Another National Anthem

I did it because it is wrong for one man to have so much service
When other men have none

I did it to bring down the government of Abraham Lincoln
And to avenge the ravaged South

I did it to prove to her my everlasting love

I did it to make them listen to Charlie

I did it 'cause my belly was on fire

I did it to preserve the Union
And promote the sale of my book

I did it so my friends would know what I was coming from

Where's my prize?

I did it because no one cares about the poor man's pain

I did it so I would know where I was coming from

I want my prize

I did it 'cause the bosses
Made my belly burn (I did so she'd pay attention)

So I'd have some place to come from
And some place to go

Don't I get a prize?

I did it because they said
I'd be ambassador to France

I did it so they'd suffer in the North
The way we suffered in the South

I deserve a fucking prize

I did it so there'd be a trial
And Charlie would get to be a witness
And he'd be on TV
And he'd save the world

Where's my prize? (I did it to make people listen)
They promised me a prize (because she wouldn't take my phone calls!)
What about my prize? ('Cause nothing stopped the fire!)
I want my prize (and nobody would listen)

And it didn't mean a nickle
You just shed a little blood
And a lot of people shed a lot of tears
Yes, you made a little moment
And you stirred a little mud
But it didn't fix the stomach
And you've drunk your final Bud
And it didn't help the workers
And it didn't heal the country
And it didn't make them listen
And the never said, "we're sorry"

Yeah. it's never gonna happen
Is it?

No, sir

Never

No, we're never gonna get the prize

No one listens

Are we?

Never

No, it doesn't make a bit of difference
Does it?

Didn't
Ever

Fuck it!

Spread the word
Where's my prize?

I just heard on the news
Where the mailman won the lottery
Goes to show, when you lose
What you do is try again
You can be what you chose
From a mailman to a President
There are prizes all around you
If you're wise enough to see
The delivery boy's on Wall Street
And the usherette's a rock star

Right, it's never gonna happen, is it?
Is it?

No, man

No, we'll never see the day arrive

Spread the word (will we?)

No, sir
Never!

No one's ever gonna even care
If we're alive, are they?

Never

Spread the word
We're alive
Someone's gonna listen
Listen

Listen
There's another national anthem playing
Not the one you cheer at the ballpark

Where's my prize?

It's the other national anthem
Saying, if you want to hear

It says, "bullshit"
It says. "never"
It says, "sorry"

Loud and clear

It says, "listen
To the tune that keeps sounding
In the distance
On the outside
Coming through the ground

To the hearts that go on pounding
To the sound getting louder every year
Listen to the sound"

Take a look around

We're the other national anthem, folks
The ones who can't get into the ballpark

Spread the word

There's another national anthem, folks
For those who never win

For the suckers

For the pikers

For the ones who might have been

There are those who love regretting
There are those who like extremes
There are those who thrive on chaos and despair
There are those who keep forgetting
That the country's built on dreams

People listen!

And the mailman won the lottery

They may not want to hear it
But they listen
Once they think it's gonna stop the game

And the usherette's a rock star!

No, they might not understand all the words
All the same, they hear the music

They hear the screams

I've got news

They hear the sobs
They hear the drums

You forgot about the country

The muffled drums
The muffled dreams

So it's now forgotten you

And they rise

You know why I did it?
Because there isn't any Santa Claus

Where's my prize?

And you forgot

What's my prize?

How quick it heals

Promises and lies

That it's a place
Where you can make the lies come true

Spread the world

If you try

Gotta spread the word

That's all you have to do

Right, all you have to do
Well, there's another national anthem
And I think it just began in the ballpark
Listen hard
Like the other national anthem
Says to each and every fan:
If you can't do what you want to
Then you do the things you can
You gotta try again, like they say
You gotta keep on trying every day
Until you get a prize
Until you get a prize (until you're heard)
Mustn't get discouraged (spread the word)
Mustn't give up hope (up to you)
Don't say (what you chose)
It's never gonna happen (spread the word)
You can always get a prize
You can always get your dream
Sure, the mailman won the lottery