In The Crowd
The Jam Lyrics

When I'm in the crowd, I don't see anything
The crowd is so overwhelming that it's hard to focus on anything specific

My mind goes a blank, in the humid sunshine
The experience is so overwhelming that it's hard to even think straight

I fall into a trance, at the supermarket
Everyday places like the supermarket become disorienting in a crowd

The noise flows me along, as I catch falling cans
The noise and chaos of the crowd is a force to be reckoned with, even as the everyday takes us by surprise

Of baked beans on toast, technology is the most
Even simple commodities like baked beans are now controlled by modern technology

And everyone seems just like me,
In the crowd, everyone seems to be sharing this same disorienting experience

They struggle hard to set themselves free
People are striving for individuality in a way that's limited by the overwhelming experience of the crowd

And their waiting for the change
Despite a lack of direction, people are waiting for something to happen

When I'm in the crowd, I can't remember my name
Individual identity starts to fade into the experience of the crowd

And my only link is a pint of walls ice cream
Even simple things like ice cream can seem like a lifeline in the overwhelming crowd

Sometimes I think that its a plot
There's a hint of conspiracy around the effect of the crowd

An equilibrium melting pot
The crowd is a cauldron of mixed influence

The government sponsors underhand
There's a sense that the government is somehow involved in the overwhelming effect of the crowd

And everyone seems that they're acting a dream
The group effect of the crowd means that everyone is acting a certain way, despite not necessarily agreeing with the action

Cause they're just not thinking about each other
Individual identity falls away, making it hard to connect with others in the crowd

And they're taking orders, which are media spawned
There's a sense of being controlled by the media in the crowd, with people taking orders to fit into the group

And they should know better, now you have been warned
Despite this sense of control, there's an acknowledgement that people should be able to see through it

And don't forget you saw it here first
A warning to remember the signs of crowd control

And life just simply moves along
Despite the chaos of the crowd, life still continues

In simple houses, simple jobs
Despite our striving for individuality, many people still lead lives of simplicity

And no ones wanting for the change
Despite the sense of waiting for something, people continue with their day-to-day lives