I wake up in the morning
To nothing much at all
I let it all go thru me
I don’t have much recall
 
The never changing noises
The total disrespect
For any real advancement
And all the same neglect
 
Like black men sitting in prison
Many innocent of crime
The others that did it
Obliged to make a dime
 
I wish I could make things happen
I wish I had the balls
To overthrow the status quo
Escape privilege once and for all
 
I want off this merry-go-round
With all the drugs and lies
From the evening pundits
In their shirts and their ties
 
But I’m just a good Jewish boy
Did everything I was told
By books and parents
Who really were quite old
 
I’ll deal with defeat in heaven
If everything goes well
I’ll be right up in front
Sounding a big brass bell
 
I’ll kiss all the angels
Give them each a rose
Convince them to relocate
Buy them some street clothes
 
If there is a God sitting there
I won’t say a word
I won’t betray my bitterness
About which I am not cured
 
I imagine He’ll just nod and wink
And drink up His usual praise
Coming thru the Intercom
From churches in a haze
 
What do they expect from me He”ll ask
What do they think I can do
About all their pain and unhappiness
Their problems not a few
 
I’m just a dude with a good job
I got it long ago
I was elected President
In a world I do not know
 
I’ve been to hell and back
I’ll tell Him steady and straight
It was quite a ride for sure
It makes me want to hate
 
And now you’re in heaven you think
With the man Himself
I guess you want an autograph
To place on your shelf
 
No I don’t think so I’ll retort
I never thought You great
For being so full of yourself
In everything You state
 
You made humans the way we are
That really wasn’t smart
We’re just a bunch of insane beasts
From the end and from the start
 
I think you made a mistake He’ll say
You came to the wrong place
You need to go next door I think
The Devil’s in that space
 
Blame blame is all You know
I’ll tell Him with a sneer
It’s always the other guy
It’s always the one You fear
 
Fear in what You bank on
Fear is what You need
To keep Your fans writing cheques
While they continue to bleed
 
Your fans don’t even know who they are
They only know their names
You need to make them need You
To referee their games
 
Why don’t You tell them the truth of it
Tell them they can be strong
That they don’t have to get on their knees
To live well and get along
 
Then what would I do up here He’d say
I would be all alone
No more droning prayers to hear
No more messages on my phone
 
The fact of the matter is
I’m not getting any younger
Don’t have the energy anymore
To satisfy anyone’s hunger
 
Still people want to dream I guess
Of an afterlife one day
They cannot handle the alternative
That they must just decay
 
Should I destroy the illusions
That keep some men afloat
In a world they cannot tolerate
In a world without hope
 
To these very words
I wouldn’t know what to say
Illusions may be all we have
To keep the world at bay