I heard about the hipsters and the beats

Heard about the radicals and the freaks

Who broke down the walls to set themselves free

But that's so long ago it's ancient history

Makes it hard for us who want change to prevail

In knowing that others before us failed

With this monkey climbing all over our backs

So hard to mount a new attack

Getting away with everything

At this point it's all been done

After all this change, the problem's the same

Now we're back to square one

Now we're back to square one

The promise of freedom, the barriers down

Merely brought a whole new set of rules to town

What was once liberating has now turned sour

Just think of the people drugs have devoured

So what do you do when every thrill's been picked clean?

When every frontier's been tamed by money and greed

When every honest thing you do just fills up somebody's pocket

There's a strong temptation to just say fuck it

Getting away with everything

At this point it's all been done

After all this change, the problem's the same

Now we're back to square one

Now we're back to square one

There's a crowd outside with their minds on war

Who want to take away the rights so hard-fought for

They're hysterical in screaming out their fears

They want to turn back the calendar thirty years

Here the rest of us stand, divided and splintered

Unable to act, our hopes so hindered

This monkey climbing all over our backs

So hard to mount a new attack

A new attack, a new attack, a new attack...