We had a lot of “counter culture” music in the 60s and 70s, but I think The Boomtown Rats' song “When the Night Comes” really nails the issue with the world of work under capitalism and we've basically just ignored all the signs for the last 50 years of what a clusterfuck this is and how much it's ruined people's lives. We're supposed to be grateful we're not living impoverished lives in developing nations and accept that they've “nailed you to your table and chained you to your desk.”
We're told over and over for the last 50 years that the Frankie character in the song has achieved the good life. An office job, a place to live and at least basic food. Thanks Geldof for pointing out how depressing this existence really is… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi2J4CA5anQ
The offices are emptying their
Pale-faced wards into the street
Flickering their strip-light eyes
Shivering they readjust their lives from the air-conditioned heat
The humdrum and mundane
It's nearly driving them insane
You get hooked so quick to anything, even your chains
You're crouching in your corner till they open up your cage
[Chorus]
(When the night comes) It'll help you disappear
(When the night comes) Forget about the day that brought you here
[Verse 2]
Frankie takes the train and makes it
Home in time to catch the evening news
Opening a can of beans, he learns the world has
Turned without much help from him
Hey Frank, why not get drunk tonight?
Hey Frankie, I think it'll be alright
You'll be too far gone to notice when the neighbors start complaining
They're used to it by now cause every day's the same
[Chorus]
(And when the night comes) It'll help you disappear
(When the night comes) Forget about the day that brought you here
[Bridge]
And when the night comes
He might get on the phone
Oh, she's a stuck-up bitch
But she lives on her own
Oh, and he heard her talking dirty to the girls the other day
And she knew that he had heard her and she looked “As if to say”
And then later up in marketing while going through the files
She bent a little too far down, then turned around and smiled
He got her number, he got the phone
He dialed the number, he heard the tone
He said “Tonight's the night that I've been waiting for
Oh, I know you've seen me worship you from afar
And I might tell you that I love you and I will but just for
Tonight” One night's alright (Tonight)
Just one night, just one night, just one night
[Verse 3]
In his three piece cunning camouflage
Nobody can guess what Frankie's thinking
Last night she said “I don't know if I'm drowning
Maybe it's because I'm sinking”
He said “It'll be okay
I'll get outta here one day”
And she said “Frankie, you're no different from any of the rest
They've nailed you to your table and chained you to your desk”