21st Century Life
Navigating the 21st Century: A Reflection on Sam Sparro's Musical Commentary
Lyrics
When I was a little boy living in the last century
Reflecting on childhood in the previous century.
I thought about living in the future then it occurred to me
Contemplating living in the future.
I turned around the future was now, the future was all around me
Realizing the present is the future imagined.
Nothing like I had imagined, it was totally confounding
The actual future differs from expectations.
21st century life, I got swept away
Being overwhelmed by 21st-century life.
I got 21,000 things that I gotta do today
Listing numerous tasks to be done.
21st century life, well what can I say?
Expressing uncertainty about contemporary life.
The new world's got me feeling so dirty
Feeling negatively impacted by the modern world.
Think I need to get down and play
Suggesting a need for leisure and relaxation.
Well, now I turned on the TV just in time enough to hear
Observing news coverage and social commentary.
What the Pope said, the Pope said
Referring to a statement from the Pope.
And just a few tiny words later somebody wants the man dead
Highlighting a desire for harm to someone.
What about famine and disease, well they said it's too bad, oops
Noting indifference to global issues.
Because I'm never alone, it's not just a phone, it's a stereo
Emphasizing constant connectivity through technology.
21st century life, I got swept away
Reiterating the overwhelming nature of modern life.
I got 21,000 things that I gotta do today
Enumerating a multitude of tasks.
21st century life, well what can I say?
Expressing uncertainty and discontent with the contemporary world.
The new world's got me feeling so dirty
Describing a negative impact of the new world.
Think I need to get down and play
Suggesting a need for escapism and enjoyment.
Now I'm not a little boy, I'm in the 21st century
Asserting adulthood in the current century.
Well, you might think we've come a really long way
Acknowledging progress but highlighting persistent inequality.
But there's still no equality
Addressing the lack of equality despite societal advancements.
I watched the news on my computer screen
Consuming news through digital means.
Talking about buying my weed out of a vending machine
Mentioning unconventional ways of obtaining substances.
You tell me I'm free but how can it be
Questioning the concept of freedom under constant surveillance.
When you're always watching me on the CCTV
Highlighting the omnipresence of surveillance through CCTV.
21st century life, I got swept away
Repeating the overwhelming nature of modern life.
I got 21,000 things that I gotta do today
Reiterating a long list of tasks.
21st century life, well what can I say?
Expressing discontent with contemporary life.
The new world's got me feeling so dirty
Describing a negative impact of the new world.
Think I need to get down and play
Suggesting a need for escapism and enjoyment.
21, 21, 21
Repetition emphasizing the 21st-century context.
I'm talking about 21, 21
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