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Industrial Disease Lyrics by Dire Straits

The Studio Albums 1978 - 1991

1982

[Instrumental Intro]
[Verse 1]
Now, warning lights are flashing down at Quality Control
Somebody threw a spanner, and they threw him in the hole
There's rumors in the loading bay and anger in the town
Somebody blew the whistle and the walls came down
There's a meeting in the boardroom, they're trying to trace the smell
There's a leaking in the washroom, there's a sneak in personnel
Somewhere in the corridors, someone was heard to sneeze
Goodness me, could this be industrial disease?
The caretaker was crucified for sleeping at his post
They're refusing to be pacified, it's him they blame the most
The watchdog's got rabies, the foreman's got the fleas
Everyone's concerned about industrial disease
There's panic on the switchboard, tongues in knots
Some come out in sympathy, some come out in spots
Some blame the management, some the employees
And everybody knows it's the industrial disease
[Verse 2]
Yeah, now the work force is disgusted, downs tools, walks
Innocence is injured, experience just talks
Everyone seeks damages and everyone agrees
That these are classic symptoms of a monetary squeeze
On ITV and BBC they talk about the curse
Philosophy is useless, theology is worse
History boils over, there's an economics freeze
Sociologists invent words that mean industrial disease
[Verse 3]
Doctor Parkinson declared "I'm not surprised to see you here
You've got smoker's cough from smoking, brewer's droop from drinking beer
I don't know how you came to get the Betty Davis' knees
But, worst of all young man you've got industrial disease"
He wrote me a prescription he said "You are depressed
I'm glad you came to see me to get this off your chest
Come back and see me later, next patient please
Send in another victim of industrial disease, ha-ha-ha-ha
Ha, splendid"
[Verse 4]
And I go down to Speaker's Corner I'm-a thunderstruck
They got free speech, tourists, police in trucks
Two men say they're Jesus, one of them must be wrong
There's a protest singer, he's singing a protest song, he says
"They want to have a war to keep their factories
They want to have a war to keep us on our knees
They want to have a war to stop us buying Japanese
They want to have a war to stop Industrial Disease
They're pointing out the enemy to keep you deaf and blind
They want to sap your energy, incarcerate your mind
Give you Rule Britannia, gassy beer, page three
Two weeks in España and Sunday striptease"
Meanwhile the first Jesus says "I'd cure it soon
Abolish Monday mornings and Friday afternoons"
The other one's out on hunger strike, he's dying by degrees
How come Jesus gets industrial disease?
[Instrumental Break]
[Outro]
(Oh no, I'm sick)
Credits
Dire Straits

Dire Straits

About “Industrial Disease” by Dire Straits

Read the complete lyrics to "Industrial Disease" by Dire Straits from the album "The Studio Albums 1978 - 1991" in 1982. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under In English, England, Protest Songs.

"Industrial Disease" is performed by Dire Straits. from the album "The Studio Albums 1978 - 1991" in 1982 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Industrial Disease", explore more songs by Dire Straits using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Industrial Disease" is credited to Dire Straits. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Industrial Disease" appears on "The Studio Albums 1978 - 1991" in 1982.

Visit the Dire Straits artist page at /artist/dire-straits for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.