Zager & Evans - In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) (1968)

This duo, from Lincoln, Nebraska, was a one hit-wonder reaching popularity in the summer of 1969. RCA put a lot of faith into them being their next big group, but their subsequent releases were considered failures after failing to gain the attention of the public.

This song, their big hit, was at the top of the charts for six weeks. Although the singing and music resembles that of a novelty song, its lyrics tell of a dystopian future in which mankind is ruined by its own technologies. Akin to Bob Dylan’s work, the song’s message is more important than its melody.



Zager & Evans - In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) (1968)

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Lyrics:

In the year 2525
If man is still alive
If woman can survive, they may find…

In the year 3535
Ain't gonna need to tell the truth; tell no lies
Everything you think, do, and say
Is in the pill you took today

In the year 4545
Ain't gonna need your teeth; won't need your eyes
You won't find a thing to chew
Nobody's gonna look at you

In the year 5555
Your arms hanging limp at your sides
Your legs got nothing to do
Some machine doing that for you

In the year 6565
Ain't gonna need no husband; won't need no wife
You'll pick your son, pick your daughter too
From the bottom of a long glass tube, whoa-oh-oh

In the year 7510
If God's a-comin', he oughta make it by then
Maybe he'll look around himself and say
“Guess it's time for the judgment day”

In the year 8510
God is gonna shake his mighty head
He'll either say “I'm pleased where man has been”
Or tear it down and start again, whoa-oh-oh

In the year 9595
I'm kinda wonderin' if man is gonna be alive
He's taken everything this old Earth can give
And he ain't put back nothin', whoa-oh-oh

Now it's been ten thousand years
Man has cried a billion tears
For what he never knew
Now man's reign is through

But through eternal night
The twinkling of starlight
So very far away
Maybe it's only yesterday

In the year 2525
If man is still alive
If woman can survive, they may find

In the year 3535
Ain’t gonna need…