Dégénérations (English)

Your great great grandfather cleared a little piece of land
Your great grandfather helped to plow the field by hand
And your grandfather took it, made it grow and made it thrive
Then your father sold it off and took a steady nine-to-five

As for you, young man, in the city all alone
In a one-bedroom loft winter chills you to the bone
When you dream at night you feel the shovel in your hand
As you walk the fields of that little piece of land

Well now Your great great grandmum She had fourteen kids to raise
And then Your great grandmum nearly followed in her ways
Then your grandmother had three and decided to prevent
And your mom had just the one and she was an accident

As for you, little girl, a different partner every night
And if anything goes wrong, you go to town and put it right
But in the silent morning you can almost hear the sound
Of a big kitchen table all the children gathered round

Your great grandfather's dad Was a depression-era man
And your grandfather's dad Counted pennies in the hand
And thank God, your granddad became a millionaire
Then your dad retired early to live off of his share

As for you, young man, you owe your soul to uncle sam
You can't even get a loan, and nobody gives a damn
And so fight the temptation to commit armed robbery
You read those books about how to embrace simplicity

Your great great grandmom and dad They knew how to throw it down
Then your great grandmom and dad went a-swinging through this town
And your grandmom and dad They sang twist and shout all night
Your mom and dad met at a disco and it was love at first sight

As for you, my friend, how do your evenings go?
Can you break away from the television glow
Some things never change under any circumstance
Put your new shoes on kid cos we're going out to dance!