Story Behind The Song
A moment of frustration about the tax system here in the UK, some of which can perhaps be perceived as slightly unreasonable..
Song Description
'Rat Race' takes a satirical look at getting caught up in the responsibilities of modern day life, cheekily poking a bit of fun at a subject to which most people can relate, and aiming to bring a smile to all of those who hear it.
| Song Length |
2:56 |
Genre |
Pop - General, Rock - Ska |
| Tempo |
Medium (111 - 130) |
Lead Vocal |
Duet Male/Female |
| Mood |
Sociable, Cheerful |
Subject |
Taxes, Comedy, Funny |
| Similar Artists |
Black Eyed Peas, The Fugees |
Language |
English |
| Era |
2000 and later |
| |
Lyrics
From 17.5 on the VAT
for the licence I have to pay for my TV,
giddy up giddy up they keep riding me,
council tax, bin tax, even tax to see
Who was it that said that this country's free,
I've paid out more than I'd like to believe
and I only have saving inside my dreams
because the tax man is coming to wipe me clean
Take my dough and rinse me out,
I don't doubt if they could that they'd clean me out,
I'm brok skint what! And I ain't got nowt,
bailiffs come a-knocking I pretend I'm out!
Let me tell you something I refuse to raise,
I don't need a medallion to feel in place,
I just close my eyes and I wind my waist
and I'm miles away meditating feeling great.
Hustling inside the Rat Race, you just keep on running round
(running round and round and round)
Time to break out, find a new place.
Before were run into the ground
Against a brick wall its just a pitful,
the systems running me down I'm turning pitbull,
ferocious, aggy when I quote this,
give me the set, one more as I toke it,
its hopeless, I can't cope, I'm the brokest,
disillusioned split seas like Moses,
knee-deep in the mess yet still smell like roses
suits bare fruits and gwarrn like posers.
I once had a 10 to 6
5 days a week I was knocking down bricks,
walls so high that it made an eclipse,
I was rich and legit but I didn't have.. shhh,
you see that line of work just wasn't for me,
I need a routine that allows me to be free,
so with a little bit of self-belief ,
I just laughed and I grafted to turn a new leaf.
What's that just leaf it out,
theres no doubt that this job's gonna wear me out,
gonna twist up my psyche and burn me out
till I'm slumped on the floor and my seeds can't sprout,
no doubt, you'll work me till I'm half dead,
you'll probably tax me for my last breath,
send in the bailiffs until there's nowt left,
not even tax free after my death
Hustling inside the Rat Race, you just keep on running round
(running round and round and round)
Time to break out, find a new place.
Before were run into the ground
I've been rolling round,
everywhere I go it's the same old sound,
and I'm falling down, hear me calling now,
and I'm gonna change the record cause its boring now!
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