Lyrics: Gregory Holgate
It's my pleasure to welcome you
To your new home in apartment two
With one bedroom and a splendid view
Just don't forget when the rent is due
We expect all residents to
Abide by TENANCY RULES
Keep quite, keep clean
KEEP TELLING THE TRUTH
Present evidence of any elements who
Have better to do than to comply
With our societal requirements
Those who stay in line
Might just survive until retirement
Pay no mind as I enquire just
WHY the other night you went
To the laundry room to hide
An item in the dryer, FRIEND?
This block is state-provided
And you'd be wise to be grateful
Side with every regulation
And you'll find food on the table
It's not a state, provided
You find decadence is wasteful
It's been perfect since the state decided
What dΓ©cor is tasteful
As property manager
My job is sorting the utilities
Disposal of the garbage
And the laundering facilities
Why would I compile
A full report on your activities?
I'm just a standard landlordβ¦
GLORY TO THE MINISTRY
Lock the doors and close the curtains
Hold your breath
Lest you should speak your sins
But you can't keep a secret
From the building that you keep it in
Befriend your fellow tenants
Show a smile and keep it pleasant
But know everyone's a friend
Until you need to turn some people in
It's the breathing on the phone
Hiding just beneath the tone
It's the things that shift
When no one's home
Well, you may be on your own
But you'll never be alone
Yes, we all live here
But it's NO ONE'S HOME
To get through the day
It behoves you to play
By the rules and behave
Do the state preapprove
All the tunes that you play?
When alone in the room
Well,to whom do you pray?
Assume that your neighbours are moving away
When the black van come the night
And you're numb to the sight
Of another one fumbling fur somewhere to hide
As their wife just runs for their life
'Fore the ones with the guns can arrive
And they're gone 'fore the sun can arise
To a government provided bunker
For some REALIGNMENT
It's just fine
You can trust it's a wonderful time
Just go about your business normally
No one's following,I'm not recording
Your paranoia is awfully boring
According to all of your friends
That talk to me
Most importantly
Please speak clear when you're broadcasting
Your honest thoughts on the law or economy
My provided mics are tiny
And I can't transcribe properly
Should you ever behold
Me with my peepers pressed to a keyhole
You can truse
I'm just checking the tumblers for rust
I'm a CUSTODIAN,not a MINIATRY MOLE
Settle in for a night on the couch
No questioning what that red light is about
Now bleeping on your ceiling
Since the time you went out
It's just a little gaslighting
Put aside any doubts
You're fine in your house
So confide to your spouse
Any crimes carried out
Any tiny maount of new ideas
Found just a mite out of bounds
'Cause I'm writing them down
In a timestamped account
What's it matter,every night or two?
If I sneak in,have rifle through
But depending what I find,well you'll
Be faced with another kind of RIFLE too
Privacy is the cry of the
DEFIANT TO COMPLIANCY
But greast my palm and I minght not see
Those books they banned from the libraries
What do you mean,that that's not yours?
It appeared one night in your cabinet drawers?
I have to report it, I regret
BUT of courst,I could forget
Societal ideals are reliably pliable
So the rise of a tyrant
Becomes entirely viable
You will find that the spying
Is really quite justifiable
Why are you crying
When it's your blind eye that's liable?
Handy landlord here
To FIX your ventilation whistling
Too many questions
And it's not the air
That needs conditioning
That telephone's not tampered with
Of course it isn't listening
But were it,it prefers the words
"GLORY TO THE MINISTRY"
Lock the DOORS and close the CURTAINS
Hold your breath
Lest you should speak your SINS
But you CAN'T keep a secret
From the BUILDING that you keep it in
Befriend your fellow tenants
Show a SMILE and keep it PIEASANT
But know everyone's a FRIEND
Until you need to TURN SOME PEOPLE IN
It's the BREATHING on the phone
Hiding just BENEATH the tone
It's the things that SHIFT
When NO ONE'S HOME
WELL,you may be on your own
But you'll NEVER be alone
YES,WE ALL LIVE HERE
BUT IT'S NO ONE'S HOME