The Burning City Smoking
Kevin Devine Lyrics

Forty million refugees with no place on this earth to call there home
There are millions of people without a home to live in.

One for every aimless graduate with nothing else to show for it but loans
A lot of people who have graduated from college are left with nothing but debts.

And those of us who make our mark use someone else's blood
Many of us have achieved success or made a name for ourselves at the expense of others.

Our western stain won't wash away, it won't vanish in the flood
The damage caused by Western culture won't go away easily.

It seeps deeper through each hurricane and tidal wave and war
The negative influence of the West is felt even during catastrophic events.

We want everything we see and once it's gone we just want more
We are never satisfied with what we have and always want more.

Atlas had those shoulders, we've got Ambien and Jameson's and blow
We use drugs and other things to escape reality, unlike Atlas who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

To bind us in a bubble and keep the newsprint nightmare distant and remote
We create an illusion around ourselves to avoid dealing with the horrors of the world.

But when we wake in gulitines and pitch our screaming fits
We become fearful and distressed when faced with brutal realities.

When the govenor strikes up the band and gags our parted lips
We are silenced even when we have something to say.

When the worst case shows up dressed and dazzling, ready for the ball
The worst situations can suddenly appear seemingly out of nowhere.

But that bubbles bound to burst and what a tragic way to fall
Our illusions will eventually come to an end, leading to a tragic downfall.

The tabloids tell us hate
The media spreads negativity and hate towards certain groups of people.

The rat who strikes those subways closed and put's you out
The workers who keep the subways running properly are mistreated.

Forget those fifty hour tunnel weeks
People's hard work is often not appreciated.

Inhaling steel dust poison through his mouth
The workers in the subway tunnels are exposed to harmful substances.

Well if he don't deserve a pension it makes his family feel secure
Some people don't receive the benefits they are entitled to, making it difficult for their families to live.

If we're now so dissconected it's our reflections we ignore
We are so disconnected from reality that we ignore the problems around us.

And if our constant choice is skimming past the writing on the wall
We repeatedly ignore warning signs and choose to continue living in ignorance.

Then I'm sad to say we're lost and I'm embarrassed for us all
We have lost our way as a society, and it is shameful.

So most days I can't put to rest the burning city smoking in my mind
The pain and suffering of the world constantly occupies my thoughts.

And I play and pretend the principles are nothin' more than actors runnin' lines
I imagine that the principles we are supposed to uphold are just fake and insincere.

And I stumble through a movie set where tourtered victims laugh
I feel like I am living in a world where people can be suffering, but those in charge don't take notice of them.

And embedded journalists who juggle knives and daggered glass
Even members of the media are caught up in a violent environment.

While they entertain a mob of heads of state and CEO's
The world's powerful elite are entertained and distracted from the suffering of others.

Oh woah oh oh
Refrain/bridge

I stagger past anarchist extras through saloon doors painted gold
I am overwhelmed and unimpressed by the extravagance of the world.

So I turn and I see Uncle Sam outside a wardroube ready for a shoot
I see the symbol of the USA, Uncle Sam, as a propagandistic figure in the media.

So I walk right up and talk to him, I tell him that I'm scared and I'm confused
I confront the symbol of the USA and express my fear and confusion about the state of the world.

And while they test the cameras out and get the lighting right
Even my moments of self-awareness are staged and manipulated.

While the catering fills coffee cups and carves up apple pie
The people behind the scenes of the media staging are focused on appearances, rather than substance.

And while the stylists trim his beard and straighten those clothes
Even the appearance of Uncle Sam is a fabrication.

Oh woah oh oh
Refrain/bridge

I ask his empires what made him drive us straight to hell
I question the powers that be and ask what led us to a state of suffering and misery.

And as my daydream ends, he stands ashamed, a shocked and shattered shell
As my vision ends, Uncle Sam seems defeated and broken.

But there's never any answer for my starving tongue to tell
The questions I have about the state of the world remain unanswered.

Woah oh oh oh
Refrain/bridge

'Cause the director shouted action, and from offset its just as well
In the end, even my moments of clarity and reflection are ultimately insincere and performative.