Kansas – Mainstream lyrics

Overkill, have you had your fill
Come to expect it
Off the wall, too short or too tall
System rejects it
Lost the handle, what's it all been for?
Tired of trying, seeing so much more

[Chorus:]
It's so predictable and everybody judges by the numbers that you're selling
Just crank 'em out on the assembly line and chart 'em higher (higher, higher)
Just keep it simple boys it's gonna be alright as long as you're inside the
Mainstream, are we moving too far away
Is it worth it if it doesn't pay
The centerline is status quo, it's
Mainstream

If you stay within the tried and true
You'll remain among the chosen few
Survive another year

The market is dead, accounts in the red
Media saturation
We're deep in a rut, the arteries cut
Sensory deprivation
Really loved it, didn't earn a cent
No one's buying your experiment

[Chorus:]

For the masses in Consumerland
Give 'em everything that they demand
Survive another year

Corporate mold, packaged and sold, 16 to 30
Jobbers and racks, they're movin' in stacks
Tactics are dirty
We're in business, what else is it for?
Profit motive, welcome to the war

[Chorus:]

Just be careful not to rearrange
And don't let 'em catch you getting strange
Survive another year