Legacy
Gone Jackals Lyrics
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My Dad's wages light.
Still on that salary
We, all four, could sleep tight.
Right now if you drank from
That very same well,
You'd need a run of luck
To score a bed in a trick hotel.
Is this the legacy of
Too much for too few
That I see?
The kind of legacy that's
Tossin' some good men
To their knees.
The "Great Society's"
Maligned concrete cage
Sits dead and vacant now -
At least it kept out rain.
With all those corners cut
The cracks grow wide and near.
I heard some cash was saved
But where it's gone ain't clear..
Who goes down next I don't know.
I don't know nothin'
Anymore.
Tomorrow's legacy that's
Layin' in state
Awaits reprieve.
I always thought that when a man goes down
You do your best to pick him up.
But how can the milk of kindness trickle down
When it's syphoned off and cheats the cup?
The lyrics of "Legacy" by the Gone Jackals describe a challenging situation in which the family of the singer is struggling to make ends meet. The year is 1961, and the father's wages are barely enough to allow the family to maintain a decent standard of living. The singer reflects on how times have changed since then, as the same well that provided clean drinking water to them would now barely be enough to score a bed in a motel. The song suggests that this is the legacy of a system that has given too much to too few and left many behind.
The song appears to be a critique of the so-called "Great Society," which promised to address many of the social problems facing Americans in the 1960s. The lyrics describe a "maligned concrete cage" that may refer to urban housing projects that were built as part of this initiative. The singer suggests that these projects have failed, as they are now "dead and vacant." The cracks in the system are growing wider, and it is unclear where the money that was supposed to fix them has gone. The song seems to suggest that such failures represent a legacy that we must confront.
Overall, the Gone Jackals' "Legacy" is a powerful critique of social inequality and the legacy it leaves behind. The song suggests that our society has failed to live up to its promises, leaving many behind in poverty and struggling to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
December '61.
The month and year of the author's birth and childhood memories take place.
My Dad's wages light.
The author's father earned a meager salary.
Still on that salary
We, all four, could sleep tight.
Despite the low salary, the author's family was content and able to sleep peacefully.
Right now if you drank from
That very same well,
You'd need a run of luck
To score a bed in a trick hotel.
If someone were to live on the same salary today, they would struggle to find a place to sleep comfortably.
Is this the legacy of
Too much for too few
That I see?
The author questions if the unequal distribution of resources is what they are witnessing in their surroundings.
The kind of legacy that's
Tossin' some good men
To their knees.
The unequal distribution of resources is leading good, hardworking men to struggle and suffer.
The "Great Society's"
Maligned concrete cage
Sits dead and vacant now -
At least it kept out rain.
The society's efforts to provide affordable housing to the underserved have failed, but even the poorly constructed housing provided some basic benefits.
With all those corners cut
The cracks grow wide and near.
By cutting corners and not investing in the right areas, society's problems are growing larger and out of control.
I heard some cash was saved
But where it's gone ain't clear..
Some funds were supposedly saved, but nobody knows where they ended up.
Who goes down next I don't know.
I don't know nothin'
Anymore.
The author is uncertain about who will be the next victim of society's problems and feels disillusioned with everything.
Tomorrow's legacy that's
Layin' in state
Awaits reprieve.
The future generation's fate is currently in a precarious situation and only a change can save it.
I always thought that when a man goes down
You do your best to pick him up.
The author believed in helping those in need and coming together as a society.
But how can the milk of kindness trickle down
When it's syphoned off and cheats the cup?
The resources meant for the common people are not reaching them, and the authorities are misusing them.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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