Joneses Rule of Sport
The Wrens Lyrics


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the wife six kids
the boss the dog
and the mistress tuesday night
the kitchen sink
the midday drinks
it's a pool boy afternoon
your boy he's a girl
here's the daddy's football star
your girl she's a boy
not the prom queen anymore
forget what you've been taught
your just plastic sold and bought
because God knows all you want
in the Jones' rule of sport
elect the man get fooled again
and you bought the mayor's new lawn
a t.v. smile don't touch that dial
welcome to your life
it's done one by one
so you join the shopper's club
same hair same face
got to keep in the race
so you criticize / tie the noose too tight




leaves you spinning round and round
to impersonate your life.

Overall Meaning

The Wrens's song "Joneses Rule of Sport" is a commentary on the state of society in which people measure success by material possessions and appearances, rather than true happiness and fulfillment. The song describes the various characters in this society, including a man with a wife, six kids, a boss, and a mistress, as well as a pool boy and a father pushing his son to be a football star. The chorus condemns this lifestyle and mocks those who try to keep up with the Joneses, saying that they are just "plastic sold and bought" and have been fooled into thinking that material possessions will bring happiness.


Line by Line Meaning

the wife six kids
The man has a wife and six kids who he is responsible for taking care of.


the boss the dog
The man also has a boss and takes care of his dog.


and the mistress tuesday night
In addition, the man sees a mistress on Tuesday nights.


the kitchen sink
The man is overwhelmed with responsibilities, even the mundane household tasks like doing the dishes.


the midday drinks
To cope with his stress, the man indulges in drinking during the day.


it's a pool boy afternoon
The man spends a lazy afternoon by the pool and hires a pool boy to take care of maintenance.


your boy he's a girl
The man's son is struggling with gender identity and identifies as a girl.


here's the daddy's football star
Despite this, the man's son is a talented football player and the man takes pride in his son's success.


your girl she's a boy
In contrast, the man's daughter is struggling with gender identity and identifies as a boy.


not the prom queen anymore
As a result, the man's daughter no longer conforms to traditional gender norms, such as being prom queen.


forget what you've been taught
The song encourages the listener to forget traditional societal norms and to think for themselves.


your just plastic sold and bought
People are easily manipulated and controlled by societal expectations, like plastic objects being bought and sold.


because God knows all you want
The societal pressure to conform makes people forget what they truly want or desire.


in the Jones' rule of sport
This societal pressure is known as the 'Jones' rule of sport' which expects people to conform to certain norms to fit in.


elect the man get fooled again
Politicians often manipulate and deceive people, making them feel like they have a voice when really they are being misled.


and you bought the mayor's new lawn
People are also manipulated into buying things they don't need or want, like the 'mayor's new lawn'.


a t.v. smile don't touch that dial
Through mass media, people are often presented with a fake smile and are told what to think, but they should not tune out from it.


welcome to your life
This is the reality of people's lives and they must accept it.


it's done one by one
Despite the societal pressure to conform, people must make their own choices and decisions independently.


so you join the shopper's club
People try to fit in by joining 'shopper's club', buying things they don't need to fit in with the norm.


same hair same face
People conform and look alike, losing their individuality.


got to keep in the race
People feel the pressure to compete with others and remain part of the societal norms to fit in.


so you criticize / tie the noose too tight
People often criticize others who don't conform to norms, and may try to force them to conform too aggressively.


leaves you spinning round and round
People become stuck in this cycle of societal pressure, spinning around and around without a way out.


to impersonate your life.
In the end, people may feel like they are living a fake life, impersonating someone else and not truly living their own authentic life.




Contributed by Leah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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