AND

There are sides bein' drawn, which side will you be on?
Have you thought about it lately, my friend?
The line is sharp and clean, and there ain't no in-between
Have you thought about it lately my friend?

There are words bein' scrawled, handwritin's on the wall.
Have you thought about it lately, my friend?
Now, it ain't hard to read, a message we must heed
Have you thought about it lately my friend?

Don't you see it on TV, Don't you listen to the news?
Have you drawn a conclusion, have you heard all of the views?
Don't you see the tactics, and the weapons being used?
Have you thought about it lately, my friend?

They keep talkin' bout the peace, but the fightin' just won't cease
Have you thought about it lately, my friend?
They're still sending our dear sons, off to war to fight with guns
Have you thought about it lately, my friend?

Have you thought about the future, do you think about the past?
How it sometimes seems familiar, all these things that come to pass.
Throw a stone at a window and you're bound to break some glass
Have you thought about it lately, my friend?

Our direction is lost, now, who will pay the cost?
Have you thought about it lately my friend?
Don't you hear their talk? See the path here that we walk?
Have you thought about it lately, my friend?

Do you wonder how we got here? Wonder where it's all a'goin?
Do you think that we'll be saved, when the levee's over flowin?
Sure don't take a weather man, to know just where the wind's a'blowin
Have you thought about it lately, my friend?

REPEAT – First Verse

You wake up same time every mornin', Ride that same train down the line
Stone gray faces all around you, You hope to God that train's on time
Cold black coffee waits for answers, Broken dreams fall like rain
Another thousand men go walkin', Thousand questions still remain

But, every dog has his day, Every dog has his day
Table's gonna turn, Big wheel gonna spin
No matter who you are, or where you been
There's only one thing left to say
Every dog has his day, Every dog has his day

They say that love will find an answer, But she's so tired of what she's seen
You tried to hold out for redemption, Before she lost her dignity
She said she couldn't any longer, Just a note left to be found
Speculation ran to ruin, Expectation to the ground

Still, every dog has his day, Every dog has his day
Table's gonna turn, Big wheel gonna spin
No matter who you are, or where you been
There's only one thing left to say
Every dog has his day, Every dog has his day

The lines they keep on gettin' longer, The days they seem to slip on by
Pundits claim the market's gettin' stronger, But you see fear in workers eyes
They say there's jobs out in Colorado, you heard they're hirin' in Tennessee
You pack your bags and head for promise, Go chase the new economy
Go chase that new economy

Cause every dog has his day, Every dog has his day
Table's gonna turn, Big wheel gonna spin
No matter who you are, or where you been
There's only one thing left to say
Every dog has his day, Every dog has his day

We could have fed the hungry, Gave them all some food to eat
Could have clothed the needy, Put some shoes upon their feet

We could have built new houses, For our homeless families
Liftin' them from poverty, And off those dirty streets

And we could have used our money, To lend a helpin' hand
Providing jobs and training, For poor folks across this land

Yeah, we surely could have done these things
And maybe so much more
But we chose to spend our money on a war

We could have paid our teachers, A fair and decent wage
And gave them all the tools they need, Before they turned a page

We could have helped our farmers, Saved all our family farms
Protecting them from corporations, Trying to do them harm

And we could have paid for college, For every boy and girl
A road of opportunity  , To see the whole wide world

Now our dreams and hopes of better days
Are gone forever more
Cause we chose to spend our money on a war

We could have paid for healthcare, Universally
With coverage for everyone, Prescription drugs for free

We could have made investments, In green technologies
To help break our addiction, To this oil economy

And we could have used our money to, Pay down our country's debts
Instead we're gonna leave ‘em , For our grand kids to regret

Cause we traded our prosperity
For the killin' floor
When we chose to spend our money on a war

Now our bombs rain down on innocents
Our shame forever more
Because we spent our money on a war
Because we spent our money on a war

Vickie is a single working mama
Holdin’ down three jobs for her girl Donna
Livin’ month to month and hand to mouth,
Just so many things they do without.
So, she sleeps four hours, then she works twenty.
But after food and rent there just ain’t no money
Though she keeps on tryin’ to save for better times
Those dead end jobs don’t pay no overtime

Tony sleeps down at the Greyhound station.
He’s nine months into unemployed vacation.
If he could get his mind to just slow down,
Maybe he could hold a good job down
But he joined the corps to see the whole world wide
Now those memories just fuel the ragin’ flames inside
And with the mess down at the vet’s administration
They stopped sendin’ out his daily medication

Chorus
There's a dark side to this land of the free.
For those most in need…. of opportunity
Lives come apart at the seams…When your
Livin’ on the edge
Livin’ on the edge
Livin’ on the edge of the American dream.
Livin’ on the edge of the American dream

Bridge
People watched in disbelief, where did the promise go?
While companies just shut their doors, jobs moved to Mexico
The rich got richer still, and the rest got left behind
To struggle with each other for the few jobs left to find
And the President kept preachin’ bout our strong economy
While teachers just kept teachin’ land of opportunity
And most of us learned way too late the cold hard truth
Watchin’ CEOs float gently on their golden parachutes

Now Danny drives his taxi thru the night
The meter’s slowly runnin’ on his life
Dreamin’ bout those days in centerfield
While the world goes by his dirty cracked windshield.
He was the star of his local high school team.
Till that day his ankle shattered, along with his dream
Now he counts his tips and mulls his fall from grace
Nothin’ had prepared him for this human race

Chorus
There's a dark side to this land of the free.
For those most in need…. of opportunity
Lives come apart at the seams…When your
Livin’ on the edge
Livin’ on the edge
Livin’ on the edge of the American dream
Livin’ on the edge of the American dream

Sidewalk's cold as ice, my blankets bundled tight
Man, that coffee sure smells good
Evenin' shoppers fly, on Santa's sleigh tonight
Bearin' gifts of gold and jewels
With peace on earth and brotherhood
If they could help me, I'm sure they would

Now, I ain't got no wings, or wheels to carry me
Just this broke down pair of shoes
Wind so stiff and cold, no money here to fold
Now what's a poor man got to choose
A cross to bear, I can't refuse
Ain't got nothin' else to lose
And these ain't no ordinary blues
Yuletide Blues, Yuletide Blues

A pocket full of change, will buy a pint of grace
Takes me where I need to go
I feel their eyes on me, I wonder who they see
Judgin' what?, they sure don't know
But this is all I got to show,
So, take a look, there ain't no more

There's turkey stew at five, down on the mission line
Told reverend John I'd lend a hand
Cause Pete fell down last week, said he's still feelin' weak
Now we don't know if he'll ever stand
We all just do the best we can
But how much more can one man stand
Cause these ain't no ordinary blues
Yuletide Blues, Yuletide Blues

Once I had a friend, From Morningside, She used to come round here sometimes
We'd go find a place, Where we could smile, Always had us a time.

The cops moved Bobby Lynch, from under 12th Street Bridge
He said “You know it just ain't right”
Me, I got my usual spot, back behind the Stop & Shop
Must be sure to keep out of sight
No strength left in me to fight
On this cold and silent night
These ain't no ordinary blues
Yuletide Blues, Yuletide Blues

Oh, the pigs at the trough they just can’t keep from lyin’
And stealing from the poor is just so damned gratifyin’ 
As they squeeze the last drops of blood from our stones 
Break the working class, suck the marrow from our bones
Living high on the hog while the rest of us are cryin’
The pigs at the trough they just can’t keep from lyin’

Oh, the pigs at the trough see the world thru colored glasses
They're princes of arrogance, born ruling classes
It's not just enough to cajol and berate
They're addicted to power so they must dominate
They're the sovereign lords over all the huddled masses
The pigs at the trough see the world thru colored glasses

Oh, the pigs at the trough they just know they're all blessed
So they're making damn sure they get more and we get less
With their kinder and gentler compassionate ways
We'll be paying off their debts till the end of our days
And without a doubt they're leaving us one hell of a mess
The pigs at the trough they just know they're all blessed

Now, the pigs at the trough come in all colors, shapes and sizes
Masters of deception in all manner of disguises
They party on the left, then they party on the right
Then they all move to the middle and proceed to start a fight
And for all the trusting fools they save their nastiest surprises
The pigs at the trough come in all colors shapes and sizes

Now, those piggies don't stop gorging when their bellies get stuffed
Just get to chewing harder when the grizzle gets tough
And if you try to stop them they're prepared to get rough
Oh, the pigs at the trough they just can't get enough

Oh, the pigs at the trough speak in dangerous tongues
They rant and they rave at the top of their lungs
That gray don't exist, and black is pearly white
And if you're up against them then you just can't be right
They'll swallow you whole, They even eat their young
The pigs at the trough speak in dangerous tongues

Oh, the pigs at the trough never listen to reason
Anyone who questions them gets lashed at for treason
What's truth and what's fact are for them to decide
All critics standing up, just for them to deride
On science and logic it's always open season
The pigs at the trough they never listen to reason

Oh, the pigs at the trough, they are all true believers
Wolves in sheep's clothing, flag draped deceivers
Living in their castles with their alligator moats
Spending half their time shoving Jesus down our throats
A self righteous bunch of rank and file underachievers
The pigs at the trough they are all true believers

Oh, the pigs at the trough love to beat the drums of war
They're lining up in droves just to make a hefty score
With their twisted dreams and their warped reality
The God almighty dollar is all that they ever see
There's good money to be made on the blood of the poor
The pigs at the trough love to beat the drums of war

Now, those piggies don't stop gorging when their bellies get stuffed
Just get to chewing harder when the grizzle gets tough
And if you try to stop them they're prepared to get rough
Oh, the pigs at the trough they just can't get enough

The pigs at the trough never saw that crash a comin'
They were all too busy lootin' the country they were runnin'
Way too busy doing what all good piggies should
Stuffing all their pockets just as fast as they could
Looking straight at us, down the noses they're thumbin'
The pigs at the trough never saw that crash a comin'

Thunder ripped the mornin', Lightnin' stole the sun
Brothers sold to bondage, For muskets, gold and rum
Through trials of middle passage, From here to kingdom come
Family torn asunder, Oh, where do I come from?

Sun fell on our faces, Blood fell to the ground
Words of prophets spoken, They fell without a sound
Fire of fear, fire of hatred, Fierce riders in the night
Pray deliver us, sweet Jesus, Come crosses burning bright

I still have a dream, It's livin' in my heart
I see one nation under God, with no man set apart
Oh, so many miles we walked, yet it feels just like the start
But, I still have a dream, It's livin' in my heart

For we sang songs of redemption, Songs of love and songs of pain
Watched promises of justice, Run like chalk marks in the rain
With eyes of God upon us, All eyes set upon the prize
A spark of inspiration clear, When one refused to rise

Oh, we rode on wheels of freedom, Unto the promised land
Voices raised in glory, Judgement in our hands
Kings and princes fallen, Seasons filled with rage
Cities charred in ruins, Can we ever turn this page?

 I still have a dream, It's livin' in my heart
I see one nation under God, with no one set apart
Though, so many miles we marched, at times it feels just like the start
But, I still have a dream, It's livin' in my heart

Now, the road lies long behind us, Yet, so many miles to go
As we struggle ‘gainst injustice, While the levees overflow
Yes, we've climbed some mighty mountains, Stood on summits white with snow
Yet, still beneath a shady oak tree, Sit the sons of old Jim Crow

But, I still have a dream, It's livin' in my heart
I see one nation under God, with no one set apart
Though, so many years we marched, at times it feels just like the start
But, I still have a dream, It's livin' in my heart
Oh, I still have a dream, it's livin' in my heart

Standin’ at the crossroads, destination on my mind
Awaitin’ revelation come move me down the line
Seekin’ consulation, I went crashing to the ground
Got lost in consternation with all the answers that I found
Now I’m prayin’ for forgiveness for all my petty sins
Half way down the highway now and I feel my life begin

Then I felt some subtle kindness, in a gesture bittersweet
But I never would have guessed that it was you I was to meet
Well, I found my inspiration, I just didn’t know the score
Got lost in desperation when you went looking for the door
Now my dreams anticipatin’ open windows in my heart
I never saw you clearer than those times we were apart

How do we know what is real?, How do you feel now?
Open your hearts, Love is real

Oh, the lights don’t shine so brightly now, down on fortune avenue
And those scenes that fade so quickly out of sight fade so quickly out of view
Disillusion paints the canvas of our stillborn masterpiece
While we wrestle with morality, Lord, don’t wonders ever cease
And there’s only one conclusion in the treasure they conceal
Their arrogance is palpable contempt for us is oh so real

Waken to another day, confrontation on the rise
Went lookin’ for a reason there was none there I could surmise
But you keep askin’ questions of the designated clown
Then you gobble up the wisdom, in his latest hand me down
So go wrap yourselves in ignorance and bathe yourselves in bliss
Surrender to the sweet embrace and taste the Judas kiss
Now what would Jesus think about this?
Yeah, what would Jesus think about this?

How do we know what is real?, How do you feel now?
Open your hearts, Love is real

Now the argument so clearly rings, like church bells in the night
And by reason of insanity we gauge our capability to fight
While women huddle nervously, hungry children in the dark
And the dogs of war snap anxiously, just waitin’ on a spark
Oh, the clouds are looming darkly now, horizon creepin’ gray
Decision time is coming, what the hell you gonna say?
What the hell you got to say?

How do we know what is real?, How do you feel now?
Open your hearts, Love is real

Now, our sons and daughters are dyin', But we don't see any of yours
And you keep ignorin' our questions, Slammin' your Byzantine doors
We're so tired of your lies and deceptions, We've heard all these stories before
And this road seems so awfully familiar, We know what's waitin' in store
“So be patient, we're makin' progress”, You declare with a smirk and a grin
But your proclamations ring hollow, Our patience is wearing so thin
Cause in the face of all logic and reason, You still won't admit your mistakes
With a world full of people so hungry for peace, You just say “Let them eat cake”

As you sit in your ivory towers, Countin' your capital gains
Trading our blood for your profits, Playin' your patriot games

With your misguided media lapdogs, Spinnin' the news and the fear
Drummin' up public opinion, Threatenin' all we hold dear
Now you say this is good versus evil, And God is right here on our ground
But we're looking hard where you're standin', Nowhere is God to be found
So you'll criticize petty dictators, When they slaughter their people at will
But you wrapped yourself tight in the stars & the stripes, When you sold them the weapons to kill
So go keep on thumpin' your bibles, We're not buyin' that line anymore
Till you show us the verse & the chapter, Where Jesus says “Let's go to War”

As you sit in your ivory towers, Countin' your ill gotten gains
Blinded by gold and false prophets, Playin' your patriot games

It don't matter which side wins or loses, You're playin' all sides of the fence
Spendin' our grandchildren's future, In the name of our so called defense
Our treasure is yours for the takin', In this business of wars without end
Big fat contracts for all of your cronies, And tax breaks for all your rich friends
It's corporate greed as religion, That's stealin' the dream from us all
And the stage has been set for the vandals, The dominoes ready to fall
Forced poverty breeds cannon fodder, Feedin' your engines of war
You're just merchants of death and destruction, Heretics, killers and whores

As you sit in your ivory towers, Countin' your capital gains
Trading our blood for your profits, Playin' your patriot games

How many years gone wasted now, in to this shape I'm in
How many dreams just fallen leaves, scattered in the wind
Can't see my future for a stone, Or spend a night like this, alone

Saving Grace, Please come save me from myself
Saving Grace, Just don't leave me here alone
Saving Grace, Protect me from this storm
Saving Grace, Keep me safe and keep me warm

The troubles always found me now, I didn't try to hard to hide
The Promise, it just faded away, before my foolish pride
Lost damn near everything I could lose,
‘Cept this cup before me, I must choose

Saving Grace, Please come save me from myself
Saving Grace, Just don't leave me here alone
Saving Grace, Protect me from this storm
Saving Grace, Keep me safe and keep me warm

Bridge
Tried to lead a good life, Lord knows I tried so hard
Found myself a good wife, She was my guiding star
Never thought she'd leave me, Then she cried
I coulda loved her better, But hey, I tried

Thought I could get ahead now, one last time
Had all the angles covered, In my grand design
I held the future in my hands, Built my castle made of sand

Saving Grace, Please come save me from myself
Saving Grace, Just don't leave me here alone
Saving Grace, Protect me from this storm
Saving Grace, Keep me safe and keep me warm
Saving Grace, Please come take me home

CHORUS:
Strike the match, go light the fire
Fan the flames of freedom higher
Raise your voices for justice and peace
Strike the match, go light the fire

Shine your light outside your doorstep
Hold it high for all to see
It will lift up the hearts of the weary
Give hope one day soon they'll be free

Chorus

Speak your mind with no hesitation
Let your words ring loud and true
Lend an ear to the wants of the many
Give voice to the needs of the few

Chorus

Stand up tall and never falter
Don't give in to lies and fear
Look straight into the eyes of the accusers
Know the time of their passing is near

Chorus

Organize, brothers and sisters
Go and proudly walk the line
When the moment of truth is upon us
Arm in arm we'll march for our rights 

Chorus