Friday, September 26, 2014

song "Roosevelt Room," Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band (with lyrics)













Hey there, Son of Adam
Hey there, Daughter of Eve
Help me sing this tear gas riot song
To some fresh faced police
They won't even know what hit them
When they lift their Roman shades
And the people's song comes pouring in
On a brand new day

You who damn the river
You who changed our mountain's name
First we want denali back
Then we're taking on Washington's states
You give death as a consolation
You know only hate and rage
You paid a dowry for your child's rights
Now she's living like a slave

A prayer came down the wire
It was all in the enemy's code
You couldn't figure out what mercy meant
So you did like you were told
When they finally sent the doctors
Once the fireball went out
There was nothing left but the cockroaches
In a movie with no sound

What good, what good are you?
With your cynical flag and your Roosevelt room
What good, what good are you?
With your Cherokee trail and your unattended tomb

Go ask Hunter Thompson
Go ask Hemingway's ghost
It all catches up with you
Once you get just a little too old
Take a hard look in the mirror
It's a thing that you cannot see
Your shadows alone but the day is young
It just wasn't meant to be

There's no blankets for the winter
There's no oil in the lamp
And I'd like to write my congressman
But I can't afford the stamp
You want me to pay my taxes
So you can propagate your lie
While there's barefoot dudes down in New Orleans
Looking like they're gonna die

Yeah, you who quote the legends
You who poisoned all of my dreams
You pinned all of the medals on
All the boys from Omaha Beach
Hope you haven't got too lazy
I know you like your apple pie
Cause the working poor you've been pissing on
Are doing double shifts tonight

What good, what good are you?
With your cynical flag and your Roosevelt room
What good, what good are you?
With your Cherokee trail and your unattended tomb















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