What Can You Do?

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Details

Written by:	Greg Graffin
Released in:	1988
BPM:	171

Lyrics

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So you waste another day getting older and gray in the head,
And you're hearing lots of stories 'bout the happy times you have ahead.
There are other folks in power so you kick back and get farther behind,
And although the world rotates itself the only thing you twist is your mind.

You see, the world's falling apart at the rifts,
And surprisingly, the leaders can't make any sense of it.
You mean nothing to the world, we're all someone else's fool,
But oh, what can you do?

"Yeah you waste your time with losers if you get stuck in a rock-n-roll band."
Do you find it more rewarding to compete with morons throughout this land?
They seem to be in power so I'll kick back and get farther behind.
And I watch them as they fuck up every good thing on this earth with their "minds."

You see, the world's falling apart at the rifts,
And surprisingly, the leaders can't make any sense of it.
You mean nothing to the world, we're all someone else's fool,
But oh, what can you do?

Yeah you waste another day getting older and gray in the head,
And we're hearing lots of stories 'bout the happy times we have ahead.
The morons are in power so we kick back and get farther behind,
And we watch them as they fuck up every good thing on this earth with their "minds."

You see, the world's falling apart at the rifts,
And surprisingly, the leaders can't make any sense of it.
We mean nothing to the world, we're all someone else's fool,
But oh, what can you do?
I said, oh, what can you do?
(Go!)

Versions

Version	Length	Release	Catalog ID	Country	Format	Year
Album version
	2:44	Suffer		United States	12"	2022
	2:44	Stranger Than Fiction		United States	12"	2021
	2:44	Stranger Than Fiction		United States	12"	2021
	2:44	Suffer		United States	12"	2019
	2:44	Suffer		Europe	12"	2018
	2:44	Suffer		Europe	12"	2018
	2:44	Suffer	86404-1TGN	United States	12"	2015
	2:44	Suffer	E-86404	United States	12"	2010
	2:44	Suffer	E-86404	United States	12"	2009
	2:44	Suffer		Russia	CD	2007
	2:44	Suffer	JBR 26167-071	Malaysia	MC	2002
	2:44	Suffer	ESCA-6153	Japan	CD	1995
	2:44	Suffer	86404 \| S-29118/19	United States	12"	1994
	2:44	Suffer		United States	12"	1994
	2:44	Suffer		United States	12"	1994
	2:44	Suffer		United States	12"	1989
	2:44	Suffer	E-86404-4	United States	MC	1988
	2:44	Suffer	E-86404	United States	MC	1988
	2:44	Suffer		United States	12"	1988
	2:44	Suffer	E-86404-2	United States	CD	1988
	2:44	Suffer		United States	CD	1988
	2:44	Suffer	337	Poland	MC	1988
	2:44	Suffer	1136	Russia	MC	1988
	2:44	Suffer		Indonesia	MC	1988
	2:44	Suffer	N/A	Russia	MC	1988
	2:44	Suffer		Australia	CD	1988
Remastered
	2:44	Suffer	601	Yugoslavia	MC	2019
	2:44	Suffer		Europe	CD	2004
	2:44	Suffer		United States	CD	2004
	2:44	Suffer		Australia	CD	2004
	2:44	Suffer		Brazil	12"	2004
	2:44	Suffer	6390-2	Brazil	CD	2000
Video live 1991
		Big Bang	n/a	Europe	DVD	2004
		Big Bang	24030-423	Europe	VHS	1992
*Not specified*
	2:44	Suffer	E-6404-2	Europe	CD	1988

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Comment:

Song interpretations (5)

matthias25

Guest

Location: Belgium

Quote

04/22/2014 at 10:27

Marty wrote:

Guest wrote:

am i the only one who hears the lyrics differently ? at "Yeah you waste your time with losers if you get stuck in a rock-n-roll band." Do you find it more rewarding to compete with morons throughout this land?"

i hear "get stuck in a rock and roll ball" and "compete with morons throughout it all"

You're right if you hear something different. Check this out, it will explain things: http://www.thebrpage.net/theanswer/?article=what_can_you_do%3F

oh nice piece of info :) never knew that

Marty

Admin

I'm with her
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Posts: 2796

Quote

03/04/2014 at 11:45

Guest wrote:

am i the only one who hears the lyrics differently ? at "Yeah you waste your time with losers if you get stuck in a rock-n-roll band." Do you find it more rewarding to compete with morons throughout this land?"

i hear "get stuck in a rock and roll ball" and "compete with morons throughout it all"

You're right if you hear something different. Check this out, it will explain things: http://www.thebrpage.net/theanswer/?article=what_can_you_do%3F

matthias25

Guest

Location: Belgium

Quote

03/04/2014 at 04:25

am i the only one who hears the lyrics differently ? at "Yeah you waste your time with losers if you get stuck in a rock-n-roll band." Do you find it more rewarding to compete with morons throughout this land?"

i hear "get stuck in a rock and roll ball" and "compete with morons throughout it all"

SayYourPrayers

Billy Gnosis

Thread Revivalist
Location: Portland
Status: Offline
Posts: 1200

Quote

07/26/2011 at 12:45

This song is about not only our willingness to "let someone else take care ot it," but also the fact that our "leaders" are patently stupid and clueless regarding anything. But we take their word when we "hear lots of stories..." Oddly enough, I actually thought that instead of Greg singing "kick back and get farther behind," he sang, "Kick back and pantomime." Which is WAY fucking cooler.

eeZee

Incomplete

Location: United States
Status: Offline
Posts: 1

Quote

07/11/2004 at 11:45

This is (I think) a song about how many people don't do anything about the world because everyone else has it covered. We just "waste another day getting overweight and gray in the head" with everyday that passes by our passivity.