[Intro] At dawn— the coop door opened. And so did history. [Verse 1] I came across the gravel with the morning at my back, Boots full of conviction, heart prepared for attack. The rooster gave me one look like he'd seen this all before, Then scratched a little circle in the dust beside the door. I said: “Don't make this difficult.” He tilted his head. I said: “You know why I'm here.” He pecked at a piece of bread. And somewhere in the distance a church bell rang at nine. Brother— that chicken had just crossed a line. [Pre-Chorus] ONE MAN! [Choir] ONE MAN! [Lead] TWO FISTS! [Choir] TWO FISTS! [Lead] NO CAUSE WORTH EXPLAINING! [Choir] AMEN! [Lead] If history needs a villain— then let that villain have feathers. [Chorus] I'M GONNA GO AROUND AND PUNCH SOME CHICKENS! Let the heavens open wide! Let the whole damn barn bear witness! No kingdom! No riches! No prophecy fulfilled! Just me and several chickens and a deeply personal will! HALLELUJAH! THE ROOSTER KNOWS MY NAME! HALLELUJAH! HE STARTED THIS WHOLE THING! No medals! No memorial! No reason anyone should care! I'M GONNA GO AROUND— AND PUNCH— SOME— CHICKENS! [Verse 2] I found one by the tractor. I found two behind the shed. One was standing on a bucket with a look I somehow read as disrespect. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe that's between me and God. But I've never trusted poultry that can stare that long and nod. Then Gerald came around the corner. Gerald. We don't talk about Gerald. Six pounds of feathers. Three pounds of hatred. The rest— muscle, apparently. He walked toward me slowly. The choir began to hum. And I knew from how he carried himself— the reckoning had come. [Pre-Chorus] ONE ROOSTER! [Choir] GERALD! [Lead] ONE MAN! [Choir] BARELY! [Lead] ONE QUESTION FOR THE AGES! [Choir] ASK IT! [Lead] WHO— IS LEAVING— THIS YARD— WITH THEIR DIGNITY?! [Choir] NOT HIM! [Lead] ...we'll see. [Chorus] I'M GONNA GO AROUND AND PUNCH SOME CHICKENS! Not from anger! Not for justice! Just because the moment's right! Let the organ shake the rafters! Let the stained glass catch the light! While I square up with a hen who weighs approximately five! HALLELUJAH! SHE HAS ENTERED THE RING! HALLELUJAH! SHE DOESN'T FEAR A THING! No hatred! No vendetta! This is bigger than belief! I'M GONNA GO AROUND— AND PUNCH— SOME— CHICKENS! [Instrumental Break] [Spoken Bridge — piano and distant choir] People ask me: “Why chickens?” And I ask them: Why mountains? Why oceans? Why did mankind look at the moon and say: “We're going there.” Some things are not questions. Some things are invitations. Sometimes there is a man. Sometimes there is a chicken. And sometimes— that chicken has been looking way too comfortable. [Choir] WAY TOO COMFORTABLE. [Lead] Thank you. [Breakdown] I met one in Kentucky. [Choir] HE FOUND ONE! One outside Des Moines. [Choir] HE FOUND ONE! One was minding its own business— [Choir] THAT ONE SOUNDS INNOCENT! [Lead] That is not for us to decide. [Choir] AMEN! [Lead] One came running toward me. One ran immediately away. One stood perfectly motionless like we'd rehearsed it for days. Then Gerald hit the fence post. [Choir] GERALD! [Lead] And brother— I won't lie— I suddenly understood why mankind invented flight. [Build] Raise the choir! [Choir] RAISE IT! [Lead] Sound the bells! [Choir] RING THEM! [Lead] Open every barn door from Jerusalem to Scranton! [Choir] WHY SCRANTON?! [Lead] I DON'T KNOW, IT RHYMED IN THE DEMO! [Choir] FAIR ENOUGH! [Lead] Tonight we dine on nothing! [Choir] NOTHING! [Lead] Tonight we claim no territory! [Choir] NONE! [Lead] Tonight we make no difference to the course of human history! [Choir] THEN WHY?! [Silence] [Lead] Because Gerald looked at me funny. [Final Chorus] I'M GONNA GO AROUND AND PUNCH SOME CHICKENS! LET THE SYNTHS IGNITE THE HEAVENS! LET THE GUITARS SPLIT THE SKY! LET TEN THOUSAND VOICES THUNDER LIKE THE END OF SPACE AND TIME! WHILE A BANTAM IN THE DRIVEWAY LOOKS ME STRAIGHT BETWEEN THE EYES! HALLELUJAH! THIS IS WHAT WE CAME TO SEE! HALLELUJAH! MAN VERSUS POULTRY! NO THRONE! NO CROWN! NO DESTINY! NO GRANDER MYSTERY! JUST ONE ABSURD, UNNECESSARY, GLORIOUSLY STUPID VICTORY! [Choir] PUNCH SOME CHICKENS! [Lead] Respectfully! [Choir] PUNCH SOME CHICKENS! [Lead] Metaphorically! [Choir] PUNCH SOME CHICKENS! [Lead] Gerald knows what he did. [Choir] GERALD! [Lead] Don't defend him. [Final Refrain] I'M GONNA GO AROUND AND PUNCH SOME CHICKENS! For the laugh! For the tale! For the sacred human instinct to commit too hard and fail! Let tomorrow ask the question. Let historians disagree. All I know is— for one shining moment— the chickens knew of me. [Outro — solo piano] At dusk— the coop door closed. Gerald remained undefeated. I don't want to talk about it.
