Lyrics This Is Your Life - The Last Poets

(You have) nothing to say, you just hear and obey
Just silently playin' your roles
While others decide whether you live or die
And mad men "man" the controls

It's a quarter to the hour and the SUPERPOWERS
Are standin' toe to toe
They are talkin' slick and movin' quick
And the whole thing's about to blow

They are actin' tough and callin' bluffs
While the human masses cringe in fear
Knowin' one mistake could seal their fate
And there might not be another year

They are viewin' the world like a giant pearl
To be split down the middle
The ultimate goal is total control
And that presents a riddle

It's beneath the ground that the treasures are found
And humanity is in the way
And so all the rest upon that bet
In this deadly game of chess they play

(You have) nothing to say, you just hear and obey
Just silently playin' your roles
While others decide whether you live or die
And mad men "man" the controls

They are in a race to conquer space
And build an artificial planet
But will the prize be our demise
For takin' things for granted

They ought to be alarmed at the nuclear arms
That they are putting into place
We've got to save our behinds by using our minds
And stayin' on the case

(You have) nothing to say, you just hear and obey
Just silently playin' your roles
While others decide whether you live or die
And mad men "man" the controls

They'll be no time to dash when you see the flash
It's gonna come all of the sudden
So just close your eyes and realize
Some fool's gonna push the button

And that mushroom cloud hangin' like a shroud
And the atmosphere all aflame
Not even time to pray on this awful day
And nobody left to blame

They'll be no property harmed with the neutron bomb
And not very much devastation
But what worries me, is if they'll be
And future generation

So tell me why stand idly by
Lost in song and laughter
When the next thing you'll see, in reality
It just might be THE MORNING AFTER

I said they could, at least, make a bid for peace
Before they get down to the wire
They could avoid a fight, reduce the military might
If "peace' is what they desire

If they don't try, why we all must die
Along ... with the Earth
And, if that's the deal, let's be for real
What would it all be worth

The trillions they waste in developing space
It could be better spent on the poor
We have plenty to give, we deserve to live
Like the generations gone before

So, what's it gonna be, for you and for me
With ROBOTS rulin' the land
And the latest craze will be to slave
Some computerized SUPERMAN

It's a part of a dream- a diabotical scheme
To develop a mechanical race
Hatchin' robot babes from mechanical eggs
And designin' them to take our place

So we better not wait until it's too late
To try to stop the final war
'Cause, if you don't succeed, there will be no need
Since we won't exist any more
So don't be deceived and please don't believe
You can survive a nuclear blast
Because, once it's hit, why, then, that's it
You are something of the past

In some distant time, in some distant climb
From the other galazy
They will survey the pole of the gaping hole
Where this planet used to be

And so that's the threat, the stage is set
The countdown has begun
Maybe we'll see, the benefits
In some future life to come

(You have) nothing to say, you just hear and obey
Just silently playin' your roles
While others decide whether you live or die
And mad men "man" the controls