Degeneration

Your great-great-grandfather cleared the land
Your great-grandfather plowed the land
And then your grandfather made the land profitable
And then your father sold it to become a civil servant
And then you, my boy, don't know what you're going to do
In your too expensive, cold in winter, one-bedroom apartment
You feel like becoming a homeowner
And you dream at night of having your own little piece of land

Your great-great-grandmother had fourteen children
Your great-grandmother had almost as many
And then your grandmother had three, that was enough
Then your mother didn't want any; you were an accident
And then you, my little girl, change partners all the time
When you mess up, you get out of it by having an abortion
But some mornings you wake up crying
When you dream at night of a big table surrounded by children

Your great-great-grandfather lived in great misery
Your great-grandfather collected black pennies
And then your grandfather, miraculously, became a millionaire
Your father inherited it and put it all in his RRSP
And then you, young one, owe your ass to the government
No way to get a loan from a bank
To calm your desires to hold up the cashier
You read books about voluntary simplicity

Your great-great-grandparents knew how to party
Your great-grandparents had lively gatherings
Then your grandparents experienced the yé-yé era
Your parents were into disco, that's where they met
And my friend, what are you doing with your evening?
Turn off your TV, don't stay cooped up
Luckily, in life, there are things that refuse to change
Put on your best clothes because tonight we're going dancing