[Verse 1] They said I was finished A headline in ink Just a face on a wall that they’d rather not think They rewrote the story Erased what I did Like the tapes and the trials were all that I hid [Pre-Chorus] But history’s a hallway With doors that still swing You lock one behind me I’ll carve my own wing (heh) [Chorus] You sharpen your stones You polish your lore You point at my portrait Pretend you were pure You feast on the fall while you copy the score But this time the crowd won’t drown out the roar Your scapegoat’s gone walking right out of the door And you don't have Dick Nixon to kick around anymore [Verse 2] You wanted a villain Convenient and neat A shadow to swallow the tracks of your feet You preach from the summit So noble So clean Then bargain in basements that never get seen [Pre-Chorus] You needed a sinner To sanctify schemes You buried your fingerprints Deep in my seams (my goodness) [Chorus] You sharpen your stones You polish your lore You point at my portrait Pretend you were pure You feast on the fall while you copy the score But this time the crowd won’t drown out the roar Your scapegoat’s gone walking right out of the door And you don't have Dick Nixon to kick around anymore [Bridge] I paved you a pathway You’re marching it still You profit from outrage You vote for the thrill So when the next bonfire Comes licking your door Remember who warned you Remember the score [Chorus] You sharpen your stones You polish your lore You point at my portrait Pretend you were pure You feast on the fall while you copy the score But soon every mask will crack to the core You’ll search for a specter like mine to restore But you don't have Dick Nixon to kick around anymore
