The Great American Novel

I was born and raised an orphan

In a land that once was free

In a land that poured its love out on the moon

And I grew up in the shadows

Of your silos filled with grain

But you never helped to fill my empty spoon

And when I was ten you murdered law

With courtroom politics

And you learned to make a lie sound just like truth

But I know you better now

And I don't fall for all your tricks

And you've lost the one advantage of my youth

You kill a black man at midnight

Just for talking to your daughter

Then you make his wife your mistress

And you leave her without water

And the sheet you wear upon your face

Is the sheet your children sleep on

At every meal you say a prayer

You don't believe but still you keep on

And your money says, "In God we trust"

But it's against the law to pray in school

You say we beat the russians to the moon

And I say you starved your children to do it

You are far across the ocean

But the war is not your own

And while you're winning theirs

You're gonna lose the one at home

Do you really think the only way

To bring about the peace

Is to sacrifice your children

And kill all your enemies

The politicians all make speeches

While the news men all take note

And they exaggerate the issues

As they shove them down our throats

Is it really up to them

Whether this country sinks or floats

Well I wonder who would lead us

If none of us would vote

Well my phone is tapped and my lips are chapped

From whispering through the fence

You know every move I make

Or is that just coincidence

Well you try to make my way of life

A little less like jail

If I promise to make tapes and slides

And send them through the mail

And your money says, "In God we trust"

But it's against the law to pray in school

You say we beat the russians to the moon

And I say you starved your children to do it

You say, "All men are equal all men are brothers"

Then why are the rich more equal than others?

Don't ask me for the answer I've only got one

That a man leaves his darkness when he follows the son