It happened back in ancient times
When people worked overtime, overtime
In fact I think in 1985
Life was busy in the big city
And the union was sitting pretty
It wasn't easy to stay alive

And they'd run from the city
To the sun and the country
And never quite get away
When the weekend came
Everybody took a holiday
Everybody took a holiday

On a Sunday in July
Everybody made up their minds
And when Monday rolled around
No one came home
All the cities and streets were bare
Everybody was having fun elsewhere
As the weeks went by no one came home

And the stores closed down
And the cars stopped running
And the sky cleared day to day
But no one cared
Everybody took a holiday
Everybody took a holiday

But the world has changed today
Everyone works in the usual way
But at least we had one month away
Things are much, much slower now
People get away anyhow, anyhow
And the weeked comes
They take a holiday

And they run from the city
To the sun and the country
And never quite get away
When the weekend came
Everybody took a holiday
Everybody took a holiday