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-a fire...

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

I did it so my friends would know where 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'd know where I was coming from...

I want my prize...

I did it 'cause the bosses made my belly burn...

I did it so she'd pay attention...

So I'd have someplace to come from, and someplace to go...

Don't I get a prize?

I did it because they said I would be Ambassador to France...

I did it so they would suffer in the North

The way we'd 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?

Because nothing stopped the fire—!

I want my prize!...

Nobody would listen!

It didn't mean a nickel

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 they 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 choose

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 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 even gonna 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 ball park

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 that can't get in

To the ball park

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 may 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...

Well, 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?

'Cause 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 word...

—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 ball park

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've got to try again!

Like they say

You've go to keep on trying

Every day

Until you get a prize...

Until you get a prize...

Until you're heard...

Musn't get discouraged...

Spread the word...

Mustn't give up hope...

Up to you—

Don't say—

—What you choose...

—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...