Badlands

[Verse 1]
Newspeak double talk trouble walking straight lines
Yesterday was good tomorrow's better but today is fine
Played mind games in 1984 twisted time frame that came
And went come back only to find the signs changed
I'm almost famous a jagged stone throw from magnificent
Rip and hit the incandescent lamp and crack the filament
There goes another breakthrough whose cure for cancer magnitude
Loss the cruddy attitude between malice and ignorance
And I'm sorry sorry that I didn't have the guts to say something
Running towards dysfunction 'till I got my chance to play (slumming)
Underneath the sidewalk cracks and knapsack full of facts
Vaccinated myself again and again and left the rest to deal with it
Liquid day everything that don't sell want to incinerate
Roll down the window scatter the ashes on the interstate
Traits are meant to be passed on but phases never last long
Hey Mr. DJ play that song (no no that song)
And with that today is gone maybe Tomorrow Started Without Me
Maybe I dreamed all the critics who talked nonsense about me
And maybe I just passed out from inhaling all the fumes
Maybe my career began and ended this afternoon
Maybe my whole life toke place in this very room
Maybe I'll find out in a minute got to wake up pretty soon

[Chorus]
Life is what you make it grip it tight or let it go
If you got a chance to make it better take it let me know
Its not how you will it how you break it hold it tight or let it go
You got a chance to make it better i'm just trying to let you know

[Verse 2]
As a I stood atop the modest public house and Babel's Tower
Watching power shift and trade the earth stayed still and prayed
Stayed a safe distance away I played the waiting game
And thought that things could stay the same
If we could hold the sun and wait for rain
The ground zero devastation reaches further than we can touch
And honest people look for answers in the things that they ignore
I kindly take the ears that choose to listen (thank you very much)
And whisper hope to child's for freedom in a life worth dying for
Stand beneath the Living Water bow your head and feel the rush
And watch terrain change before your face forever
I kindly take the ears that choose to listen (thank you very much)
And whisper hope to child's for freedom in a life worth dying for
But some that can't afford the price to pay simply walk away
Trudge through all the muck with every breath and stand alone
But that's the choose I guess we all got a voice and plus a lot to say
Some straight from the paths and some step closer to home

[Chorus]
Life is what you make it grip it tight or let it go
If you got a chance to make it better take it let me know
Its not how you will it how you break it hold it tight or let it go
You got a chance to make it better i'm just trying to let you know

[Verse 3]
Yo excuse me bartender could I get a glass of water
But she's got paying customers so she doesn't even bother
Turns her back every time she sees me
I don't get have the heart to stop her
Maybe she saw my face and I remind her of her father or her brother or her lover
Maybe just another man who wants another something
For nothing by the sweat of both her hands
But I stand different (don't know)
I have seen her face in every city
She sees us all the same and conversations just too risky
But its just me from the edge of every stage I've left my sweat
I'm no threat by nature any favor I'll pay back later
I don't hate her but I'm starting to think that she hates me
I can see it in her hard times circa 1983
I'd tip you with the change of my pocket but its like I told you
I need this fifty cents just to get home through the toll booth
And its lonely at the top of my mind and few can go there
They want me to stop for awhile but i tell them that's going nowhere
No not this time somewhat time you might just need a little time
My set starts in just five minutes and I'm already falling behind
They call it the blind deaf and evil
So where does that leave me
I stand beside my fellow man to expand my scope of family
And is mankind really worth it or is my perception deceiving me
That's the question I asked that bartender that ignored me repeatedly
To my surprise she turned around and looked me dead in the eyes
And showed wisdom that was hidden there below her veiled disguise
She said "your surroundings don't define you
You'd be surprised where flowers bloom"
I nod my head to take a drag from the secondhand smoke that fills the room
And still as soon as the words hit she turned and walked away again
Drinks to serve life to live yarns to spin hearts to mend
So I just made to the stage and thank God that I saw her
One last thing bartender could i get a glass of water
Yeah i made my way to the stage and thank my God that I saw her
One last thing bartender could I get a glass of water
Thank You Thank You