Lights Go Out

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