20th Century Man

The Kinks

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Lyrics

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Heard in the following movies & tv shows

Life On Mars • s1e4

2006

Lyrics

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 wanna 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 to die 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 Cos the twentieth century people Took it all away from me. Don't wanna 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 wanna 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 wanna be here. 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 wanna be here