20th Century Man

Album: Muswell Hillbillies (1971)
Charted: 106
Play Video
  • This is the age of machinery
    A mechanical nightmare
    The wonderful world of technology
    Napalm hydrogen bombs biological warfare

    This is the twentieth century
    But too much aggravation
    It's the age of insanity
    What has become of the green pleasant fields of Jerusalem

    Ain't got no ambition
    I'm just disillusioned
    I'm a twentieth century man but I don't want, I don't want to be here

    My mama said she can't understand me
    She can't see my motivation
    Just give me some security
    I'm a paranoid schizoid product of the twentieth century

    You keep all your smart modern writers
    Give me William Shakespeare
    You keep all your smart modern painters
    I'll take Rembrandt, Titian, Da Vinci and Gainsborough

    Girl we gotta get out of here
    We gotta find a solution
    I'm a twentieth century man but I don't want, I don't want to die here

    Girl, we gotta get out of here
    We gotta find a solution
    I'm a twentieth century man but I don't want, I don't want to be here

    I was born in a welfare state
    Ruled by bureaucracy
    Controlled by civil servants
    And people dressed in grey
    Got no privacy, got no liberty
    'Cause the twentieth century people
    Took it all away from me

    Don't want to get myself shot down
    By some trigger happy policeman
    Gotta keep a hold on my sanity
    I'm a twentieth century man but I don't want to die here

    My mama says she can't understand me
    She can't see my motivation
    Ain't got no security
    I'm a twentieth century man but I don't want to die here

    I don't want twentieth century, man
    I don't want twentieth century, man
    I don't want twentieth century, man
    I don't want twentieth century, man

    This is the twentieth century
    But too much aggravation
    This is the edge of insanity
    I'm a twentieth century man but I don't want to be here Writer/s: Ray Davies
    Publisher: BMG Rights Management
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

TV Theme Songs

TV Theme SongsFact or Fiction

Was a Beatles song a TV theme? And who came up with those Fresh Prince and Sopranos songs?

Trucking Songs That Were #1 Hits

Trucking Songs That Were #1 HitsSong Writing

The stories behind the biggest hit songs about trucking.

Dave Mason

Dave MasonSongwriter Interviews

Dave reveals the inspiration for "Feelin' Alright" and explains how the first song he ever wrote became the biggest hit for his band Traffic.

Bryan Adams

Bryan AdamsSongwriter Interviews

What's the deal with "Summer of '69"? Bryan explains what the song is really about, and shares more of his songwriting insights.