This song is about the way that Peter Gabriel perceives the world. A man tells him he’s selling eternal youth, but the narrator rejects this idea. Instead he reaffirms that there’s “one way” in this world, and “time is money”.
[Verse 1]
Saturday is shopping day and I drive my car
But there's no place to park it
No respect for supermen in the supermarket
I guess there must be trouble, but I've not been alerted
Looking round the store, it was all deserted
And I'm stranded here with my empty basket
So full of questions, but nowhere to ask it
[Pre-Chorus]
By the one way out, strange voice shouts
“Don't let that good man out!”
[Chorus]
“Have a wonderful day in our one-way world
One way, one day
Have a wonderful day in our one-way world
One way, one day
One-way man, one-way mind
Get along with mankind”
[Verse 2]
There's an old man on the floor, so I summon my charm
I say, “Hey scumbag, has there been an alarm?”
He says, “Yeah, I been selling off eternal youth
They all got afraid, because I'm the living proof
My name is Einstein, do you know time is a curve?”
I said, “Stop, old man! You've got a nerve
Because there's only one rule that I observe
Time is money, and money I serve”
[Pre-Chorus]
By the one way out, strange voice shouts
“Don't let that good man out!”
[Chorus]
“Have a wonderful day in our one-way world
One way, one day
Have a wonderful day in our one-way world
One way, one day
Have a wonderful day in our one-way world
One way, one day
One-way man, one-way mind
Get along with mankind
One-way man, one-way mind
Get along with mankind”
A Wonderful Day in a One-Way World was written by Peter Gabriel.
A Wonderful Day in a One-Way World was produced by Robert Fripp.
Peter Gabriel released A Wonderful Day in a One-Way World on Fri Jun 02 1978.