The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
A mass of hands press on the market window
Ghosts of progress
Dressed in slow death
Feeding on hunger
And glaring through the promise
Upon the food that rots slowly in the aisle
A mass of nameless at the oasis
That hides the graves beneath the masters hill
Buried for drinking
The rivers water
While shackled to the line
At the empty well
This is the new sound
Just like the old sound
Just like the noose wound
Over the new ground
Listen to the fascist sing
Take hope here
War is elsewhere
You were chosen
This is god's land
Soon well be free
Of blot and mixture
Seeds planted by our
Forefathers hand
A mass of promises
Begin to rupture
Like the pockets
Of the new world kings
Like swollen stomachs
In Appalachia
Like the priests that fuck you
As they whisper holy things
A mass of tears have transformed to stones now
Sharpened on suffering
Woven into slings
Hope lies in the rubble of this rich fortress
Taking today what tomorrow never brings
This is the new sound
Just like the old sound
Just like the noose wound
Over new ground
Aint it funny how the factorys doors close
Round the time that the school doors close
Round the time that the doors of the jail cells
Open up to greet you like the reaper
Aint it funny how the factorys doors close
Round the time that the school doors close
Round the time that a hundred thousand jail cells
Open up to greet you like the reaper
This is the new sound
Just like the old sound
Just like the noose wound
Over the new ground
Like ashes in the fall
Ghosts of progress
Dressed in slow death
Feeding on hunger
And glaring through the promise
Upon the food that rots slowly in the aisle
A mass of nameless at the oasis
That hides the graves beneath the masters hill
Buried for drinking
The rivers water
While shackled to the line
At the empty well
This is the new sound
Just like the old sound
Just like the noose wound
Over the new ground
Listen to the fascist sing
Take hope here
War is elsewhere
You were chosen
This is god's land
Soon well be free
Of blot and mixture
Seeds planted by our
Forefathers hand
A mass of promises
Begin to rupture
Like the pockets
Of the new world kings
Like swollen stomachs
In Appalachia
Like the priests that fuck you
As they whisper holy things
A mass of tears have transformed to stones now
Sharpened on suffering
Woven into slings
Hope lies in the rubble of this rich fortress
Taking today what tomorrow never brings
This is the new sound
Just like the old sound
Just like the noose wound
Over new ground
Aint it funny how the factorys doors close
Round the time that the school doors close
Round the time that the doors of the jail cells
Open up to greet you like the reaper
Aint it funny how the factorys doors close
Round the time that the school doors close
Round the time that a hundred thousand jail cells
Open up to greet you like the reaper
This is the new sound
Just like the old sound
Just like the noose wound
Over the new ground
Like ashes in the fall
Lyrics submitted by piesupreme
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"Ain't it funny how the factory's doors close Round the time that the school doors close Round the time that the doors of the jail cells Open up to greet you like the reaper"
Outernationalist nailed the interpretation of this verse.
Zack was heavily into the Zapatista movement and the problems within the Mexican education system. US corporations opened Maquiladoras, or factories, in Mexico, in order to take advantage of the devalued Mexican peso. Within 10 years, the US corporations closed the factories and moved to Asia, leaving the Mexican laborers nothing, no pension and no severance.
Mexico's educational infrastructure is highly dysfunctional. Education is a privilege, not a right. The govt provides free schooling until the 6th grade. From 7th grade until completion, the family pays for textbooks. Children of poor families are mostly likely to drop out.
The corruption of Mexico's justice system has reached it's breaking point. Their prisons are revolving doors. The Poor and marginalized - most waiting to be tried, remain indefinitely incarcerated.
Although, most prominent in Mexico and third world countries, these issues (on some level) are happening everywhere govt and corporations put profits ahead of people.