Future
Todd Rundgren Lyrics


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I remember the world of tomorrow
I remember the world of tomorrow

I'm supposed to drive a flying car
I'm supposed to have a house on Mars
I'm supposed to live 200 years
I'm supposed to live, I'm supposed to live in
The future is now

I remember the world of tomorrow
I remember the world of tomorrow

Where's the office building two miles high?
And the ocean liner 12 blocks wide?
Where's the supertrain that's solar powered
Average speed 600 miles an hour?
I'm supposed to get my eyesight back
I'm supposed to gain all things I lack
I'm supposed to live devoid of fears
I'm supposed to live, I'm supposed to live in

The future is now

Where's the better world that was declared
At the 1964 World's Fair?
Where's the only orb that's got a plan?
It's at EPCOT Center Disneyland
We're supposed to all drive flying cars
We're supposed to all have homes on Mars
We're supposed to live 200 years
We're supposed to live, we're supposed to live in





The future is now

Overall Meaning

The song "Future" by American musician Todd Rundgren is a nostalgic reflection on the future that was promised to the generations that came before us. The lyrics describe the unfulfilled dreams of a better world, with a higher quality of life and technological advancements beyond our imagination. The singer remembers the promises of flying cars, solar-powered supertrains, and colonies on Mars that never materialized. The chorus, "I remember the world of tomorrow" is a poignant reminder of how far short we have fallen in achieving the futuristic visions that were once held so dear.


The song also serves as a commentary on the human condition and our tendency to put off progress until some unspecified moment in the future. The singer longs for a future where all our problems have been solved, where we can live free from fear and want. However, the repeated refrain that "The future is now" suggests that we have the power to make such a world a reality, if only we are brave enough to take the necessary steps.


Overall, "Future" is a song that inspires us to think about the world we want to build for ourselves and future generations. It reminds us of the potential for progress, while also highlighting the need for action to make that progress a reality.


Line by Line Meaning

I remember the world of tomorrow
I have a vivid memory of all the promises of futuristic technology and society that were made in the past.


I'm supposed to drive a flying car
There was a promise that we would all be driving cars that can fly but this hasn't come to pass yet.


I'm supposed to have a house on Mars
Another promised future attraction was a house on Mars, which is yet to be realized.


I'm supposed to live 200 years
The promise of a longer lifespan has not been made manifest either.


I'm supposed to live, I'm supposed to live in
All these are things I was supposed to experience in a future that I thought was within reach.


The future is now
But these things have not materialized, and I am reminded that the future is already here.


Where's the office building two miles high?
There was an expectation that office buildings would be constructed at impossible heights but this hasn't happened yet.


And the ocean liner 12 blocks wide?
Another promise made was the construction of massive ocean liners, but none have been built to date.


Where's the supertrain that's solar powered
We were also promised environmentally friendly transportation such as solar powered trains, which have not been invented yet.


Average speed 600 miles an hour?
The maximum speed of the promised supertrain was supposed to be 600mph.


I'm supposed to get my eyesight back
There was an expectation that medical technology would restore lost vision, but this has not been possible yet.


I'm supposed to gain all things I lack
The promise of a technology that would give us everything we lack lingers but is yet to be invented.


I'm supposed to live devoid of fears
There was an expectation of a world without the fear and crimes that exist today.


Where's the better world that was declared
The promise of a better world through technology has not been realized even after decades since it was declared.


At the 1964 World's Fair?
The fair was the event where many of the technological promises of the future were made.


Where's the only orb that's got a plan?
The earth is the only place that we know of, which we can develop and make our future center point.


It's at EPCOT Center Disneyland
EPCOT Center, a popular amusement park is a place that is likely to give us a glimpse of what the future could be.


We're supposed to all drive flying cars
We all hoped that everyone would drive flying cars in the future.


We're supposed to all have homes on Mars
The hope was that we will all own homes on Mars.


We're supposed to live 200 years
There was also an expectation of a longer lifespan through technological advancement.


We're supposed to live, we're supposed to live in
All these were supposed to make our lives better and more enjoyable, but this hasn't come to pass yet.


The future is now
However, whatever we hoped to have is yet to be realized, just as various technological advancements have already been made which bring the future to us today.




Contributed by Landon R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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