[Verse]
I get it!
The future is scary
And the present is confusing and strange
But I always find myself a little bit wary of the stubborn refusal to change

Thinking of the past can be lovely
The old tunes were bangers all well
But it wasn't as cozy as we'd like to pretend
In fact in many ways the glory years were absolute hell

[Bridge]
The things we thought we knew
Are long past overdue
For some kind of review or critique
The rose-tinted glasses have become somewhat worn
And the excuses not to bother just sound weak
So I ask

[Chorus]
What was so good about the good old days?
Haven't we moved on from them yet?
Aren't we supposed to grow and change our ways?
And weren't there certain good old lessons we'd do well not to forget?

What was so good about the good old days?
Can't we leave them back where they belong?
For if we can't move on beyond the good old days
The good new days won't last for very long
[Verse]
Collective memory is somewhat selective
And collectively we seen to have fallen
For shouting down alternative perspectives
To sell nostalgic myths that keep us feeling warm

The past is a comfort
It's familiar and safe
And the hard times are all somewhat of a blur
But from what I can see
Nobody seems to agree
On just when these supposed good old days were

[Chorus]
So, what was so good about the good old days?
Haven't we moved on from them yet?
Aren't we supposed to grow and change our ways?
And weren't there certain good old lessons we'd do well not to forget?

What was so good about the good old days?
Can't we leave them back where they belong?
For if we can't move on beyond the good old days
The good new days won't last for very long

[Verse]
The freedoms of our youth make for sweet memories
Reminiscence casts a captivating spell
But back then you didn't have a clue
That every adult that you knew
Was longing for the good old days as well
And if you really scratch the surface you'll undoubtedly find
Plenty there to shock and appall
And on closer inspection it becomes quite clear
That the good old days weren't actually all that good at all

[Chorus]
So, what was so good about the good old days?
Haven't we moved on from them yet?
Aren't we supposed to grow and change our ways?
And weren't there certain good old lessons we'd do well not to forget?

What was so good about the good old days?
Can't we leave them back where they belong?
For if we can't move on beyond the good old days
The good new days won't last for very long

[Chorus]
What was so good about the good old days?
Haven't we moved on from them yet?
Aren't we supposed to grow and change our ways?
And weren't there certain good old lessons we'd do well not to forget?

What was so good about the good old days?
Can't we leave them back where they belong?
For if we can't move on beyond the good old days
Then the good new days won't last for very long
[Outro]
For if we can't move on beyond the good old days
Then the good new days won't last for very long