Words, Words, Words (or: Lies My Leaders Told Me) Lyrics

In 1492 Chris Columbus and his crew

Discovered folks a living in some islands to the west

He promised to be kind, but he went and changed his mind

Made most of them his slaves and put the rest of em to death

If I didn't know any better I'd suppose

Perhaps the terms of his agreement wasn't heard, heard, heard

But it's a getting late—how long you wanna wait

For you admit that the promise was just words, words, words?

In 1838 Andrew Jackson did create

A paper sayin that the natives would receive their promised land

Made a reservation zone, drove em into Oklahome

Leaving Cherokee and chocktaw blood in the Mississippi sand

If I didn't know any better I'd suppose

That the lyin simply couldn't have endured, -dured, -dured

But it's a getting late—how long you wanna wait

For you admit that the promise was just words, words, words?

In 1864—trine to end the civil war

Mr. Lincoln signed a paper sayin all slaves would be free

Soon as he let em go—in came the Old Jim Crow

And the rest, I'm sure you know, is US history

If I didn't know any better, I'd suppose

That the promise has only been deferred –ferred –ferred

But it's a getting late—how long you wanna wait

Fore you admit that a promise is just words, words, words

In August '45—trine to keep his own alive

Harry Truman told the Japanese, "this fighting's gotta stop,"

Any more lives bein spent, he said he would try to prevent—

Then he loaded up his atom bombs, said "Fellas, let em drop—"

If I didn't know—any better I'd suppose

That the promise was always bein urged, urged, urged

But it's a getting late, how long you wanna wait

Fore you admit that the promise was just words, words, words?

In 1954, in a case called Brown v. Board

The Supreme Court said that public schools must integrate their kids

They took their time, of course, with getting it enforced

And fore anything could happen, it was like nothing ever did

If I didn't know any better I'd suppose

That the ruling sounded too good to've occurred, -curred, -curred

But it's getting late, how long you gonna wait

For you admit that the promise was just words, words, words?

In 1964, hungry for another war,

Lyndon Johnson said a US ship had been hit by Viet Cong

And though it was a lie, he still sent troops to die

In the name of keeping communism out of Vietnam

If I didn't know any better I'd suppose

That what ain't democratic ain't preferred, -ferred, -ferred

But it's a getting late, how long you wanna wait

For you admit that democracy's a word, word, word

In 1982 Ronald Regan, tride and true,

Said he'd increased public safety and on crime he waged a war

For him, tho, being safe—had to do with class and race—

Most of the folks he rounded up were young and black and poor

If I didn't know any better I'd suppose

That the promise aimed to keep us all secured, -cured, -cured

But it's a getting late, how long you gonna wait

For you admit that the promise was just words, words, words?

In 1992 the war on crime and drugs just grew

Mr. Clinton said he had a plan and it would be unfurled

He built prisons left and right, filled em practically overnight

Now the US has more prisoners than any nation in the world

If I didn't know—any better I'd suppose

That the lockdown was a bad dream that emerged, merged, merged

But it's a getting late, how long you wanna wait

For you admit that the promise was just words, words, words?

In 2001, weapons of mass destruction

Was the reason Mr. Bush supplied to re-invade Iraq

The nukes were never found, but the country was torn down

and US oil prices were a little lower after that

If I didn't know any better I'd suppose

That the promise didn't sound quite so absurd, -surd, -surd

But it's a getting late, how long you wanna wait

For you admit that the promise was just words, words, words?

Now this song could go on, and on and on and on

The lies my leaders told me are too numerous to name

But I'm a getting tired, my patience is expired

As we move into the future, the song will be the same

If I didn't know any better I'd suppose

That a government, in all things, should be just, just, just

But it's a getting late, how long you wanna wait

Fore you admit if it'll be just it'll have to be up to us?