Mad Mad World
The 7A3 Lyrics

A little bit more attitude?
Would you like to approach something with a more bold or confident attitude?

Teenage years are full of complications
Adolescence is a difficult period of life with many challenges

You go to school to get an education
Attending school is meant to provide one with knowledge and skills

Never realizin that there's a limitation
Not fully understanding that there are barriers or boundaries to what one can achieve

If you don't get a job or a fresh occupation
Unless one secures a job or new career path

With your parents there's no communication
One's parental figures may not be providing emotional support or understanding

You feel a lotta fear, a lotta frustration
Experiencing many negative emotions such as anxiety and anger

Knowin your only destination
Understanding that the only future prospect is

Is to be a nobody in this population
To lack any significant status within society

So you set ahead with your I-can't-do's
Facing obstacles with a mindset of defeatism

Leavin your troubles behind and all your hard time blues
Attempting to move beyond difficult times and hardships

Because becomin an adult can leave your mind in a twirl
The process of maturing and taking on greater responsibility can be overwhelming

When you think you know it all in a mad, mad world
The realization that even as an adult there is still much to learn and the world can be a chaotic place

Look at Ethiopia, and what do you see?
If you observe Ethiopia, what is visible?

I said you can't tell the children from the elderly
It is difficult to distinguish between young and old individuals

And when you look in their eyes, all you see is peace
Despite their struggles and hardships, there is a sense of serenity in their eyes

Cause from the agony they want to be released
They desire relief from their suffering

You see, they're fightin for their lives with every breath
Ethiopian people are struggling to survive under difficult circumstances

Against famine, disease and the claws of death
Fighting against hunger, illness, and death

Now this was once a mighty nation
Ethiopia was once a powerful and prosperous country

But then came the plague that they call starvation
However, the country was devastated by a widespread famine

Now the stomach feels the pain, shocks the brain
The severe lack of food is causing physical and mental distress

All because one day it decided to rain
The natural disaster of drought caused the food crisis

And the land is dry while the mothers cry
The land is barren and the people are suffering, especially mothers who are unable to feed their children

And the babies that are born are born to die
Newborns are not surviving in the harsh conditions

See the flies on their faces, dust in the air
The environmental conditions are dire, with insects surrounding the people and dust clouding the air

The attitude we take is I don't care
The general response to this global crisis is a lack of concern or empathy

But I guess it hurts me more than any other
The singer is expressing a personal connection to the situation, empathizing with the Ethiopian people

That's not a kid, that's my little brother
The singer imagines that the people suffering in Ethiopia are like his own family members

Death is walkin the nation, takin boys and girls
Many lives are being lost, including young people

And all I say to myself is it's a mad, mad world
The singer is recognizing the cruel and chaotic nature of the world

It's a mad, mad world, whether poor or rich
The world can be overwhelming and disordered, regardless of one's financial status

Because you're livin with the problems that you're tryin to ditch
People often carry their problems with them, making it difficult to escape them

I mean your daughter is an addict, your husband has left
Examples of personal problems that are ever-present and hard to resolve

You have to pay for the bills of your ( ? ) death
The expense of death, such as paying for a funeral, can be overwhelming

Mentally abused, day in and day out
Experiencing ongoing psychological mistreatment

Your stress point fills up, you're ready to shout
The accumulation of stress may lead one to feel ready to yell or scream

But let me tell you a little something, that will not work
The singer is advising the listener that responding to stress with anger is not an effective solution

Cause all you will find out are more problems that hurt
Anger may lead to more issues and pain

Can't pay for all your rent so you try to hide
Financial instability can lead to avoiding rent payments and trying to conceal that fact

And when that doesn't work you commit suicide
Feeling overwhelmed and hopeless may lead one to contemplate or attempt suicide

And now who has the problems? Your little girl
Unfortunately, others may be negatively affected by one's actions or struggles

And do you know why? Cause it's a mad, mad world
The singer is attributing the cause of these problems to the chaotic and stressful nature of the world

Let's take for example the Vietnam war
An instance of war that is being used to illustrate the impact and consequences of conflict

Sent our boys to the jungle, never told em what for
Sending young men to war without a clear understanding of the purpose or consequences

Some thought that they'd be heroes, for their destiny was bound
Some soldiers believed that going to war would make them into heroes or fulfill their destiny

A lot are still missing, never to be found
Many soldiers went missing during the Vietnam war and were never located

Why are we fighting the war is what a lotta people said
Many individuals questioned the validity and purpose of the war

While parents prayed every night, their sons were dead
Families were living through the fear and loss of losing loved ones in battle

Took mommy's little boy, left him in a foreign land
The war took away innocent young men and left them in a foreign, dangerous environment

Said, You're fightin for your country, you better be a man
Soldiers were expected to be brave and dutiful in fighting for their nation

Better watch yourself, kid, and do the best you can
Young soldiers had to be vigilant about staying safe and doing their best in battle

Cause one wrong move can mean you're dead where you stand
The stakes in war were high and making a mistake could mean losing one's life

He finally gets home, another war is goin on
After returning from war, soldiers found themselves facing a new set of problems and conflicts

Some are sayin that he's right while other say he's wrong
There were differing opinions about the rightness or wrongness of the Vietnam war and soldiers returning from it

When all he ever wanted was a warm embrace
Soldiers returning from war simply desired love and acceptance after their difficult experiences

Of love, but instead we spit in his face
Society had little appreciation or understanding for the trauma of war that returning soldiers faced

And shoved him aside to become an outcast
Veterans often felt alienated from society and not understood or accepted

With a bitter hate and a pain for the past
The trauma and pain of war often stayed with soldiers long after their return

No one understood his hatred or confusion
Returning war veterans often felt alone and isolated in their emotional struggles

Said he was a fool and was livin in illusion
Society often dismisses or ridicules those who struggle with mental health issues or emotional trauma

Thinkin of society and how he must adjust
Soldiers returning from war often felt tremendous pressure to integrate back into society

Dreamin of his buddy who he saw blown in the dust
The horrors of war often haunt veterans in their memories and dreams

Got a chip on his shoulder, it must weigh a ton
Returning veterans often felt bitter and resentful, carrying the weight of their experiences with them

Can't hold a job cause he's been killin from 18 to 21
The emotional trauma and physical toll of war often make it difficult for veterans to find employment and integrate into civilian life