Pendulum Swings

Lyrics

[Verse 1:] It's all been set for the winners So be born and you've already failed And I guess that I thought I was ready But I never really knew what this entailed And I was naive to think That all it would take was a law When we're stuck inside this machine We're the first to be grabbed by the claw [Verse 2:] I thought I pulled my weight out Only to be dragged back in And the men in nice black suits Will talk me down again And this time I'll know that it's hopeless 'Cause I've already tried to fight But my punches landed on no one As we're tossed into the black of night [Verse 3:] When I was a little boy My dad raised me like a soldier And when I fought on our side in the war That's when I knew that I'd gotten older Because when I was a young man I could see who was left behind But when I moved on, they were in the dust And I washed out my eyes And so they say that I've been a traitor To everybody back home They knew the truth, and I knew it too But I left them all on their own And as it's time to trade the office I know what's gonna happen now Some preppy kid's come on in And think they've got it all figured out [Refrain:] And the pendulum swings [Verse 4:] I was plagued by childish False images of justice Never thought for one second That they could never have it out for us Well I've been through the gauntlet And I can safely say that it is Never an option to transcend The system they left us in [Chorus 1:] Everything I've done has only been for fame But the history books will not remember my name Congress conversations happen overnight They say the pendulum swings to the left and to the right [Verse 5:] So I say now time to let 'em go Let 'em starve out in the streets There's no fucking hope for us We will not get what we need My father never did He was caught by the game was rigged I had no option to fix it 'Cause it still fucking is And I guess it was naive But I was taught to believe in democracy And part of me still believes But I know now that this shit don't come for free [Chorus 1:] So everything I've done has only been for fame But the history books will not remember my name And congress conversations happen overnight They say the pendulum swings to the left and to the right [Chorus 2:] But the truth is that we never let it swing too far The right can't let the ball get caught by Karl fucking Marx So give a little push and you'll be satisfied As the pendulum sways from the right back to the right [Verse 6:] I sit in the White House on the final day of my job And I turn on the TV to find the next incumbent being interviewed He says "Like many of us, I've been inspired by the Floyd Rivers campaign Floyd was right about everything back then We need healthcare, unionization, social justice, living wage The billionaires in this country have rigged the game and it's time we take it back I've seen the lives that oppressed classes lead, and it's not pretty So I'm gonna go up there and do what Floyd Rivers campaigned I'm gonna un-rig the system and take on the powers that be." [Refrain:] And the pendulum swings