Instrumental
Old Gray Lyrics

I don′t have to tell you things are bad.
Everyone is aware that things are bad.

Everybody knows things are bad.
The general population understands that things are not going well.

It's a depression.
There is a widespread economic depression.

Everybody′s out of work or scared of losing their job.
People are either unemployed or have job insecurity.

The dollar buys a nickel's work,
The value of the dollar has decreased significantly.

Banks are going bust, shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter.
Banks are failing while shopkeepers are fearing for their safety.

Punks are running wild in the street and there's nobody Anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there′s no end to it.
Society is facing a lawlessness problem with no clear solution.

We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat, And we sit watching our TV′s while some local newscaster tells us That today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three Violent crimes, as if that's the way it′s supposed to be.
The environment is polluted, and the news constantly reports violent crimes without any effort to improve the situation.

We know things are bad - worse than bad. They're crazy.
The current state of affairs is beyond bad, it is insane.

It′s like everything everywhere is Going crazy, so we don't go out anymore.
The world seems to be spiraling out of control, causing people to isolate.

Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my Steel-belted radials and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone.
People want to be left alone to enjoy their comforts and distractions, despite the ongoing chaos in the world.

Well, I′m not gonna leave you alone. I want you to get mad!
The artist refuses to let people continue living in apathy, and calls for action.

I don′t want you to protest. I don't want you to riot - I don′t want you to write to your Congressman because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write.
The singer does not want passive actions such as protesting, rioting or writing to Congress, but wants people to take personal responsibility for their lives.

I don′t know what to do about the depression and the Inflation and the Russians and the crime in the street.
The singer does not have solutions to the various societal problems.

All I know is that first you've got to get mad. You′ve got to say, ' I'm a HUMAN BEING, Goddamnit! My life has VALUE!' So I want you to get up now.
The first step towards change is acknowledging the worth of one's own life and expressing anger towards the situation.

I want all of you to get up out of your chairs.
The artist wants everyone to take action and not remain passive.

I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, ' I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!'
The artist wants people to make their anger known, to take a stand and refuse to accept the current situation anymore.

Things have got to change. But first, you've gotta get mad!...
The singer believes that change is necessary, but progress can only be made once people are driven by anger.

Then we′ll figure out what to do about the Depression and the inflation and the oil crisis.
Once people are motivated to act, solutions to societal issues can be found.

But first get up out of your chairs, Open the window, stick your head out, and yell, and say it:"I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"
Again, the artist wants listeners to make their feelings known in a public way.