[Verse 1: Neil Tennant]
Two men up the street
Drinking something cheap
No home, no family
It's cold, nowhere to sleep
Passers-by never catch their eye
Anywhere, one man drinks, the other swears

[Chorus: Neil Tennant]
You know where you went wrong
You know where you went wrong
You know
You know where you went wrong
You know where you went wrong
You know

[Verse 2: Neil Tennant]
The old man can understand
No one will shake his hand
I gave security, bonds and colour TV
It cost a few a lives
Someone's son always dies
No one shakes his hand, he will understand

[Chorus: Neil Tennant]
You know where you went wrong
You know where you went wrong
You know
You know where you went wrong
You know where you went wrong
You know
[Post-Chorus: Neil Tennant & Helena Springs]
This is the history of the world
Of every boy and every girl
Who don't understand what's going on anymore
The history of the world
Of every boy and every girl
Who don't understand what's going on anymore
(What's going on?)

[Interlude]

[Verse 3: Neil Tennant]
Two girls have a photograph
One looks, the other laughs
He could have been mine
Why did I change my mind?
Their hands on hips
The other girl says, "Admit! Admit!"

[Chorus: Neil Tennant]
You know where you went wrong
You know where you went wrong
You know
You know where you went wrong
You know where you went wrong
You know
[Post-Chorus: Neil Tennant & Helena Springs]
This is the history of the world
(Of the world)
Of every boy and every girl
Who don't understand what's going on anymore
(Who don't understand what's going on)
The history of the world
Of every boy and every girl
(Every boy and every girl)
Who don't understand what's going on anymore
(Who don't understand what's going on)

[Chorus: Neil Tennant]
You know where you went wrong
You know where you went wrong
You know
You know where you went wrong
You know where you went wrong
You know

[Chorus: Neil Tennant]
You know where you went wrong
You know where you went wrong
You know

[Interlude]
[Chorus: Neil Tennant]
You know where you went wrong
You know where you went wrong
You know
You know where you went wrong
You know where you went wrong
You know
You know where you went wrong
You know where you went wrong
You know
You know where you went wrong
You know where you went wrong
You know
You know where you went wrong
You know where you went wrong
You know