Degrees of Freedom Lyrics

We met at midnight, as prearranged

Your representative and I

His clothes and beard were black

He carried a treatise on demography in a leather briefcase

And on his shoulders, the shredded flaps of his leather wings

I shook his hand in a darkened office

I signed the deal, I entered in

And I look wealthy but I'm not

The world moved on, but I did not

The world moved on, but I forgot

I look healthy but I'm not

Things are strange in the town where I live

The old outnumber everyone

No children play in the parks or driveways

The Angel of the Lord has come

To keep us pure in mind and body

To teach us to fear everyone

To help us see that we are chosen

Chosen for oblivion

And I look wealthy but I'm not

The world moved on, but I did not

The world moved on, but I forgot

I look healthy but I'm not

Perhaps it's just the price of progress

A cautionary tale to tell

There's just one thing you've failed to notice

I never had a soul to sell

There never were degrees of freedom

Available to you or me

So I insist we void the contract

All of this was destiny