Hmm, no, no, no [Verse 1] We needed insulation. We needed something fireproof. We needed something cheap that could keep the cold out too. They found asbestos. It seemed to fit the bill. It wouldn’t burn. It wouldn’t break. It probably never will. So they put it in the buildings, in the ceilings and the floors, wrapped it round the water pipes, covered walls and doors. It solved the problem perfectly. It did exactly what they said. Then they discovered it could slowly kill us dead. Hmm, no, no [Verse 2] We needed better engines. They knocked and wouldn’t run. They found a little lead and suddenly they were good as done. It made the motor run just right. raised compression More powerful engine. More miles driving into the night. So they put it in the fuel. Millions burned it every day. Into engines, into cities, into everything they made. It solved the problem perfectly. It made the engines fly. Then they discovered They were poisoning the air and sky. [Chorus] What were they thinking? What did they think would happen? They solved the problem that was right in front of them. They made it better. stronger. faster. They made it last. We know now, it’s our past. Hmm, no, no [Verse 3] We needed refrigeration. We needed something cold. Something stable, something harmless, something safe enough to hold. They found CFCs. They seemed almost ideal. They didn’t burn. They didn’t react. They didn’t seem to yield. So they put them in the fridges. They put them in the sprays. They put them in the factories. We used them for decades. They solved the problem perfectly. They worked just as we’d hoped. Then they discovered we had punched a hole in the ozone. [Chorus] What were they thinking? What did they think would happen? They solved the problem that was right in front of them. They made it better. stronger. faster. They made it last. We know now, it’s our past. [Bridge] We don’t know what we’re doing. We don’t know what we’re doing. We don’t know what we’re changing when we’re changing everything. We don’t know what we’re making. We don’t know what we’re breaking. We don’t know what comes after when we’re busy with before. [Instrumental] We don’t know. We don’t know. We don’t know. [Chorus] What were they thinking? What did they think would happen? They solved the problem that was right in front of them. They made it better. stronger. faster. They made it last. We know now, it’s our past. [Chorus — final] What were they making? What were they making? They made it better. stronger. faster. They made it last. We know now, it’s our past. [Outro — rapid, accumulating] Ledded petrol. Asbestos dust. CFCs. DDT. PCBs. PFAS. PFOA tributyltin Mercury. Radium. Benzene. TCE. Thalidomide. DES. Vioxx. Tobacco. Plastic. Microplastic. Forever chemicals. made them. used them. needed them. loved them. Then learned. Then learned. Then learned.
