Ripoff
Ian Hunter Lyrics


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(Ian Hunter)


I don't wanna be no traitor to the cause
But England is a luxury - not many can afford
There's people going under - it's getting out of hand
Whatever happened to our - our green and pleasant land?
It turned into a wilderness; it turned into a third world country
Most people ain't getting what they pay for
Some people gettin' more than they should be
I know, I know - I'm an alien - but what are you gonna do
I wanna live in England - but it gets to you
It gets to you, it gets to you, it gets to you

I really don't know why - England's such a ripoff
It's crazy, but it's true
I really don't know why - England wants to rip off you
England wants to rip off you, England wants to rip off you

What do you do when you find out?
Where do you go if you leave?
There's no place like home - that's what they say
And that's what you always believed
Someday you might win the Lottery
Someday you might win the Pools
But that's all you've got - that's all you've got
- to live for, to live for
That's all you've got - that's all you've got -
To live for, to live for (yeah)

To be or not to be - that's the question
Oh what's it gonna be?
I'd love to live in England - but it gets to me
It gets to me, it gets to me, yeah it gets to me

I really don't know why - England's such a ripoff
It's crazy, but it's true
I really don't know why - England wants to rip off you
England wants to rip off you, England wants to rip off you
I really don't know why - England's such a ripoff
It's crazy, but it's true




Oh I really don't know why - England wants to rip off
England wants to rip off , England wants to rip off

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ian Hunter's song "Ripoff" are a commentary on the state of England as a society and a country. Hunter expresses his frustration with an England in which the gap between the rich and the poor is widening, and those who are not wealthy are struggling to survive. Despite his love for his country, Hunter feels disillusioned by the state of things and wonders what has happened to the "green and pleasant land" that was once the pride of the nation. He notes that England has become a "wilderness" and a "third world country," a place where people are not getting what they pay for and where some are getting more than they should.


Hunter is conflicted about his feelings towards England. He wants to live there, but the social and economic problems he sees around him are starting to take a toll. He wonders if it is worth staying in England, as he feels like he is being ripped off by the society he lives in. He questions what he will do if he decides to leave, as he knows there is no place like home. Ultimately, Hunter does not have an answer, but he knows that England's problems are real and he wants things to change.


Overall, "Ripoff" is a song about the frustrations of living in a society where things are not going well. Hunter's lyrics capture the sense of disillusionment and uncertainty that many people feel in times of social upheaval, and the song remains powerful decades after it was written.


Line by Line Meaning

I don't wanna be no traitor to the cause
I don't want to betray the principles that I believe in


But England is a luxury - not many can afford
Living in England is expensive and only a privileged few can afford it


There's people going under - it's getting out of hand
People are struggling and the situation is deteriorating


Whatever happened to our - our green and pleasant land?
What happened to the England we used to know and love?


It turned into a wilderness; it turned into a third world country
The country has deteriorated to the point of resembling a wilderness or a third world country


Most people ain't getting what they pay for
Most people are not getting the value for the money they spend


Some people gettin' more than they should be
Some people are getting more than what they deserve


I know, I know - I'm an alien - but what are you gonna do
I am an outsider to the situation, but what can you do to fix it?


I wanna live in England - but it gets to you
I want to live in England, but the situation is emotionally taxing


It gets to you, it gets to you, it gets to you
The situation takes a toll on you emotionally


What do you do when you find out?
What actions do you take when you realize the situation?


Where do you go if you leave?
If you leave the country, where do you go?


There's no place like home - that's what they say
People say that there's no place like your own country


And that's what you always believed
And that's what you have always believed in


Someday you might win the Lottery
Perhaps, someday you will win the lottery


Someday you might win the Pools
Perhaps, someday you will win the football pools


But that's all you've got - that's all you've got - to live for, to live for
Winning the lottery or the pools is all you have to live for


To be or not to be - that's the question
The decision of whether to stay or leave is a difficult one


Oh what's it gonna be?
What will the ultimate decision be?


I'd love to live in England - but it gets to me
I would love to live in England, but the situation is emotionally taxing for me


It gets to me, it gets to me, yeah it gets to me
The situation has a profound emotional impact on me


I really don't know why - England's such a ripoff
I don't understand why England is so expensive and not providing enough value for the cost


It's crazy, but it's true
It might sound unbelievable, but it's the reality


England wants to rip off you, England wants to rip off you
England is trying to take advantage of you and your money


What are you going to do about it?
What actions will you take to remedy the situation?




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: IAN HUNTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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