Thatcher was in power Times were tight and sour The letter A was sprayed in a circle everywhere
And everybody's head was gettin' shaved or spiked My sister stitched her flares and made 'em into drainpipes She was into Adam Ant and Wuthering Heights I was getting into Madness and grifter bikes
Mom had to work late, I had no complaints Used to get away with murder when Grandad babysat Used to play fox and hound 'til the sun came down, singin' Lip Up Fatty, running wild through the ghost town
And all I wanted was Doc boots and braces My ear pierced, 'So, mum, what's a racist?' She didn't explain that we weren't quite Caucasian, as we could see black children on some future occasion And she'd keep that shtum All my friends are gettin' brainwashed NF and swastikas they're scratchin' on the desktops
Riots and violence on the TV broken down on Newsround while eatin' Toast Toppers, watchin' coppers get beat down Church discos and trips with the play scheme Dancin' to ska, kissing the girl of my dreams My tenth birthday and those two-tones stay pressed Money in my card I bought One Step Beyond, yes Lent it to a friend, never got it back Dear Jim could you fix it for me? Remember that?
Just a 70s baby, early 80s child Reminiscin' 'bout the days in the brick backyard Just a 70s baby, early 80s child Reminscin' 'bout the days and you think times are hard
Oh, let me tell you now, woo, oh, a wicked witch was in power And oh, my god she did devour Cast a spell called depression made a living hell Turned man against man forgot the boys and girls We had no future, home computer Had to make do with what we had Knock-a-door-run and the hand-me-down gowns Current beat, upbeat, Cracker Jack of Underground, synthpop, Muppet Show, electro on the radio Mum, turn it up, it's a new thing, yeah
Now all I want is high tech's with fat bass He's got the next best friend started scratchin' and breakin' Snatch your racks and battery by the stack to keep the boom box from going flat Didn't cope and went in over the store with a performance kid this place has never been so packed Street light for a spot light, cardboard box for a stage And if you had a score to settle you resolved it with your breakin' Not like now they're using guns and bats Robbin' old folk, we don't need no more of that
Just a 70s baby, early 80s child Reminiscin' 'bout the days in the brick backyard Just a 70s baby, early 80s child Reminscin' 'bout the days and you think times are hard
Every brick and every stone thrown Was for you and me They stood firm Truly revolutionary Gave back as good as what they go