Babe, they say that this world is better than the last,
I wouldn't know, I have no way of living in the past,
Where once there was a garden the streets have overflowed,
From the Golden Gates to the East Block states, you can hear creation groan,
If there is a shining beacon out across the amber waves, it lies hidden on the teeming shores beneath the burned-out Chevrolets,
And the eyes that scattered high-rise hope across the fruited plain see TVs glowing in the projects through the greasy windowpane.

Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a long way down,
Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a long way to fall,
Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a long way down,
Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a big world after all.

Purple mountains' majesty has ratings that are poor,
History bows to coverage, moderation bows to more,
Far side of the ocean is the far side of the tracks,
All God's children learn to build and learn to watch their backs,
There are felons out in the prison yard imagining their release,
And the free thank God for the atom bomb, the keeper of the peace,
Another day, another chance to curse away the doubt,
Another night, another thousand points of light go out.

Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a long way down,
Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a long way to fall,
Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a long way down,
Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a big world after all.

Hypnotised and shuttled in the limousine of hate,
Watching the scenery shatter in the brittle jaws of fate,
Well, baby, I'm just another fare; I don't make the rules,
I'd break them if I thought it would do you some good.

Well, the diggers and the bankers, and the architects and fools got to work,
You can't stop them with bitter tears and golden rules,
It's a race to stay alive, baby, it's lawyers, tax, and steel,
'Til the life that you are living is the thing you never feel,
Babe, they say that this world is better than the last,
I wouldn't know, I have no way of living in the past,
Where once there was a garden, oh, the streets have overflowed,
From the Golden Gate to the East Block state, you can hear creation groan.

Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a long way down,
Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a long way to fall,
Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a long way down,
Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a big world after all,
Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a long way down,
Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a long way to fall,
Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a long way down,
Baby, it's a long'baby, it's a big world after all.