Dire Straits
"Industrial Disease"

Now warning lights are flashing down in Quality Control,
Somebody threw a spanner, they threw him in the hole.
There's rumors in the loading bay and anger in the town,
Somebody blew the whistle and the walls came down.
There's a meeting in the boardroom, they're trying to trace a smell,
There's leaking in the washroom, there's a sneak in personnel.
Somewhere in the corridor someone was heard to sneeze,
"Goodness me could this be Industrial Disease ?"

Caretaker was crucified for sleeping at his post,
Refusing to be pacified, it's him they blame the most.
Watchdog's got rabies, the foreman's got the fleas,
Everyone concerned about Industrial Disease.

There's panic on the switchboard, tongues in knots,
Some come out in sympathy, some come out in spots.
Some blame the management, some the employees,
Everybody knows it's the Industrial Disease.

Yeah now the work force is disgusted, downs tools walks,
Innocence is injured, experience just talks.
Everyone seeks damages, everyone agrees that,
These are "classic symptoms of a monetary squeeze".
On ITV and BBC they talk about the curse,
Philosophy is useless, Theology is worse.
History boils over there's an economics freeze,
Sociologists invent words that mean "Industrial Disease"

Doctor Parkinson declared - "I'm not suprised to see you here
You've got smokers cough from smoking,
Brewer's droop from drinking beer.
I don't know how you came to get the Bette Davis knees,
But worst of all young man you've got Industrial Disease."

He wrote me a prescription, he said "You are drepressed,
I'm glad you came to see me to get this off your chest.
Come back and see me later *ding* next patient please,
Send in another victim of Industrial Disease"

Ha,
Splendid.

I go down to Speaker's Corner I'm a thunderstruck,
They got free speech, tourists, police in trucks.
Two men say they're Jesus, one of them must be wrong,
There's a protest singer, he's singing a protest song.

He says "They wanna have a war, keep their factories,
They wanna have a war, keep us on our knees,
They wanna have a war to stop us buying Japanese,
They wanna have a war to stop Industrial Disease.
They're pointing out the enemy to keep you deaf and blind,
They wanna sap you energy, incarcerate your mind.
Give you Rule Brittania, gassy beer, page three,
Two weeks in Espana and Sunday striptease."

Meanwhile, first Jesus says - "I'd cure it soon
Abolish Monday mornings and Friday afternoons"
The other's out on hunger strike, he's dying be degrees.
How come Jesus gets Industrial Disease ?.