It’s what we’ve been ordained to do
We really are the chosen few
Just scoffing from our sofas
Taking in the 5 o’clock news
I’m not responsible for this
Or for that matter anything
I would have voted for a difference
But of course I was a kid

They got themselves into this mess
And what the fuck did they expect?
We’d take it off their hands
The world’s most unwanted inheritance
People are so disappointing
Spoiling this comfort for me
And if they can’t help themselves
Then maybe we should weed them out

I do want to change the world
‘Cause I’m young and idealistic
And ‘round here they tell us we are capable of anything
And our constitution’s old
But it’s also idealistic
And a new America would be a precedented thing
And a new America would just mean new Americans

And isn’t it always the case
We never get past 7th grade
The names of bullies perched on our tongues
Just because we got straight A’s
We never really had a chance
The hierarchy kicked our ass
Now we’re just left hoping we’ll become
The richest in our class

But you know I will earn my shit
Because I am a patriot
And Jesus smiles on a faithful
Consumer capitalist
Those straight A’s linger in my mind
I worked so hard for them to find
Playing dumb and going shopping
Would have saved me so much time

I do want to change the world
‘Cause I’m young and idealistic
And ‘round here they tell us we are capable of anything
And our constitution’s old
But it’s also idealistic
And a new America would be a precedented thing
And a new America would just mean new Americans

Will I ever grow up?
Relinquish my ideals
And join my noble comrades on this “level playing field”
You need things to remind you
They wanna hear you sing
That life is such a gift in spite of every shitty thing

It’s how they story goes
The iron of stunted growth
In a place where progress reigns
But nobody wants to get old

I’m protected by the law
To be employed and independent
I don’t need a man or children to survive or feel fulfilled
I just need a place to sleep
Oh, and I just need my music
Have I slipped into a cliché, is the joke finally killed?

And we still want to change the world
But we’re young and mostly powerless
And mad as hell that they told us that we could to anything
And our resolution’s bold
But it’s all so unrealistic
And a new America would be a precedented thing
And a new America would just mean new Americans