Now “Man is born to trouble
Sure as sparks to Heaven fly.”
So said the man sat all alone
In the corner of my eye.
I said, “Why the long face? Why so sad?
Things cannot be that bad!”
He said, “My aching bones tell of trouble on the road
And you can’t make light of this load”
He said, “You can’t make light of this load.”

Now just don’t get me started on work, trust or money,
There are not enough hours in the day.
In a land where nothing works except the answering machines
You have to watch what you say.
All the high hopes of the Thatcher’s breed
Lie crushed beneath some eighties creed.
Well “Moaning Minnies” we may be just don’t let us explode,
You can’t make light of this load.
They say, “You can’t make light of this load.”

Seems that grumbling is a privilege, a pleasure and a pastime
For those approaching ‘middle rage.’
“The burden fits the back” they say, and I know I’ve got mine,
Thank heavens for the minimum wage!
"Things only get better, " they cried,
But over health and work and money they lied.
Well their patron saint is Meldew and complaining is the mode.
You can’t make light of this load.
They say, “You can’t make light of this load.”

“Oh, don’t the days seem lank and long
When all goes right and none goes wrong.”
So avoid the sad old so-and-so with his sorry episode,
Who can’t make light of his load, lads!
Who can’t make light of his load.

  • tetris11OPMEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    References used in this song:

    Quick Assessment

    The song is a very anti-Thatcher/Conservatives song, but the sentiment of the song could be applied to any authority who exploits labourers (Kings, Slave Owners, etc.). But the language is pretty entrenched in 80isms, so this places the song into the 1980s. However someone from the 1760s would understand 3/7 references.

    Modifications

    • “Thatchers Breed/Eighties Creed” could be easily switched into “<current tyrant’s> breed/<year> creed”.
    • The “answering machines” line in the context of “you gotta watch what you say” could be switched to “spies and the thieves” and still carry the same meaning.
    • “Moaning minnies” is a quote directly from Thatcher herself on the miner’s strike, so this could be changed into another line referencing an uncaring tyrant and still work since it does not need to rhyme.
    • “burden fits the back” I think actually makes sense by itself, and most audiences would be able to work the meaning of either people creating their own problems, or people being molded by their troubles.
    • “why the long face” doesn’t need to rhyme with anything, so this could be changed to “why the sorrow” and still work

    Final Verdict

    Many of the 80s lines can be changed, making the minimum wage line the main limiting factor. This song could easily be sung in a tavern from the late 1300s onwards