down the line

ten years down the line, and nothing seems to change
one form of corruption turns to another, things remain the same
stories of injustice - do we even recognize the tyrants among us
will we ever free ourselves from this fight for survival
will it always be a struggle for the almighty dollar

half of what your worth is no good to this world
where cruelty is rewarded and the weak are played for fools
and everything is measurable can it be bought or sold
every lie and act of cowardice pulls you tighter to the fold
all they want is for you to play some game
i wake up in the morning can't remember my own name

there they go again, the people on the evening news
there's a fire here and a plane crash there
won't you give me something i can use
weather reports, three times an hour
have you ever thought about the way
you squander your own power

i look at kids today when i'm walking down the street
i wonder what lies they are being told what promises we won't keep
so much effort put into denying the truth
what is it we are trying to hide from our youth
and every generation the game begins again
divide them into winners and losers by the time they are nine or ten

teach 'em the power of money and privilege
respect for unjust authority
the punishment fits the crime
all things are as they should be

down the line nobody asks any questions
you don't make no trouble round here
you don't ask why this leads to that
i don't expect a full explanation of the facts
down the line you learn it's this far and no further
you learn about the gravy train riders
you learn about the lies of the pious
hunger for the life that's denied us