[Verse One]:
Light a Newport, get a paper from the porch
Can't believe the bars don't let the people smoke indoors
An empty beer can, a couple old sales receipts
Movie ticket stub, a pizza box from last week
Watching westerns on his black and white TV set
Digital converter box the government made him get
Stain in his shag carpet, no time to clean it yet
Thinking about hitting the bank and cashing his check

[Hook]:
Back when it all was simple
Before they took it all away
They sold us all tomorrow
Then they stole our yesterday

[Verse Two]:
Take a ride, hop inside the Delta 88
Road map and an atlas is on his backseat
Dice is in the mirror, pine trees keep the air fresh
Reach into the glove box and pull out his favorite cassette
Damn, thinking music just ain't what it used to be
Ain't been the same since CDs and MTV
He miss the vinyl LPs and the milk crates
So right before he walk in the bank he flip the tape

[Hook]:
Back when it all was simple
Before they took it all away
They sold us all tomorrow
Then they stole our yesterday

[Verse Three]:
Teller ask how he's doing, he says "Fine"
They let him know he can check his account balance on line
He laughs and say, "Truthfully, that's out of the question"
Cause he heard about the internet but still don't trust it
Get on the freeway, it's under construction all the time
Glance down at the buildings crowding the skyline
Most of the spots he used to frequent all closed
They call it "progress", he calls it "Nightclubs and condos"

[Hook]:
Back when it all was simple
Before they took it all away
They sold us all tomorrow
Then they stole our yesterday

This song right here goes out to all my people
That’s happy with what they got, you know?
Despite that everybody around you is telling you
That what you got ain’t good enough, you know?
Like what if… what if I don’t want that upgrade man?
Like what if what I got works fine for me, you know?
That don’t mean I’m not ambitious, does it?
I hope not man, I hope not

[Hook]:
Back when it all was simple
Before they took it all away
They sold us all tomorrow
Then they stole our yesterday