say what’re you gonna do when the well runs dry
and there’s no inspiration left to live your life
will you carry on or face the facts
time will tell on that
miracles were more prevalent way back when
sell ‘em on the corner dime a dozen then
are they gone for good are they coming back
time will tell on that
if i asked for honesty would i get a lie
for your strong arm would you offer me the left or right
will you spit in my face will you stab my back
time will tell on that
i’m asking you will you stay true
to your beliefs and to yourself in everything you do
if you answered yes then you’re surely blessed
would you stay and help me pave the way
if i asked you if you were really still alive
would you scream out “damn right” with all your might
will you give it all or just half ass
time will tell on that
come out of the slums ya bums it’s time to pick up with the pace
‘cause tonight we’re locking arms and marching out of this place
and if this campaign is not enough to bolster change
you know they’ll damn sure all remember our names
gonna take every broken heart and wounded soul
light ‘em up wind ’em up and let ‘em go
can we count on you to strike the match
time will tell on that
the firefly is alive at night
but where does he go when the world is light
does he go out past our furthest flight
way beyond our line of sight
if you and i were fireflies
i wonder if we’d burn into the end of the night
like a roman candle napalm attack
time will tell on that
we all sit idoly while they set our death traps
giving us half the facts committing hell worthy acts
holding us back all while keeping in tact
their agenda and we all just sit back on our ass
so build up your fortress with stolen soil
mix it all in with the blood and oil
you play with a torch you’re gonna get caught in the fire
and all for an earthly desire.
carry away your fallen and pray
we’ll find a way to fight it someday
with the strength of a unified song
and words delivered like bombs
chords ringin out the alarm
hey hey something’s wrong
bombs burn bright in the fiery night
holy ghosts cry out at the blasphemous sight
head on backwards soldier’s shoulders square
marching foot by foot breathing poisonous air
surrender your gun to the rightful son
and the enemy will fall down one by one
lay down your swords and your weapons of war
and verily prosperity will come
tensions run high here on welfare street
bad blood trickles deep into the sewers beneath
where it’s reclaimed and processed and introduced back
into the cycle and progress just fades away fast
the sum of petty differences cannot outweigh
what’s really at stake and for goodness’ sake
i don’t give a damn if you’re black tan or white
if you’re with me and willing to fight
all the anger that you harbor deep inside
the frustration in your life there’s no need to fight
come on let it out tonight
you sail on that same boat as me
your fruits may be sweeter
they don’t fall further from the tree
if you laugh at these mediocre words
it’s ‘cause you know just what they mean
you know they’re well rehearsed
and you feel how bad they hurt
if you sigh when you hear my battle cry
it’s ‘cause you look into my eyes and you see that i’m alive
what do you know, what do i know
how can anything be true
what do you know, what do i know
i’ve been around the block a time or two
shame unto you who won’t help a fellow man
quick to open up your mouth tell us all what you’re about
but not to open arms or to lend a hand
yeah unto you who stay humble in your life
and you never let your head get big struggle on and strive
to take care of your friends and never be corrupted by the night
why in the hell did you come here anyway
to bump into the strangers that you see here everyday
all of the sudden i feel taken back
by the substance that we lack i’ve given all this slack
you’re not giving any of it back
fear not the winter that’s ahead
confusion in your head delusions that are led
by loneliness brigades of the dying
grab ahold of what holds you back in life
muster all your might fling it into flight
if it comes back then you’re not even trying
don’t sweat or regret the spilled milk on the floor
the abandoned house next door
there’s better thoughts that haven’t yet been spoken
don’t put out the fire in your eyes
apologize for lies, put on a disguise
to fix something that isn’t even broken
we may not have too much at all
we’ve got books and tapes
from the people that we love
send a message from beyond and much further than above
in the corner of my room i’ve got books and tapes
cds are great but they skip and always break
and the books that i love never read the same way
before i lay down at night i read a book to get my mind straight
or twisted up again sometimes my best friends are my books and tapes
my dog and my girl the greatest things in the world
are simply beautiful i don’t need too much
because the things that you can touch always rot and fade away
but knowledge always stays up on my books and tapes
the picture on my wall is never gonna fall
salvador dali knew exactly where i’d put it on my wall
when i wake up or i’m about to break up
i know who’s never fake they’re on my books and tapes
all those paintings and great things they never turn away
they never turn their back they’re here for me
tell me your favorite song on the sublime cd
i kinda like the one where bradley sings to me
i keep my body strong clean and healthy
because the time has come to form a new country
people try to tell me everything relatively
so if you’re steppin’ to this then you’re relatin’ to me
so would you like to borrow dharma bums until tomorrow
i’ll trade it for anything you’ve got i haven’t seen or heard
cause thats new life a new point of view
buju banton and bargain music both are bound to get to you
all of my books and tapes they don’t need no fancy case
because you can’t judge a tape from the cover anyway
when the reel runs dead or the plastic comes apart
i’ll have to buy the censored version at the local kmart
or get josh to make a copy kyle to burn the cd
'cause music is free but not quite legally
i was born with a broken back and broken teeth as well
constant eye affliction and my glands tend to swell
i sleep too much i drink too much i can’t kick the can
i guess i’m what you call a broken man
i’ve never been too good at things like keeping up with bills
i’d rather spend my money on the town and get my thrills
just when i think i’m saving up i’ve blown it all again
i’m always gonna be a broken man
my daddy liked to have a drink so i’d have one as well
knowing all along that shit would send us both to hell
at least we’d be together in our fiery promised land
like son like father both a broken man
i always try to make you smile when you’re feeling blue
i’ll call in sick to work so I can spend the day with you
i’ll always be here for you if you ever need a hand
but I’m always gonna be a broken man
i've always tried to do what’s right that’s not to say that i
don’t get into wrong sometimes i even have to lie
i hardly ever beg or steal i do the best i can
i’m always gonna be a broken man
i always seem to make the same mistakes i’ve made again
i’m always gonna be a broken man
how many of you know a broken man
doesn’t anybody read or go outside and just daydream
they’re too busy watching their tv’s anymore
while those old records die all those words buried alive
until there’s nothing left inside to sing
it doesn’t take much for a man to get up
rise and fight
the souls of the world will be lit on fire tonight
you can take a million men and not change but one of them
and the one you change is the one that’s saved
to admit our own mistakes is to stand up straight and face
all the problems ahead and save this robot race
i’ve always loved the old music the way the message comes through it
and there’s no political bullshit
now distortion clouds the notes and the bass is turned down so low
until you can’t hear what they’re saying anymore
why take the car when the bus is alright
it’s my favorite way to travel but i wouldn’t late at night
dollar bill is the going payment
but you give ‘em fifty cents and you tell ’em you’re a student
ain’t always in the mood for talking
but it gets you where you’re going and it sure beats walking
people on the bus understand my pain
they don’t know my name but we’re all the same
i’m right where i belong i think to myself
nobody’s better than anyone else
i see the strangers and they ain’t so strange
mohawk headphones backpack sweat stains
keep the beat on the edge of the seat
look across my aisle and give a girl a smile
traveler all relaxed in the back
like jack kerouac black beatnik rucksack
lord knows we’ve all been through a lot
no matter where we started off we’re getting off at the same stop
on the way to the city when the bus broke down
in the rain what a pity on the way through crack town
i hitched a ride on the 75
it’s a wonder and i’m lucky that i’m still alive
look around ‘cause we’re breaking hard ground
and if one gets lost gonna turn the thing around
what’s the point of this endless ride
all going somewhere but we don’t know why
i saw the good side of the city
and it looked alright as I drove away
looked just fine as i left that tree line behind
i saw the good side of the city
in my rearview mirror all blown up in smoke
with promises to myself that i probably broke
i’m moving away now
where you don’t have to work your whole life away
i’m moving away now
where the plants are greener and the sky ain’t so grey
i saw the good side of the city
and i finally realized that it just wasn’t for me
it took so long to define what free really means
i saw the good side of the city
where the people were nice and the food was great
but all things must end and it’s time to make my escape
if you wanna go with me
i suggest you pack your bags real quickly
‘cause right or wrong tomorrow morning i’ll be gone
live for tomorrow
live for today
it don’t make no difference to me either way
if i sing out of key
if i play too loud
all i ever wanted is to make him proud
lord don’t you take him away
‘cause i’ve still got something left i wanna say
lord don’t you make me feel so bad
i’ve got one last chance to sing the blues for my dad
i’ll work for you and give you my health
i’ll ask for nothing in return for myself
but this one thing
let us live out both of our life long dreams
been trying for so long i think we need some help