Friday, April 08, 2022

Ping Pong - Stereolab


When's a pop song more than just a pop song? When it's one of the sharpest summaries of the economic and political system that you're ever likely to hear. If the lyrics have ever passed you by (and they passed me by for years) cop a load of this:

It's alright 'cause the historical pattern has shown
How the economical cycle tends to revolve
In a round of decades, three stages stand out in a loop
A slump and war, then peel back to square one and back for more

Bigger slump and bigger wars and a smaller recovery
Huger slump and greater wars and a shallower recovery

You see the recovery always comes 'round again
There's nothing to worry for things will look after themselves
It's alright, recovery always comes 'round again
There's nothing to worry if things can only get better

There's only millions that lose their jobs and homes and sometimes accents
There's only millions that die in the bloody wars, it's alright

It's only their lives and the lives of their next of kin that they are losing
It's only their lives and the lives of their next of kin that they are losing

It's alright 'cause the historical pattern has shown
How the economical cycle tends to revolve
In a round of decades, three stages stand out in a loop
A slump and war, then peel back to square one and back for more

Bigger slump and bigger wars and a smaller recovery
Huger slump and greater wars and a shallower recovery

Don't worry, be happy, things will get better naturally
Don't worry, shut up, sit down, go with it and be happy

Bloody genius. 

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