[Intro] Three men One race One party split It changed the pace [Verse 1] Roosevelt stepped down He served his two Picked William Taft To carry reform through Taft won the race In nineteen oh eight Beat William Jennings Bryan And carried the states No Teddys flair But his record spoke loud Antitrust cases Kept stacking in crowds More cases in four years Than Teddy brought in seven Income tax reform Moved up the agenda Taft kept tariffs high Progressives asked why Teddy watched his plans bend Then the friendship said goodbye The blueprint got fractured The party got split Two reform heavyweights Refused to submit [Chorus] Taft and Teddy Split the vote Bull Moose charged And Wilson rose Same reform But different roads When a party splits The outcome shows Taft and Teddy Split the vote Wilson found An open road New Freedom reached The White House zone Nineteen twelve Now you know [Verse 2] Nineteen twelve Teddy wanted back in Said Taft bent the policies Away from the mission Teddy won primaries Clearing the path Party leaders stood firm And kept backing Taft Chicago convention Made the final call Party power chose Taft Teddy left it all He formed a new party On a progressive field Strong as a Bull Moose And refusing to yield Two Republicans Competed for the base Woodrow Wilson waited Then captured the race [Chorus] Taft and Teddy Split the vote Bull Moose charged And Wilson rose Same reform But different roads When a party splits The outcome shows Taft and Teddy Split the vote Wilson found An open road New Freedom reached The White House zone Nineteen twelve Now you know [Bridge] The G.O.P. divided Two rivals collided Taft held the party Teddy stood outside it Woodrow Wilson watched As the structure broke down Four hundred thirty five votes Carried him to the crown Out of five hundred thirty one Wilson captured the race A divided opposition Opened up the space [Verse 3] Wilson took office With New Freedom in hand Lowered tariff rates Across the land Federal Reserve Act Put new rules in control Twelve regional banks With a central board role Federal Trade Commission Started checking the schemes Clayton Antitrust Act Strengthened legal means Keating Owen Act Targeted child labor trade Then the Supreme Court Made the measure fade War in Europe Pulled attention overseas The Progressive Era Drifted into history [Final Chorus] Taft and Teddy Split the vote Bull Moose charged And Wilson rose Same reform But different roads When a party splits The outcome shows Taft and Teddy Split the vote Wilson found An open road New Freedom reached The White House zone Nineteen twelve Now you know [Outro] Taft broke trusts Teddy broke away Wilson won the race And reforms stayed Three men One race Nineteen twelve Changed the pace
