Verse 1 Alarm clock screaming at a quarter to five Another twelve-hour day just to barely survive Gas tank empty and the rent came due Tell me, motherfucker, what am I supposed to do? Suit on the television says everything’s fine While I’m counting every dollar and I’m watching every dime He says blame that bastard standing over there Funny how the bastard’s broke too, but nobody seems to care They got us picking sides, they got us drawing lines While they’re drinking with the money at the end of the night Red tie, blue tie, same damn room Different fucking flowers on the same damn tomb Pre-Chorus They say, “Choose your side, boy, Tell us who you hate” While the ones who wrote the rules Are laughing at the gate Well, I ain’t buying anymore What you’re trying to sell You can dress it up in stars and stripes It’s still the same damn smell Chorus YOU CAN KEEP YOUR RED YOU CAN KEEP YOUR BLUE NEITHER ONE GETS TO TELL ME WHO I’M SUPPOSED TO HATE FOR YOU KEEP YOUR TALKING HEADS KEEP YOUR ALIBIS KEEP US FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER WHILE THE MONEY WALKS ON BY WE’RE THE ONES WHO BUILD IT WE’RE THE ONES WHO PAY WE’RE THE ONES STILL BUSTING ASS AT THE END OF EVERY DAY So wave your little banner Tell me everything’s alright I’M DONE BEING YOUR FUCKING PAWN IN SOMEBODY ELSE’S FIGHT Verse 2 Election year comes rolling like a carnival to town Everybody loves the working man when cameras come around Shake his hand, wear his boots, tell him you understand Then forget his fucking name when the votes are finally counted Million-dollar promises, billion-dollar friends Everybody hates the system till the contribution lands Outsiders become insiders soon as they get the key Then tell us they’re still fighting for people just like me And the screen keeps screaming, “Your neighbor is the threat” So we argue over scraps while somebody cashes checks They found themselves a business where anger never ends Keep the country fucking furious and everybody spends Chorus YOU CAN KEEP YOUR RED YOU CAN KEEP YOUR BLUE NEITHER ONE GETS TO TELL ME WHO I’M SUPPOSED TO HATE FOR YOU KEEP YOUR TALKING HEADS KEEP YOUR ALIBIS KEEP US FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER WHILE THE MONEY WALKS ON BY WE’RE THE ONES WHO BUILD IT WE’RE THE ONES WHO PAY WE’RE THE ONES STILL BUSTING ASS AT THE END OF EVERY DAY So wave your little banner Tell me everything’s alright I’M DONE BEING YOUR FUCKING PAWN IN SOMEBODY ELSE’S FIGHT Bridge Turn the television off. Look across the street. That man you were taught to hate Is just as fucking tired as me. He’s got a mortgage. She’s got a kid. They’re watching every penny Same as we fucking did. Maybe the enemy ain’t the man With a different sign out front. Maybe we’re just useful When we’re angry, scared, and split. Because while we’re busy screaming About who’s left and who’s right… Somebody’s getting richer. And it sure as hell ain’t us tonight. Final Chorus SO KEEP YOUR FUCKING RED AND KEEP YOUR FUCKING BLUE I’M DONE LETTING PEOPLE I’VE NEVER MET TELL ME WHO I’M SUPPOSED TO HATE FOR YOU KEEP YOUR TALKING HEADS KEEP YOUR ALIBIS KEEP POINTING AT MY NEIGHBOR WHILE THE MONEY WALKS ON BY WE’RE THE ONES WHO BUILD IT WE’RE THE ONES WHO PAY WE’RE THE ONES YOU CALL “AMERICA” WHEN YOU NEED US ELECTION DAY You can wave your little banner You can scream that you’re right I’M DONE BEING YOUR FUCKING PAWN IN SOMEBODY ELSE’S FIGHT Final Chorus, bigger / half-time KEEP YOUR RED! (Keep your red!) KEEP YOUR BLUE! (Keep your blue!) I DON’T NEED A FUCKING PARTY TO TELL ME WHAT IS TRUE WE AIN’T RED! WE AIN’T BLUE! WE’RE JUST PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE IT SAME AS EVERYBODY FUCKING ELSE IS TOO Let the rich boys argue Let the cameras burn all night I’M DONE BEING YOUR FUCKING PAWN… …in somebody else’s fight.
