Lyrics

there was a man who worked all day
obeyed the rules and banked his pay
he was a good man
he did what he had to do

he loved his boy, he loved his wife
he had no place for strangers in his life
it's not a fair world
but he knew how it worked for him

and then came the kids, drunk and unruly
talking about some fairytale land of their dreams
wearing rags, making noise
they threw away the world for so-called freedom
oh, but they were everywhere

and the man was tough, and he bought them out
and he took their youth, and he sold it big and loud
'i guess we won, men,' he said, taking his bow,
'but we're nowhere now'

there was a kid who liked to play
he had a kind and gentle way
he was a good kid
happy in his wonderland

he grew to care about what he saw
about black and white, about rich and poor
it's not a fair world,
but he knew he could help it change

and then came the man, sober and serious
talking about the real world, how cleverly he spoke
running rings around the kid
who signed away his soul for fame and fortune
oh, it was a foreign world to him

he said 'this is brash, and this is cruel
i should have known, but i was a fool
i'd take us back, friends, but i don't know how
and we're nowhere now'