The Future is Not What It Was
The Clockworks Lyrics
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While the shops are robbing us
The jobs are taken
And the boss is a snob
Who thinks that
Time is cheating him
His wife is doing the same
Life is greeting usWith a 'thank you and good day'
The cops are sleeping
While the shops are robbing us
The jobs are taken
And your boss is a snob
Who thinks that
Time is cheating him
His wife is doing the same
Life is greeting us
With a 'Fuck you and good day""
Who puts cops in the can?
Pander to backhanders?
Course they can
That's just part and parcel of
The humdrum in the hustle man
Settling your debts
Betting on roulette
That's what we get when
Narcissistic slickers
Trick us into more installment plans
Who puts a stop to The Man
Pander to backhanders?
Course they can 'cos
That's just part and parcel of
Everything is fine
Everything is fine
Oh everything is...
Anodyne the mind with dreams
They're selling from a Transit van
The future is not what it was
The future is not as good as it was
Everything's OK
They're coughing up the coffers
For a doffing off the coppers
While they're stocking up the coffins
Something rotten in the office
Drop the ball and blame all of the other
Players for the failure, well
In the end the movie had nothing on the trailer
And the cops are sleeping
While the shops are robbing us
The jobs are taken and the boss
Is a snob who thinks that time
Is cheating him, his wife is doing the same
Life is greeting us with a fuck you and good day.
Everything's OK.
"The Future is Not What It Was" by The Clockworks is a biting and satirical commentary on the state of society and the disillusionment many people feel towards the future. The song highlights a sense of apathy and corruption that permeates different aspects of life.
The opening lines, "The cops are sleeping while the shops are robbing us," suggests a lack of law enforcement or accountability, allowing for corruption and crime to thrive. The lyrics also emphasize the inequality and mistreatment within the workplace, with the boss being portrayed as a snob who feels cheated by time. The repetition of the phrase "life is greeting us with a 'thank you and good day'" and later "with a 'fuck you and good day'" showcases a dismissive and uncaring attitude towards ordinary individuals.
The song then delves into the wider system and its flaws. The lyrics question who has the power to hold those in authority accountable, implying that those in charge often pander to corruption and bribes. The reference to settling debts and gambling further reinforces the theme of a society where individuals are trapped in a cycle of financial struggle and exploitation.
The chorus, "The future is not what it was, the future is not as good as it was, everything's OK," presents a juxtaposition between the bleak reality and a disingenuous attempt to convince oneself that everything is fine. The lyrics highlight how society often turns a blind eye to the issues at hand, distracting themselves with shallow dreams and false promises.
Line by Line Meaning
The cops are sleeping
The police are inactive and not fulfilling their duty
While the shops are robbing us
Businesses are taking advantage of us and exploiting us
The jobs are taken
There are no employment opportunities available
And the boss is a snob
The employer is arrogant and dismissive
Who thinks that time is cheating him
The boss feels that he is being deprived of time
His wife is doing the same
The boss's spouse is also behaving similarly
Life is greeting us with a 'Fuck you and good day'
Life is treating us with disrespect and hostility
Who puts cops in the can?
Who holds law enforcement accountable?
Pander to backhanders?
Cater to corrupt individuals?
Course they can
Of course they can
That's just part and parcel of the humdrum in the hustle man
That is an inherent aspect of the monotonous and competitive nature of life
Settling your debts
Resolving your financial obligations
Betting on roulette
Taking uncertain risks
That's what we get when narcissistic slickers trick us into more installment plans
That is the consequence of being deceived by self-centered individuals into additional financial commitments
Who puts a stop to The Man?
Who challenges those in power?
That's just part and parcel of the humdrum in the hustle and
That is an inherent aspect of the monotonous and competitive nature of life
Everything is fine
Everything appears to be acceptable
Anodyne the mind with dreams they're selling from a Transit van
Dull the mind with unrealistic aspirations being peddled to us
The future is not what it was
The future is different from what it used to be
Everything's OK
Everything is seemingly satisfactory
They're coughing up the coffers for a doffing off the coppers
They are paying a significant amount of money to avoid prosecution
While they're stocking up the coffins
Meanwhile, they are accumulating a large number of casualties
Something rotten in the office
There is corruption and unethical behavior in the workplace
Drop the ball and blame all of the other players for the failure
Fail to take responsibility and shift the blame onto others
Well in the end the movie had nothing on the trailer
Ultimately, the reality or outcome did not live up to the expectations or promises
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: James McGregor, The Clockworks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@augib
The cops are sleeping
While the shops are robbing us
The jobs are taken
And the boss is a snob
Who thinks that
Time is cheating him
His wife is doing the same
Life is greeting us
With a 'thank you and good day'
The cops are sleeping
While the shops are robbing us
The jobs are taken
And your boss is a snob
Who thinks that
Time is cheating him
His wife is doing the same
Life is greeting us
With a 'Fuck you and good day""
Who puts cops in the can?
Pander to backhanders?
Course they can
That's just part and parcel of
The humdrum in the hustle man
Settling your debts
Betting on roulette
That's what we get when
Narcissistic slickers
Trick us into more installment plans
Who puts a stop to The Man
Pander to backhanders?
Course they can 'cos
That's just part and parcel of
The humdrum in the hustle and
Everything is fine
Everything is fine
Oh everything is...
Anodyne the mind with dreams
They're selling from a Transit van
The future is not what it was
The future is not as good as it was
Everything's OK
They're coughing up the coffers
For a doffing off the coppers
While they're stocking up the coffins
Something rotten in the office
Drop the ball and blame all of the other
Players for the failure, well
In the end the movie had nothing on the trailer
And the cops are sleeping
While the shops are robbing us
The jobs are taken and the boss
Is a snob who thinks that time
Is cheating him, his wife is doing the same
Life is greeting us with a fuck you and good day.
Everything's OK.
@eoinmolloy7967
Not sure what the future holds, but I know it needs a Clockworks album!
@MusicNewsWeb
World class tune! There is no musical justice in this world, this should be getting a billion plays a day! Just sublime!
@MrGameSock
This band is going to be big, I can feel it.
@PrimitiveInTheExtreme
🎶✨💫🌟💫✨🎶
@toxicthecat457
This is awesome. This builds up a head of steam and that guitar is fantastic.
@JonnosWorld
This song is so bloody good. It's really picked me up out of a hole recently, and got me back on the grind, despite life greeting us with a "fuck you anger day".
@sydneynovak-i6r
This band is so underrated
@nathanbeecham8323
These guys might be this generation's Joy Division
@besty1792
In 2021 I would really like to see Clockworks, Fountaines and so many others playing somewhere around England!
@Dylatov
easily my fave clockworks song