a factory
I feel like I'm just another cog in an industrial machine.

Did Mother Nature tell you
Nature didn't put these boundaries and restrictions on us, society did.

Boy you come and go as you please
We were meant to be free to explore and live life as we want.

That's what she said to me
Nature allowed us to have free will and make our own choices.

But Big brother got the keys
Society and those in charge hold the power and control over us.

And I got Jackson Cannery
I'm stuck working at this factory with no way out.

Millionaires and mill rats live side by side here,
In this place, there's a stark contrast between the wealthy and the working class.

Messed up my brother's mind
The oppressive nature of the factory environment has affected my brother's mental health.

He's far from earth
My brother feels disconnected from reality and the world around him.

What's he worth
In the grand scheme of things, we're all equal and no one is inherently more valuable than another.

The same as you the same as me
We're all human and deserve the same opportunities and respect.

In this factory
But in reality, we're merely faceless workers in a larger machine.

(Whoa)(Come on)(Whoa)(Whoa)
These lyrics serve as a musical interlude.

(That's pretty good, try it again)
The band is joking around and having fun in the studio.

It's 4 in the morning
I'm leaving very early in the morning before anyone else is awake.

Mother don't know
I'm keeping my plans a secret from my family for now.

That I'm going far away
I'm leaving my current life behind and starting fresh somewhere else.

She's whispering to the moon
My mother is talking to herself and expressing her worries out loud.

I hope he don't join you soon
She hopes that I don't do anything reckless or dangerous on my journey.

Baby boss
The manager at the factory is inexperienced and doesn't know what they're doing.

Climbs up on his soapbox
The boss is trying to assert their authority and control over the workers.

But Great Caesar's ghost
The band is adding a playful reference to Julius Caesar saying 'By Jupiter's beard!'

Knows what's best for me
The boss is only looking out for their own interests, not the well-being of the workers.

He says stop the bus
The boss wants to shut down any attempts at resistance or rebellion from the workers.

Big brother got the keys
The people in power hold all the control and authority.

And I got Jackson Cannery
The singer is expressing their dissatisfaction with their current situation and lack of choices.

Big brother got the keys
The repetition of this line emphasizes the powerlessness of the working class.

And I got Jackson Cannery
Despite their frustration, the singer ultimately acknowledges their current situation and lack of options.