Industrial Disease Songtext
von Dire Straits

Now, warning lights are flashing down at 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 meetin′ in the boardroom, they're tryin' to trace the smell
There′s a leakin′ in the washroom, there's a sneak-in personnel
Somewhere in the corridors 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 got rabies, the foreman 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 surprised 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 depressed
But I'm glad you came to see me to get this off your chest
Come back and see me later, next patient, please
Send in another victim of industrial disease"

Ah! Splendid

Now, I go down to Speaker′s Corner, I'm 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 to 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 your energy, incarcerate your mind
Give ya "Rule Britannia", gassy beer, page three
Two weeks in España and Sunday striptease"
Meanwhile, the first Jesus says "I'll cure it soon
Abolish Monday mornings and Friday afternoons"
The other one′s out on hunger strike, he′s dying by degrees
How come Jesus gets industrial disease?