There’s a man
somewhere on the street
laying in the gutter,
fast asleep
he’s out of his mind
but he’s in the bottle deep
and it’s all about the dream
What’s taken from one girl
another one sells
and both sit and cry
‘neath the same church bells
if anyone asks
neither one tells
because it’s all about the dream
A man in an office
drinks his gin,
knowing his election
was rigged as sin
but that little secret
he’ll be keeping within
because it’s all about the dream
Another man
cries his eyes out
for his female boss
wants him to put out
this kind of thing
his friends joke about
but it isn’t funny
and it’s all about the dream
The American Dream
is not what it seems
when held to light of day
in today’s USA
We just aren’t learning
and our hearts are turning
away from the dream
now it’s burning, burning
Somewhere else
a man-to-man clash
becomes mortal combat
with just a muzzle flash
the shooter, before running,
checks his victim for cash
because it’s all about the dream
A proud veteran
of several wars
wonders aloud if
this nation of whores
and liars and thieves
is what he fought for
when he fought for the dream
A girl who’s pregnant
had to choose
and told her boyfriend
her exact views
he wasn’t happy
now they’re both on the news
and it was all about dreams
A man on trial
for raping three
has a lawyer so good
he gets off scot-free
he happy but his victims
will never be
because he killed their dreams
A lady cop sits
with strong-set jaw
rubbing her eyes
to forget what she saw
and the life she took
in the name of the law
true, he was a criminal
but that wasn’t in her dream
The American Dream
is not what it seems
when held to light of day
in today’s USA
We just aren’t learning
and our hearts are turning
away from the dream
now it’s burning, burning,
burning away. . .
But it’s still worth fighting for
even after you can fight no more
the dream of a land free and bright
is well worth the longest fight
Don’t give up the American Dream
it’s still there, if you just believe
keep it close and it will stay
instead of burning, burning away
A teenage girl
with eyes so bright
just got into and won
her very first fight
because that boy touched her
in a way not right
and she saved her dream
A priest walks
and gives to the poor
but feels in his heart
that he can do more
so to the homeless
his church opens its doors
because it’s all about the dream
A man contemplates
a knife
as the means
of ending his life
but a friend stops him
and they talk through the night
now he’ll live for his dream
In a city
that has no hope
one boy’s found
a way to cope
he’ll write and cling
to rescue’s written rope
and escape to find his dream
But it’s still worth fighting for
even after you can fight no more
the dream of a land free and bright
is well worth the longest fight
Don’t give up the American Dream
it’s still there, if you just believe
keep it close and it will stay
instead of burning, burning away
Never give up on your hope
Never forget your desires
Keep the honesty to cope
with all the weak liars
Hang on tight and don’t let go
to your own Dream, because you know
your dreams will come true one day
instead of burning, burning away
©PCB 2001