Words Matter

[Pre-Chorus] 
 They used to save that word for the darkness and the smoke 
 Now they use it for the common folks who find the system broke 
 They’re stretching out the meaning till the truth begins to wear
 Turning every local trouble into a "National Affair."

[Chorus] 
 Oh, words matter
 Don’t you let ‘em slide 
 You can’t hide the truth behind a label justified 
 If everything is "Terror," then nothing’s really true 
 It’s just a word club they’re swinging at you

[Verse 2] 
 They take a tragedy from history, a dark and heavy ghost 
 And pin it on a person who’s just trying to stay afloat 
 They take the worst of yesterday and claim it’s here today 
 To justify the power and the games they want to play 
 It’s "Absolute Privilege," they can say just what they please 
 They’ll ruin your reputation while they’re sitting at their ease.

[Verse 3] 
 They got "Qualified Immunity," a shield made out of gold 
 They can tell a story that never should be told 
 No "Super-Libel" law to make the giants pay 
 They just change the definition to get their own way 
 It’s a "statement of opinion," that’s what the lawyers claim 
 While they’re burning up the spirit of a human being's name.

[Bridge] 
 Check the pillars
 Where’s the motive? 
 Where’s the grand design? 
 Or are you just erasing the constitutional line? 
 If you’re scared of a protest, if you’re scared of the street 
 You just label it "Terror" and the job is complete

[Outro] 
 Keep your eyes on the language... 
 Watch the way they spin the thread... 
 Don't let 'em cheapen the living... 
 By misusing the dead. 
 Words matter. 
 Yeah, words matter.

2208/7500

[Verse 1] Across the main street pavement, the sirens started to wail Just a soul inside a car, trying to make it through the gale They said "I ain't mad at you," just trying to find a way home But the voice of high authority had something else to say He didn’t call it panic, he didn’t call it fear He dropped a heavy hammer for the whole wide world to hear. [Pre-Chorus] They used to save that word for the darkness and the smoke Now they use it for the common folks who find the system broke They’re stretching out the meaning till the truth begins to wear Turning every local trouble into a "National Affair." [Chorus] Oh, words matter Don’t you let ‘em slide You can’t hide the truth behind a label justified If everything is "Terror," then nothing’s really true It’s just a word club they’re swinging at you [Verse 2] They take a tragedy from history, a dark and heavy ghost And pin it on a person who’s just trying to stay afloat They take the worst of yesterday and claim it’s here today To justify the power and the games they want to play It’s "Absolute Privilege," they can say just what they please They’ll ruin your reputation while they’re sitting at their ease. [Verse 3] They got "Qualified Immunity," a shield made out of gold They can tell a story that never should be told No "Super-Libel" law to make the giants pay They just change the definition to get their own way It’s a "statement of opinion," that’s what the lawyers claim While they’re burning up the spirit of a human being's name. [Bridge] Check the pillars Where’s the motive? Where’s the grand design? Or are you just erasing the constitutional line? If you’re scared of a protest, if you’re scared of the street You just label it "Terror" and the job is complete [Chorus] Oh, words matter Don’t you let ‘em slide You can’t hide the truth behind a label justified If everything is "Terror," then nothing’s really true It’s just a word club they’re swinging at you [Outro] Keep your eyes on the language... Watch the way they spin the thread... Don't let 'em cheapen the living... By misusing the dead. Words matter. Yeah, words matter.

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