Newest Industry

(Album: Zen Arcade - 1984)

Been through mass destruction once, but once was not enough
Said we want a second chance, and all they say is tough
A world where science went too far, there's no way to survive
Why can't we get this thing straightened out, 'cause I want to stay alive

They burned and bombed the east and north and there's no place left to go
The sun belt's overcrowded, so let's annex Mexico
The peso's only worth a dime, but they've got all that land
There's no need for a civil war, we know they'll understand, right?

Is that how you like it?

Factories left unattended, crumbling to the ground
We tried to keep them running, but there's no more oil around
We used it all to fight a war that neither side could win
Vietnam was Little League compared to where we've been

Now we live in caves and huts, and we don't have pay TV
And everyone is signing up for the newest industry
Standard Oil goes solar power, all try to make a buck
I'll sit around and smoke cigarettes, and I'll babble "What the fuck?"

That's how I like it

We were just thinking about signing up for the newest industry
We'll sign up for the newest industry
Yeah, we'll sign up for the newest industry
Yeah, we'll sign up