[Spoken Intro] This is the news. Which means something happened. Or something is happening. Or something will happen once enough people hear that it happened. [Verse 1] The first report called it unusual The second called it strange The third one found an expert Who explained why we should be afraid The fourth report said fear was growing The fifth confirmed it grew Nobody had felt it yet But everybody knew [Pre-Chorus] A story breaks A headline drops An anchor holds it down The story runs The subject stays While coverage surrounds [Chorus] Good news Bad news Whose news? Who knew? Something new Gets a new name Gets a new use News News Pull it through Give the little loop a purpose Watch the news become a noose [Verse 2] The channel needs a current The current needs a charge The feed requires feeding So the danger must stay large A bulletin goes flying A talking point takes aim By morning every open mouth Is carrying the same [Pre-Chorus] The press applies the pressure The copy makes a copy The story gains momentum Then momentum becomes policy [Chorus] Good news Bad news Whose news? Who knew? Something new Gets a new name Gets a new use News News Pull it through Give the little loop a target Watch the news become a noose [Verse 3] “Breaking news: a threat among us” “Breaking news: protect your own” “Breaking news: the threat has neighbors” “Breaking news: the threat has grown” “Breaking news: removal pending” “Breaking news: the hall is clear” “Breaking news: no one was missing” Once we changed who counted here [Breakdown] No news is good news Good news won’t lead Bad news is business Fear has to feed Old news New rules New use Noose Say it fast enough They sound like truth [Bridge] I was only the messenger I was only on the air I only gave the fear a language I did not put anybody there I only read what they had written I only said the name they chose I only watched the little circle Tighten every time it closed But a warning needs an ending And I never gave it one I taught the whole world how to panic Then reported what I’d done [Final Chorus] Good news Bad news Whose news? Who knew? Something new Met an old fear And the old fear called it proof News News Pull it through Name the stranger Frame the danger Give the anger something useful it can do Good news Bad news Old lie New suit A story doesn’t need a rope If everybody forms the loop News News There’s your new use First we broadcast the conclusion Then we call the sentence— News [Spoken Outro] This has been a developing story. We will continue tightening it until nothing new can enter.
