The Circus

Quite simply, this song is in reference to the disappearing culture (and importance, respect) of the working class. A commentary of the very british values in the class system.

Call it new technology And they use it to burn And they show no concern

Advancements in human technology are being implemented, but the effects are devastating people being affected and the environment, but those beholden to the shareholders care not.

Work for their prosperity while the big wheels turn now it's too late to learn

The workers made the owners of the businesses rich and prosperous when management needed the laborers, but now they do not need anyone because they have the machines to do the work. The workers eked out a living when useful, but now that they are useless to those in power it is too late to realize the workers were never going to get ahead.

Don't upset the teacher though we know he lied to you, Don't upset the preacher Gonna close his eyes for you

School, educators, universities, etc. tell you that if you work hard and study you can be gainfully employed. But education is no guarantee that you will be able to make your way in the world. The church tells you that working hard is the path to a better life, but what practical answers do religious institutions really have when you are desperate. It’s all useless when you and your family are homeless and hungry.

And it's a shame That you're so afraid Just a worker waiting In the pouring rain Putting back the pieces Of a broken dream

Now that you have experienced ECONOMIC VIOLENCE, you will never be the same. The insecurity, the loss of identity that came with your job/profession, the feelings of impotence in the world, the inability to be with friends and family who are doing ok because you resent their success and cannot stand their pity, the unfairness of it all…

Father worked in industry, Now the work has moved on, And the factories gone See them sell your history, Where once you were strong And you used to belong There was once a future For a working man, There was once a lifetime For a skillful hand Yesterday

You watched your parents as an example of what was the way to be successful in the world, except the model that worked for them is no longer applicable. Your skill and knowledge are no guarantee of success like they were a generation ago. Your community, which gave you strength is tearing apart. You are now an outsider with “no meaning or control, and nowhere left to go” (common people, by Pulp).

Putting back the pieces, Of a broken dream Tempers fray so easily In desperate despair, Is there anyone that cares

A secondary effect of being under/un-employed is that causes stress in marriage. Serious depression sets in, and you feel all alone.

Just another tragedy, Just a personal affair In a room somewhere

With no way out, you see suicide as the only option. All alone you take your life.