I Ought to Know

Lyrics

[Verse 1] I ought to know more than I know I ought to know where this road goes I ought to know great literature by heart The history of art This I ought to know I ought to know more than 1492 I ought to know what the Buffalo Bills do I ought to know more than the quarterback's wounded knee What happened at Sand Creek This I ought to know But I don't [Verse 2] I ought to know about the sacrifices made I ought to know ration stamps, air raids I ought to know more than George C. Scott And John Wayne gets shot This I ought to know I ought to know what the drinking gourd means I ought to know more than "I have a dream" I ought to know about the back of the bus And the crack of billy clubs This I ought to know But I don't [Chorus] I don't know nothing about nothing I'm proud to stand upright I don't know nothing about nothing My future looks so bright Illumined by the light Laugh tracks, soundbite And replay to get it right I ought to know [Verse 3] I ought to know the songs of Joe Hill I ought to know Trotsky, Marx and Hegel I ought to know about the Haymarket hangings And the H.U.A.C This I ought to know I ought to know about Oliver Cromwell I ought to know the Gnostics and St. Paul I ought to know what Jesus really said And who the preacher took to bed This I ought to know But I don't [Verse 4] I ought to know what's buried in the landfill I ought to know about the clear-cutting bills I ought to know about pipelines and schemes And what extinction really means This I ought to know I ought to know for whom the bell tolls I ought to know the pride and prejudice of polls I ought to know if the grapes of wrath are union Picked by Victor Jara's hands This I ought to know But I don't [Chorus] I don't know nothing about nothing I'm proud to stand upright I don't know nothing about nothing My future looks so bright Illumined by the light Laugh tracks, soundbite And replay to get it right I ought to know I ought to know I ought to know