This song is a response to the Johnny Cash song “These Are My People” which describes a united land, filled with camaraderie towards an American ideal. Bazan uses “People” to highlight how differently the American landscape appears in the 21st century. No longer are we the people described by Cash,...
[Verse 1]
When i was young
I saw people helping people
All the time
Because you were
People-helping-people
In your prime
I thought people-loving-people
Were the norm
Because you were people
Loving people
Before the long dark storm
[Chorus 1]
But now you’re selfish and mean
Your eyes glued to a screen
And what titillates you
Is depraved and obscene
And i know that it’s dangerous to judge
But man you’ve gotta find the truth
And when you find that truth don’t budge
Until the truth you found begins to change
And it does i know, i know
[Chorus 2]
When you love the truth enough
You start to tell it all the time
When it gets you into trouble
You discover you don’t mind
Cause if good is finally gonna trump
Than man you’ve gotta take stock
And you’ve gotta take your lumps
Or else they trickle down
Into someone else’s cup below
You know
[Verse 2]
I wanna know who are these people
Blaming their sins on the fall
Who are these people
If i’m honest with myself at all
These are my people
Man what else can i say
You are my people
And we’re the same in so many ways
[Chorus 1.5]
Then your eyes turned green
And you broke the machine
That when handed to you
Was still kind of functioning
And i know that it’s dangerous to judge
But man you’ve gotta find the truth
And when you find that truth don’t budge
Until the truth you found begins to change
And it does i know, i know
[Chorus 2]
When you love the truth enough
You start to tell it all the time
When it gets you into trouble
You discover you don’t mind
Cause if good is finally gonna trump
Than man you’ve gotta take stock
And you’ve gotta take your lumps
Or else they trickle down
Into someone else’s cup below
You know
David Bazan released People on Tue May 24 2011.