Once Upon a Time
Echoes of Integrity Lost: Once Upon a Time by Jimmy Nail
Lyrics
buy brown besoms buy them when they're new
Encourages buying brooms made of brown twigs when they are new.
buy broom bessoms better never grew
Suggests that broom twigs are better when they never grow.
once upon a time we had a lead to follow
Reflects on a past era where there was a clear leader to follow.
well respected men used to show the way
Describes a time when respected men served as guides and role models.
folks would follow on 'cause they believed the promise
People followed because they believed in a promise made by these respected men.
well respected men would never betray
Asserts that these well-respected men were trustworthy and would not betray.
now look around it's hard to see integrity
Observes the current difficulty in finding integrity or honesty.
you ask for direction and they don't know
Notes that asking for directions now yields uncertainty.
once upon a time the sun was shin’n brightly
Recalls a time when the sun used to shine brightly.
but once upon a time was a long time ago
Contrasts the past optimism with the acknowledgment that it's long gone.
once upon a time we built a revolution
Refers to a historical period of building a revolution.
big steel wheel roll around the world
Describes a powerful force symbolized by a big steel wheel traveling globally.
ten ships sailed and whaled and delivered
Depicts the efficient delivery of essential goods by ten ships.
all the food necessary for the boys and girls
Highlights the provision of food for both boys and girls.
then one day came a man with a mission
Introduces a man with a mission to take away established ways of life.
to take away everything they know
States the intention to disrupt and dismantle everything people know.
once upon a time was a land for heroes
Reminisces about a time when the land was for heroes.
but once upon a time was a long time ago
Acknowledges that this heroic era is now a distant past.
once upon a time things were oh so simple
Recalls a period when things were simpler and more straightforward.
you did a day's work you got a day's pay
Describes a time when a day's work was rewarded with a day's pay.
it didn't come to much but it kept a wife and children
Emphasizes that although the pay was modest, it supported families.
burned in the lantern that’ld light the way
Refers to the symbolic burning of a lantern, providing guidance.
now all's left is the story of a memory
Points out that only the story of a memory remains.
the real thing fades with a dying glow
Indicates that the real essence fades as memories lose their intensity.
once upon a time this was a land of plenty
Reflects on a time when the land was abundant and prosperous.
but once upon a time was a long time ago
Reiterates that this prosperous era is now a distant past.
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