One Way
Levellers Lyrics

There's only one way of life
There is only one way to live life.

And that's your own
That way of life is unique to you.

My father when I was younger
When I was younger, my father spoke to me.

Took me up on to the hill
He took me to a hilltop.

That looked down on the city smog
From there we could see the smog of the city.

Above the factory spill
We could see the pollution from the factories.

He said this is where I come
My father said that this was where he goes.

When I want to be free
He goes there to feel free.

Well he never was in his lifetime
However, he never truly felt free in his lifetime.

But these words stuck with me
But those words remained with me.

I ran from all of this
I ran away from everything related to that life.

And I climbed that highest hill
I climbed the tallest hill.

And looked down on my life
From there, I looked down on my life.

Above the factory spill
I could still see the pollution from the factories.

I looked down onto my life
I examined my life from that viewpoint.

As the family disgrace
I saw myself as a disappointment to my family.

Then to all my friends on the starting line
I thought about my friends who were just starting their own lives.

Their wages off to chase
I realized they were working hard to make a living.

And all my friends and all their jobs
I thought about all my friends and their jobs.

And all the bloody waste
I reflected on the wasted effort that is put into those jobs.

I grew up, learned to love and laugh
As I grew up, I learned to love and enjoy life.

Circled A's on the underpass
I marked anarchy symbols on a public wall.

But the noise we thought would never stop
But the chaos we expected to never end.

Died a death as the punks grew up
Came to an end as the punk crowd matured.

And we choked on our dreams
We struggled with our own aspirations.

We wrestled with our fears
We fought against our own fears.

Running through the heartless concrete streets
We ran through the unfeeling city streets.

Chasing our ideas
In pursuit of our ideals.

And the problems of the world
But the issues of the world.

Won't be solved by this guitar
Can't be solved simply by playing a guitar.

And they won't stop coming either
Those issues won't stop arising either.

By the life I've had so far
Based on my experiences thus far.

And the bright lights of my hometown
The shining lights of my hometown.

Won't be getting any dimmer
Will not fade anytime soon.

Though their calling has receded now
Despite the fact that their influence has lessened.

Like some old distant singer
Similar to an old and distant musician.

And they don't seem so appealing
However, they don't interest me as much as before.

To the eyes of this poor sinner
Since I've become this lowly sinner.

CHORUS
Refrain