Exene Cervenka of X considers this the most prescient song in the band's catalog. It tells the story of a homeless person who has heard all the empty promises made by politicians and has now given up hope completely. In fact, he doesn't even know who the president is - they're all just the same to him. In a 2019 Songfacts interview with Cervenka, she said: "Homelessness is a ridiculous epidemic. We're just getting into the epidemic of homelessness and what it's going to be in a couple of years."
Cervenka and X bass player John Doe do twin lead vocals on this song. They are the credited writers.
The refrain of "this was supposed to be the new world" reflects the slogans often heard on campaigns. Many politicians ran on variations of the "it's a new world" theme, only to stick with the status quo once in office.
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