TV American Dream
© 2001 Jesse Slokum
Oh, I am a midwest, Ohio man, up from the south
Strugglin' so hard to keep food in my kid's mouth
Got me a job in the shippin' room of a big company.
Like my daddy did before me, I tried to keep my mouth shut.
Played it close to the vest, and I played it straight from the gut.
Boss man said he liked my spunk, but that was before he pink slipped
me.
In exchange for some extra bucks for my family,
I prostituted myself to the company,
Trying to keep the whole damn shippin' room in line.
Then, one day, I got called to the office of the Boss,
Who muttered somethin' to me about profit & loss,
Then, he said, "I hope you find yours, 'cause I'm keepin' mine."
Gone are the days of loggin'm in and loggin'm out,
Never really havin' too much to talk about,
At the supper table with the wife and kids when I got home.
No more empty pass-time talk about those baseball scores,
Or that guy who swore up and down, all women are whores
He got mad when I said, "You got a head made of solid chrome!"
Tell me, (chorus)
It's the underground economy, or even too much democracy,
Some always blame the unruly throng
It's the Russians or the Communists, ev'ryone's has their favorite
list
Full of whom to blame for what's wrong...
It's those hippies who sell LSD, it's anyone who swears it isn't me,
I've always been right where I belong!
Yet, be the above as it may, All I knowq is we got to be FREE,
This time around the meek shall be strong.
With the big Gibson sunburst guitar my daddy gave me,
And the sweet tender love my momma said would save me,
I learned to play my favorite five dozen country songs by heart
I never really tried too much much to write my own,
But now that my life's been cut right down to the bone,
It sure seems like this here's the time to start.
My boy doesn't understand why he can't have bubblegum,
Last night my girl cried as she asked, "Dad, are you a bum?"
And it sure did reach in and tear me up inside.
The kids told me about that astronaut in space,
Who stuck Reagan's jellybeans in her face,
And I wonder, am I the one's who's been taken for a ride?
Then, this afternoon, I found my mother-in-law's note,
When I came back from tryin' to sell my leather coat,
"No child of mine will be forced to beg or ROB!
I know you love my daughter and the children too,
But tell me, "What's the mother of a mother to do?
Please don't call us until you've found a new job."
Tell me...(chorus)
As sure as those flames on the Cuyahoga River,
I don't believe Reagan meant to deliver
On any of those campaign promises that he made...
Just like John Wayne, Ronnie said he was shooting straight,
When he asked us for the helm of of the ship of state
But I feel like the victim of a pirate raid!
The way I was raised, I just never really thought,
It did any good to question what I was taught,
But that was before I found myself behind the 8-ball.
I swore Ronnie Reagan sure was A-OK,
Voted to give him the reins of a horse he said had gone astray,
Now, I must confess I never did think too much at all!
My head was full of the TV American DREAM,
I couldn't hear hungry children too weak to scream.
Now, I'm grateful for processed cheese and stale butter.
Still, just like he said on TV, I'd like to get RICH
But not over the bodies of those left dying in a ditch,
Some things are far worse than finding yourself in a gutter!
Tell me...(chorus)
PRINT
Back
To Song Menu!
|