We all have times of cheer and times of fear and loathing,
But if we need to make a choice not for the feeble
We will be choosing to be clad in wooden clothing,
People, people...

They’ll try to press us not to miss out on a thing;
"Come on", they’ll say, "you’ve still so much in store now -
You’ve only reached the point where life begins."
But then they’ll give a choice: "It’s either/or now."

Either beaches, feasts and seeing different places,
And even ships filled up with goods to overflowing,
Coaches, horses, private views, days at the races...
Or quite simply to be clad in wooden clothing.

And they’ll be cheerful or be filled with fear and loathing,
They’ll play kind judges or be jokers steeped in evil,
But they’ll propose that we be clad in wooden clothing,
People, people...

And they might try to win us round with cigarettes;
"Come on", they’ll say, "you need a smoke for sure now -
You haven’t even started living yet."
But then they’ll give a choice: "It’s either/or now."

Just take a drag and everything seems brighter -
Much nicer thoughts come to you when you’re smoking.
You long to light up, how you long to light up!
But you must choose now to be clad in wooden clothing.

And they’ll be charming and so eager to befriend us
And offer on a plate a life so gleeful,
But we’ll refuse it and then they’ll beat us senseless,
People, people, people...