YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING NOW / THE SMITHS
As merry as the days were long
I was right and you were wrong
Back at the old grey school
I would win and you would lose
But you've got everything now
You've got everything now
And what a terrible mess I've made of my life
Oh, what a mess I've made of my life
No, I've never had a job
Because I've never wanted one
I've seen you smile
But I've never really heard you laugh
So who is rich and who is poor ?
I cannot say ... oh
You are your mother's only son
And you're a desperate one
But I don't want a lover
I just want to be seen ... oh ... in the back of your car
A friendship sadly lost ?
Well this is true ... and yet, it's false
But did I ever tell you, by the way ?
I never did like your face
But you've got everything now
You've got everything now
And what a terrible mess I've made of my life
Oh, what a mess I've made of my life
No, I've never had a job
Because I'm too shy
I've seen you smile
But I've never really heard you laugh
So who is rich and who is poor ?
I cannot say ... oh
You are your mother's only son
And you're a desperate one
But I don't want a lover
I just want to be tied ... oh ... to the back of your car
To the back of your car
To the back of your car
To the back of your car
To the back of your car
To the back of your car
Oh ...
最近いろんなところで「ニート(Not in Employment, Education or Training)」が話題になっているけれど、ニートといえば僕はスミスの YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING NOW という曲を思い出す。歌詞を読んでおわかりの通り、これは20年早かったニートのテーマ・ソングだ。
僕は生来の怠け者なので、学生の頃は働きたくないと思っていたし、人付き合いは面倒くさいと思っていたし、忙しそうに働いているサラリーマンが幸せには見えなかった。ニート予備軍だ。だからスミスのこの曲の歌詞にはえらく共感した。そんな自分がいつの間にか中堅サラリーマンだ。こんな曲が好きだったくせに、今でも好きなくせに、オフィスでもっともらしく後輩に仕事のアドバイスとかしちゃったりしてるわけ。「分析は正しいんだけどアイディアがないんだよね」とか真顔で言ったりしてるわけ。今年なんて上司にクリスマス・カードとか送っているわけ。もうほとんどサラリーマン・プレイだね。病みつき。お金ももらえるし、ニートにならなくて良かった。
あの頃スミスおよびモリッシーを聴いていた人は全員ニート予備軍だったはずなんだけど、みなさん今頃どんな生活を送っているんだろう。ニートになっている人もそうでない人も、メリー・クリスマス。