I went to my mother, said - please make me king
I went to my mother, said - I've got to be king
She said son - well you've got to wait your turn
Patience is a virtue that you never seemed to learn
You were born with nothing, to nothing you'll return

Chorus:
Now, now the lights go out - there's no warning
Now, now the lights go out - there's no reason
Now, now the voices cry - we don't need you now

I went to my father, said - please make me king
Went to my father, said - I've got to be king
He said son - you've got to do your time
I've done fifty-three years and I haven't yet done mine
You're just one of the millions waiting in line

Chorus:
Now, now the lights go out - there's no warning
Now, now the lights go out - there's no reason
Now, now the voices cry - we don't need you now

History gave us meaning, gave us a place
Gave my father reasons for the lines on his face
But we asked for the money and money they gave
And God, how that made us easy to enslave
So today at the office, we picked up the cheque
The handshake of gold, the stab in the back
The old men went home silent and bowed
The young men went drinking, drowning it out
So in every street, in every town, comes some young pretender
Just gunning for a crown - take it- take it all

Chorus:
But now, now the lights go out . . .