[Verse 1]
Well, I'm dressed up so nice
And I'm doin' my best
And I'm startin' over
I'm startin' over in another place
Lemme tell you a story
A big chief with a golden crown
He's got rings on his fingers
And he walks up, up to the throne
He's makin' shapes with his hands
And don't you dare sit back
Now don't you dare sit down
And don't you dare speak up

[Chorus]
And on the first day, we had everything we could stand
Ooh, who could have asked for more?
And on the second day, there was nothing else left to do
Ooh, what a day that was, oh

[Verse 2]
Well, there are 50,000 beggars
Roaming in the streets
And they have lost all their possessions
And they have nothing left to eat
Down come a bolt of lightning
Start an electrical storm
And starts a chain reaction
Go pull a fire alarm
I said I, I'm dreaming of a city
It was my own invention
I put the wheels in motion
A time for big decisions
[Chorus]
And on the first day, we had everything we could stand
Ooh, and then we let it fall
And on the second day, there was nothing else left at all
Ooh, what a day that was

[Bridge]
Oh, a day that was
Ooh, and that's the way it goes
There's a million ways to get things done
Three's a million ways to make things work out

[Verse 3]
Well, I'm going right through
And the light came down
And they're roundin' 'em up
From all over town (ha ha)
They're movin' forward and backwards
Movin' backwards and front
And they're enjoying themselves
Movin' in every direction
And if you feel like you're in a whirlpool
You feel like going home
You feel like talking to someone
Who knows the difference between right and wrong
[Chorus]
Oh, and on the first day, we had everything we could stand
Ooh, and then we let it fall
And on the second day, there was nothing else left at all
Ooh, what a day that was, oh

[Outro: David Byrne, with Ednah Holt and Lynn Mabry]
We're goin' boom, boom, boom
And that's the way we live
And in a great big room
And that's the way we live
We're goin' boom, boom, boom
And that's the way we live
And in a great big room
And that's the way we live
We're goin' boom, boom, boom
And that's the way we live
And in a great big room
And that's the way we live
Ha, ha