Fear Itself Songtext
von Loudon Wainwright III

Everybody′s scared everybody's nervous everybody feelin′ uptight
Nobody knows when the hammer's comin' down
Might be today tomorrow or tonight
Everybody′s talkin′ 'bout 1929
80 long years ago

In the 70s we waited for gas on a line
Man that seems like next to nothin′ now you know
Bought myself a house over in the valley
Thought I had a money makin' machine
Can′t sell the place now I'm in a dark alley
Livin′ the American dream

You know that job I always said that I hated
Well, yesterday they gave me the sack
Lovin' your work is so damn overrated
I sure wish to God I had that job back
Check out the illegals standin' on the corner
Watchin′ all the cars go by


Lord they used to look bored but now they′re lookin' hungry
You can see the desperation in their eyes
I guess you′re glad you got yourself a college education
That oughta come in handy one day
Why I just read about a guy robbed a fillin' station
On account of college loans he had to pay (back)

It′s pretty bad here but it's really bad there
And in Iceland there′s a riot goin 'on
In L.A. they're shuttin′ down the DMV on Friday
Now the weekend feels a little too long

You got depression and recession
Inflation and deflation
Lord it messin′ with my heart and soul and brains
I'm sick of all the stimulation I need a long vacation
I′ll take along a book by Maynard Keynes

Grandma used to tell us how she lived through the depression
And the best way out is always right through
But she was mean and crazy just a nasty old lady
Stay in bed that's what I′m gonna do