The Ostrich
Steppenwolf Lyrics


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We'll call you when you're six years old
And send you to the factory
To train your brain for eighteen years
With promise of security
But then you're free
And forty years you waste to chase the dollar sign
So you may die in Florida
At the pleasant age of sixty-nine.

The water's getting hard to drink
We've mangled up the country side
The air will choke you when you breathe
We're all committing suicide
But it's alright
It's progress folk keep pushin' till your body rots
Will strip the earth of all it's green
And then divide it into parking lots.

But there's nothing you and I can do
You and I are only two
What's right and wrong is hard to say
Forget about it for today
We'll stick our heads into the sand
Just pretend that all is grand
Then hope that everything turns out OK.

You're free to speak your mind my friend
As long as you agree with me
Don't criticize the father land
Or those who shape your destiny
'Cause if you do
You'll lose your job your mind and all the friends you knew
We'll send out all our boys in blue
They'll find a way to silence you.

But there's nothing you and I can do
You and I are only two
What's right and wrong is hard to say
Forget about it for today
We'll stick our heads into the sand




Just pretend that all is grand
Then hope that everything turns out OK.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Steppenwolf's song The Ostrich describe the disillusionment and frustration of modern living, with its heavy emphasis on conformity, consumerism, and complacency. The song opens with a critique of the education system, where children are trained to become obedient workers instead of being encouraged to pursue their passions and develop their intellects. Once people enter the workforce, they become slaves to the pursuit of money, wasting the best years of their lives chasing after a fleeting sense of security. This cycle of greed and exploitation extends to the destruction of nature, with our dependence on unsustainable practices turning the earth into a barren wasteland, devoid of life.


Despite the bleak picture painted by the lyrics, the song also critiques the apathy and resignation that many people feel in the face of these problems. The chorus describes a sense of helplessness and futility, where individuals feel powerless to effect change and choose instead to ignore the crisis around them. The final verse is a warning against dissent, with the singer cautioning against speaking out against authority figures or criticizing government policies, lest one lose their job, reputation or even their freedom. Overall, the lyrics paint a dark, dystopian portrait of modern society, punctuated by moments of hopelessness, complacency, and oppression.


Line by Line Meaning

We'll call you when you're six years old
We will start indoctrinating you early with the notion that you will have to work for an extended period of time.


And send you to the factory
You’ll be sent off to work in the same kind of factory that everyone else works in.


To train your brain for eighteen years
You'll have to receive an education for 18 years before you can go out and work to earn money.


With promise of security
In exchange for your time and effort, you will receive the promise of some job security.


But then you're free
Once you are done with your formal education and training, you are free to choose a career.


And forty years you waste to chase the dollar sign
Yet, you’ll spend your whole life chasing money, which eats up your time and energy.


So you may die in Florida
Eventually, you'll retire to a place like Florida to spend the rest of your days.


At the pleasant age of sixty-nine.
Only to die right around the age of 69.


The water's getting hard to drink
The environment is slowly decaying, making even clean drinking water more difficult to find.


We've mangled up the country side
We've destroyed much of the earth's natural beauty.


The air will choke you when you breathe
Even the air is becoming dangerous to breathe.


We're all committing suicide
Humanity is deadly harming itself and their environment.


But it's alright
Many people will justify this decay because it is the price of progress.


It's progress folk keep pushin' till your body rots
People will justify the destruction of the environment until it is too late and they have passed away.


Will strip the earth of all it's green
The world will be left entirely polluted and barren.


And then divide it into parking lots.
What little remains will be converted into shopping centers or parking lots.


But there's nothing you and I can do
Despite this knowledge, there isn't a lot one can do to stop all of this from happening.


You and I are only two
The fact that you or I are powerless against this massive problem because we are just single people.


What's right and wrong is hard to say
It's difficult to determine what is right and wrong since everyone is just a cog in a massive machine.


Forget about it for today
Even though we know that there is a quick-fix solution to these problems, we choose to ignore it.


We'll stick our heads into the sand
So, we ignore everything and pretend everything is alright while not doing anything to save our environment.


Just pretend that all is grand
We will fool ourselves into thinking that everything will be alright eventually.


Then hope that everything turns out OK.
We will close our eyes and hope that everything fixes itself without us having to lift a finger.


You're free to speak your mind my friend
In this society, you can say whatever you want as long as it agrees with the establishment.


As long as you agree with me
It's only acceptable to express an opinion if it is popular and agreed upon by others.


Don't criticize the father land
Under no circumstances are you allowed to criticize the government or establishment.


Or those who shape your destiny
It's also not socially acceptable to criticize those who hold a higher position than you.


Cause if you do
If you choose to criticize those who hold power, you will face consequences.


You'll lose your job your mind and all the friends you knew
If you criticize someone in power, you will get ostracized from society and your friends will abandon you.


We'll send out all our boys in blue
The authorities and law enforcement will be tasked with silencing any form of dissent or criticism.


They'll find a way to silence you.
The people in power will find a way to silence your criticism and keep you in check.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN KAY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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