I Don't Believe In Heroes Anymore

When I was a little kid

Robin Hood patrolled the wood

With feats too brave and daring to believe

And in the dark of summer nights

Sir Gallahad was all I had

To show what strength and purity should be

The heroes I read about

What a man should be

The heroes I dreamed about

Were all replaced by me

I fought the villains, saved the maids, and turned the tide of war

But now I'm all grown up

I don't believe in heroes anymore

When I was a boy of ten

JFK had shown the way

To push the Russians back from firing range

And in my teens a man called Che

Spread word of Marx and Mao to say

The world must change through harsh and violent means

I sat before my TV set and watched my heroes die

I read the rags and papers showing proof my heroes lied

With early death their only wreath to pass through Heaven's door

I see their contradictions, and I don't believe in heroes anymore

Oh to just be naive

To live in a dream

To have someone to believe

Oh why can't life be clean?

To just win one for the team

It's not as simple as it seems

When I left the college scene

We made our peace out in the East

And scratched the countless dead on polished walls

And now I hear the country cry

For good 'ol days when flags were raised

And God was on our side against them all

I wonder why the heroes we clamor for

Are men from past romance

The heroes who we gather for

Perform a puppets dance

We're fools if we can't see the fools

Who fooled us all before

Except when I read books and dream

I don't believe in heroes anymore