“Lousy Sum of Nothing” is about humanity’s lack of collectively taking responsibility and caring about the ills of this world. “What a pity that he drowned” is in reference to the toddler Alan Kurdi who drowned on a Turkish coastline as his family fled the war as refugees from Syria:
Death of Alan...
And I don't know what we've become
Don't recognise the world as one
Reads like a sordid affair
And people don't know how to care
They make it up, they call it true
Like hating others is something new
And it keeps on coming round
What a pity that he drowned
And what do we do about it
We simply switch the channel
What do you feel now
The world has lost its loving
You're not gonna criticise
The injustice in the world
All that we feel again
A lousy sum of nothing
How do you feel now
Say and look me in the eye
Now I can see the medals won
They threw them on the Palace floor
But it wasn't on the news
They don't respect their views
And what do we do about it
When it isn't on the channel
What do you feel now
The world has lost its loving
You're not gonna criticise
The injustice in the world
All that we feel again
A lousy sum of nothing
How do you feel now
Say and look me in the eye
What do you feel now
The world has lost its loving
You're not gonna criticise
The injustice in the world
All that we feel again
A lousy sum of nothing
How do you feel now
Say and look me in the eye
Lousy Sum of Nothing was written by Vince Clarke & Andy Bell.
Lousy Sum of Nothing was produced by Matty Green & Erasure.
Erasure released Lousy Sum of Nothing on Sun Jan 01 2017.