Like They Used To

[Verse 1] They don’t build them like they used to, That’s what the old folks say. But the ones that fell apart, my friend, Aren’t standing here today. We praise the castles and cathedrals, The pyramids and domes, But forget the ones that crumbled, And left behind no stones. [Chorus] Oh, they don’t build them like they used to, Or so the story goes. But the ones that failed aren’t here to tell, Their tale nobody knows. What you see is just the lucky few, The rest are out of sight. Survivor bias blinds the mind, And dims the broader light. [Verse 2] You hear about the college dropouts, Who made their millions fast. But for every one who struck it big, A thousand didn’t last. They cheer the startups making billions, But here’s a little clue: Most of them went bankrupt, And you’ll never read their news. [Chorus] Oh, they don’t build them like they used to, Or so the story goes. But the ones that failed aren’t here to tell, Their tale nobody knows. What you see is just the lucky few, The rest are out of sight. Survivor bias blinds the mind, And dims the broader light. [Bridge] The planes that came home told their story, With bullet holes on display. But the ones that fell are silent still, Their truth just fades away. So when you see success and wonder, Remember this one thing: It’s the quiet failures in the shadows, That make the winners sing. [Final Chorus] Oh, they don’t build them like they used to, Or so the story goes. But the ones that failed aren’t here to tell, Their tale nobody knows. So take a step back, and look again, At what we celebrate. The truth lies in the gaps unseen, And not just in the great. [Bridge] The planes that came home told their story, With bullet holes on display. But the ones that fell are silent still, Their truth just fades away. So when you see success and wonder, Remember this one thing: It’s the quiet failures in the shadows, That make the winners sing. [Final Chorus] Oh, they don’t build them like they used to, Or so the story goes. But the ones that failed aren’t here to tell, Their tale nobody knows. So take a step back, and look again, At what we celebrate. The truth lies in the gaps unseen, And not just in the great. [End]