The song Decades by Joe Walsh reflects on the passing of time and the continuous cycle of wars and conflict. The lyrics detail how minutes turn to hours, days turn into years, and decades turn into centuries. The song takes the listener through the different decades of the 20th century, starting with the 1920s which were dubbed the "roaring" twenties, then the fighting in the 1930s, and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the 1940s. Walsh questions how long we can continue on this path of conflict and unrest, with so many things happening but nothing getting done. He also touches upon the hope and dreams of the country during the 1960s, with references to Camelot and the moon landing. Towards the end of the song, Walsh admits that the 1980s were a waste of time and expresses disbelief that the decades have flown by so quickly. He ends by repeating the line "so many things happened, nothing got done, so many wars, no one ever won one," emphasizing the cyclical nature of conflict and the need for change.
