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