Lyrics
Went to school I studied and got my G.C.E.
Reflects on formal education, achieving General Certificate of Education (G.C.E).
City and guilds and my sky diary
Mentions vocational qualifications (City and Guilds) and keeping a record of the sky (possibly metaphorical).
But it didn't do no good
Expresses dissatisfaction with the education and its outcomes.
Didn't like my looks
Didn't like personal appearance or self-image.
So I burnt my books
Rebelling against conventional education by burning books.
Spent 25 years doesn't matter anymore
Reflection on spending 25 years, suggesting a sense of time passing.
Stand around the streets
Describes idleness, possibly unemployment or lack of purpose.
And lay around the floor
Indicates a state of lethargy or disengagement with life.
Watch the world go by
Observing the world passively, detached from active participation.
Looking at the sky
Contemplating existence by looking at the sky.
25 years, 25 years
Repetition emphasizes the passage of 25 years and its significance.
They said there's a life up there in the galaxy
Suggests awareness of extraterrestrial life and possibilities beyond Earth.
The world in collision
References a world in chaos or conflict.
There's people with an allergy
People experiencing adverse reactions, metaphorical or literal, due to societal issues.
25 years of, 25 years of, 25 years of social research
Reflection on 25 years spent on social research, possibly questioning societal norms.
I started out one day and I worked in a factory
Describes working in a factory, starting a mundane job.
My mind went blank I needed a battery
Experiencing a mental block and seeking external energy or inspiration.
Didn't do no good
Expresses the ineffectiveness of the efforts made in line 21.
I got the sack, my work was slack
Job termination due to substandard performance.
Spent 25 years doesn't matter anymore
Repetition of spending 25 years, implying a sense of futility.
Stand around the streets
Describes idleness or lack of direction, repeating a previous theme.
And lay around the floor
Reiterates a state of lethargy or disengagement.
Watch the world go by
Observing the world passively, repeating a previous theme.
Looking at the sky
Contemplating existence by looking at the sky, repeating a previous theme.
25 years, 25 years
Repetition emphasizing the enduring impact of 25 years.
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