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20th Century Man (2022 Remaster) Lyrics by The Kinks

The Journey, Pt. 2

1971

[Verse 1]
This is the age of machinery
A mechanical nightmare
The wonderful world of technology
Napalm, hydrogen bombs, biological warfare
This is the twentieth century
But too much aggravation
It's the age of insanity
What has become of the green pleasant fields of Jerusalem?
[Chorus]
Ain't got no ambition
I'm just disillusioned
I'm a twentieth-century man but I don't want
I don't wanna be here
[Verse 2]
My mama said she can't understand me
She can't see my motivation
Just give me some security
I'm a paranoid, schizoid product of the twentieth century
You keep all your smart modern writers
Give me William Shakespeare
You keep all your smart modern painters
I'll take Rembrandt, Titian, Da Vinci, and Gainsborough
[Chorus]
Girl, we gotta get out of here
We gotta find a solution
I'm a twentieth-century man but I don't want
I don't want to die here
Girl, we gotta get out of here
We gotta find a solution
I'm a twentieth-century man but I don't want
I don't want to be here
[Bridge]
I was born in a welfare state
Ruled by bureaucracy
Controlled by civil servants
And people dressed in grey
Got no privacy, got no liberty
'Cause the twentieth-century people
Took it all away from me
[Chorus]
Don't wanna get myself shot down
By some trigger-happy policeman
Gotta keep a hold on my sanity
I'm a twentieth-century man but I don't wanna die here
[Chorus]
My mama says she can't understand me
She can't see my motivation
Ain't got no security
I'm a twentieth-century man but I don't wanna die here
[Bridge]
I don't want twentieth-century, man
No more twentieth-century man
I don't want twentieth-century, man
[Chorus]
This is the twentieth century
But too much aggravation
This is the edge of insanity
I'm a twentieth-century man but I don't wanna be here
Credits
The Kinks

The Kinks

About “20th Century Man (2022 Remaster)” by The Kinks

Read the complete lyrics to "20th Century Man (2022 Remaster)" by The Kinks from the album "The Journey, Pt. 2" in 1971. 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 Proto-Punk, UK, British Rock.

"20th Century Man (2022 Remaster)" is performed by The Kinks. from the album "The Journey, Pt. 2" in 1971 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 "20th Century Man (2022 Remaster)", explore more songs by The Kinks 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

"20th Century Man (2022 Remaster)" is credited to The Kinks. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"20th Century Man (2022 Remaster)" appears on "The Journey, Pt. 2" in 1971.

Visit the The Kinks artist page at /artist/the-kinks for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.