A harmony pop-based band from Hull, United Kingdom, The Majority relocated … Read Full Bio ↴A harmony pop-based band from Hull, United Kingdom, The Majority relocated to London in 1965 and signed a deal with Decca that saw them issue eight singles in just over two years. They never landed a hit, in spite of the fact that some of their songs were exclusives by the likes of The Kinks, Bee Gees and Twice As Much.

The Majority became Barry Ryan's backing band before relocating to France, where they extended their name to Majority One and issued a stack of 'Europe only' singles and one highly regarded album.

One Third
The Majority Lyrics

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One third of your life

(Spend one third) Spend one third
(Spend one third) Of your life in bed
(Spend one third) Why don’t you work?
(Spend one third) You might as well be dead
(Spend one third) “Life’s a drag”
(Spend one third) That is what you said

(Spend one third) You’d rather sleep
(Spend one third) Instead of earning bread

You said your life was easy living
That you just take and don’t do any giving
Giving, giving, giving, giving giving
Giving, giving, giving, giving giving

One third of your life

You said your life was easy living
That you just take and don’t do any giving
Giving, giving, giving, giving giving
Giving, giving, giving, giving giving

One third of your life

(Spend one third) Spend one third
(Spend one third) Don’t you know it’s a bed?
(Spend one third) Get out of bed

(Spend one third) No one lives in their bed
(Spend one third) No one lives in their bed...

Overall Meaning

The Majority's song One Third talks about spending one third of your life in bed. The lyrics encourage the listener to not waste their lives sleeping and instead to work hard towards their goals. The song highlights how some people may view their lives as easy living, taking but not giving, and not wanting to work.

The line "One third of your life, spend one third" is repeated throughout the song, reminding the listener of the amount of time they spend in bed. The lyrics then ask why the listener doesn't work and compares their life to being dead. The phrase "life's a drag" is also mentioned, indicating the negative attitude towards work and life.

The song's chorus repeats the lines about easy living and not doing any giving. The repetition emphasizes the idea that the person referred to does not contribute much to society and the world around them. The song concludes with a plea to get out of bed and live life, as no one lives their life entirely in bed.

Line by Line Meaning

One third of your life
The amount of time spent sleeping is one-third of a person's life.

(Spend one third) Spend one third
Utilize or allocate one-third of your life for productive work.

(Spend one third) Of your life in bed
Dedicate one-third of your life for sleeping or being in bed, which is a necessity for a healthy life.

(Spend one third) Why don’t you work?
If you spend one third of your life in bed, it's advisable to spend the remaining two thirds of your life on productive work rather than wasting your life.

(Spend one third) You might as well be dead
If you spend one-third of your life doing nothing, it's like being dead or not living life to the fullest.

(Spend one third) “Life’s a drag”
You said life is boring or dull, but that's not true since there are many opportunities to be productive and enjoy life.

(Spend one third) That is what you said
You commented about how boring life is since you spend one-third of your life sleeping or being in bed.

(Spend one third) You’d rather sleep
You prioritize sleeping or being in bed over earning money or being productive.

(Spend one third) Instead of earning bread
You waste one-third of your life sleeping, hence not earning any money to provide for yourself or your family.

You said your life was easy living
You claim that your life is easy going or without trouble, but it may be because you don't work enough or that you waste too much time sleeping.

That you just take and don’t do any giving
You only consume or take from the world without giving back or contributing anything worthwhile.

Giving, giving, giving, giving giving
Repeatedly emphasizing that giving or contributing is important and the opposite of taking without giving back.

(Spend one third) Don’t you know it’s a bed?
Reminding you that the place where you sleep is just a bed, a place to rest, not a place to waste your life by sleeping excessively.

(Spend one third) Get out of bed
Suggesting that it's time to get out of bed and be productive with your life.

(Spend one third) No one lives in their bed
Emphasizing that life is meant to be lived outside of bed, that being in bed for one-third of your life is not a way to live.

Contributed by Violet P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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