Ballad

When they look back at us and they write down their history

What will they say about our generation?

We're the ones who knew everything still we did nothing

Harvested everything, planted nothing

Well we live pretty well in the wake of the goldrush

Floating in comfort on waves of our apathy

Quietly gnawing away at Her body

Until we mortgage the future, bury our children

Storehouses full with the fruits we've been given

We send off the scrag-ends to suckle the starving

But still we can't feed this strange hunger inside

Greedy, restless and unsatisfied

I was never much one for the great "big bang" theory

Going out in a blaze of suicidal glory

Not foolish and brave, these leaders of ours

Just stupid and petty, unworthy of power

Just a little leak here and a small error there

Another square mile poisoned forever

A series of sad and pathetic little fizzles

And out go the lights, never to return

The affair it is over, the passion is dead

She stares at us now with the ice in Her eyes

But we turn away from these bitter reproaches

And take up distractions to forget what we're doing

Well I stand on these hills and I watch Her at night

A thousand square miles, a million orange lights

Wounded and scared, She lies silent in pain

Raped and betrayed in the cold acid rain

And I wish and I wish

We could start over again

Yes I wish and I wish

We could win back Her love once again