Industrial Disease by Dire Straits
Industrial Disease by Dire Straits

Industrial Disease

Dire Straits * Track #28 On The Studio Albums 1978 - 1991

Download "Industrial Disease"

Album The Studio Albums 1978 - 1991

Industrial Disease by Dire Straits

Release Date
Mon Sep 20 1982
Performed by
Dire Straits
Produced by
Mark Knopfler
Writed by
Mark Knopfler
About

This is the third track on Dire Straits' 1982 album “Love Over Gold.” This is also the first song on the vinyl album’s B-side. It’s storytelling format closely resembles that of the opening track, Telegraph Road, and has a similar mistrust of industry.

Industrial Disease Lyrics

[Instrumental Intro]

[Verse 1]
Now, warning lights are flashing down at Quality Control
Somebody threw a spanner, and they threw him in the hole
There's rumors in the loading bay and anger in the town
Somebody blew the whistle and the walls came down
There's a meeting in the boardroom
They're trying to trace the smell
There's a leaking in the washroom, there's a sneak in personnel
Somewhere in the corridors, someone was heard to sneeze
Goodness me, could this be industrial disease?

[Verse 2]
The caretaker was crucified for sleeping at his post
They're refusing to be pacified, it's him they blame the most
The watchdog's got rabies, the foreman's got the fleas
Everyone's concerned about industrial disease
There's panic on the switchboard, tongues in knots
Some come out in sympathy, some come out in spots
Some blame the management, some the employees
And everybody knows it's the industrial disease

[Verse 3]
Yeah, now the work force is disgusted, downs tools, walks
Innocence is injured, experience just talks
Everyone seeks damages and everyone agrees
That these are "classic symptoms of a monetary squeeze"
On ITV and BBC they talk about the curse
Philosophy is useless, theology is worse
History boils over, there's an economics freeze
Sociologists invent words that mean "industrial disease"

[Verse 4]
Doctor Parkinson declared "I'm not surprised to see you here
You've got smoker's cough from smoking
Brewer's droop from drinking beer
I don't know how you came to get the Betty Davis' knees
But, worst of all young man you've got industrial disease"
He wrote me a prescription he said "You are depressed
I'm glad you came to see me to get this off your chest
Come back and see me later, next patient please
Send in another victim of industrial disease, ha-ha
Ha, splendid!"

[Verse 5]
And I go down to Speaker's Corner I'm-a thunderstruck
They got free speech, tourists, police in trucks
Two men say they're Jesus, one of them must be wrong
There's a protest singer, he's singing a protest song, he says
"They want to have a war to keep their factories
They want to have a war to keep us on our knees
They want to have a war to stop us buying Japanese
They want to have a war to stop Industrial Disease

[Verse 6]
They're pointing out the enemy to keep you deaf and blind
They want to sap your energy, incarcerate your mind
Give you Rule Brittania, gassy beer, page three
Two weeks in España and Sunday striptease"
Meanwhile the first Jesus says "I'd cure it soon
Abolish Monday mornings and Friday afternoons"
The other one's out on hunger strike, he's dying by degrees
How come Jesus gets industrial disease?

[Instrumental outro 4:09-5:50]
Oh no... I'm sick!

Industrial Disease Q&A

Who wrote Industrial Disease's ?

Industrial Disease was written by Mark Knopfler.

Who produced Industrial Disease's ?

Industrial Disease was produced by Mark Knopfler.

When did Dire Straits release Industrial Disease?

Dire Straits released Industrial Disease on Mon Sep 20 1982.

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