here's one for the migrant worker here from out of town
filling up the workshops, the cafés and the public housing
the streets ring with a new language
so many nationalist hackles raised
while the agencies and bosses strive to drive down the living wage
so many cheaper pairs of hands you see

we need SOLIDAIRTY
a commonwealth of toil that's YOU and ME

corporate codes of conduct, suits and shirts and ties
my generation made the party, but we forgot to ORGANISE
brightly coloured uniforms, light and scent and speed
enlisted for the profit of the service economy
will that be with cream and sugar sir? 

we need SOLIDAIRTY
a commonwealth of toil that's YOU and ME 

...READ UP ON PRECARITY, you'll see it's in the boss' favour
multinationals hop continents in search of yet more waivers
beware of those who would use our fears of one another
you can hear them on polling day saying BRITISH JOBS FOR BRITISH WORKERS...

plundered by global markets, pried open to the brand
it's so hard to make a living now we've lost the upper hand
economies will freefall, drive their workers from their homes
it's time to wake up to this system - recognise their struggle as your own
you know, BIG BUSINESS NEVER HAD YOUR BACK

we need SOLIDAIRTY
a commonwealth of toil that's YOU and ME 

the world won't 
see you straying
from the major
to the minor
be it parents
or homework 
or regret 
turning over

yes, place and time are easily stretched
beyond what you can seize
so you spend your life making things look
as easy as can be

big secrets
big hoping
holding on now
thinking sober
yes, straight down the middle line
walking a wire
biding your time

cuz hard and fast rarely applies
to you from day to day
you start out and then you get stuck 
all tooled up, afraid...