American Life

Lyrics

[Verse 1] In a town in southernmost Sicily Lived a family too proud to be poor In the year that fever took father away They hastened for American shores Now a mother and her son are standing in line It's a cold day on Ellis Isle And they look to the Statue of Liberty (liberty, liberty) [Chorus] For the boy we have American life [Verse 2] Ong is a Laotian refugee He works in the audio trade The smoke from the flux is filling his lungs He's earning minimum wage Spending spare time down on San Pablo Ave Once a week gets a woman for the night And he writes home tales of prosperity (prosperity, prosperity) [Chorus] For the boy we have American life For the boy we have American life (Scat singing) [Verse 3] Bob is an unemployed veteran Born and bred in the South Bronx He's living off the streets down in east L.A Residing in a cardboard box Now he plays a little guit' and he has a small dog Searching for aluminum cans And he holds on tight to his dignity (dignity, dignity) [Chorus] He was born into American life He was born into American life For the boy we have American life