AFL-CIO
in Music ·
Latest from AFL-CIO
I remember when there were only two channels,
Reading the papers over black coffee,
Catching the nightly news at 7:00 sharp every night,
Always the same old story, always the same gang.
Back then, spreading propaganda was easy,
People actually believed what they saw on screen,
No room to hear any other side,
Until someone somewhere decided to change the game plan.
Now, after all the wars, the protests, the shifts,
Democracy, the internet, and all this new tech,
The fights for rights and free speech,
After everything, it’s just the same as it ever was.
Still the same liars and puppets in power,
Taking orders and grabbing everything for themselves,
Doesn't matter if you have a thousand channels or social media,
We still shove screens in our faces while everyone runs from the chaos!
Refren2x
The system lies to you, don't believe a word,
Life is a struggle, from birth to the grave,
So wake up right now!
Since I was a kid, they've been lying to me and playing me like a fool,
Telling me stories about how Joe fell into the creek,
They handed me a flag and an oath,
Like we're brothers who wouldn't sell out for a dime.
Meanwhile, the big shots are tucked away in their Beverly Hills mansions,
We're all the same mess, but the pigs are still running the show.
So we wanted democracy, took to the streets,
Wasted our energy, got screwed over!
Foreign agents played us like suckers,
Making us breathe tear gas just to wreck our country.
Now we listen to nonsense coming from bad actors,
But they aren't the government, just a puppet show.
I know who's lying and I know who's stepping on me,
Banks, the IMF, corporations—they're the ones that matter.
And the whole system exists just to make them money,
There'll only be justice when this empire falls!
Refren:2x
The system lies to you, don't believe a word,
Life is a struggle, from birth to the grave,
So wake up right now!
A man believes what he sees, believes what he hears,
Not realizing his brain has been poisoned since birth,
By system propaganda, whatever you want to call it,
Tabloids, TV, spun realities.
All designed to make you lose who you are,
To turn you into a compliant, rotten mediocre,
Blaming others, lashing out at the innocent,
Venting rage because you're blind and got played again.
You get laid off, they call it "reforms," it's "necessary,"
No paycheck, late bills, the power gets cut instantly,
Then you wait for the bailiffs and the law to show up,
Just like how your ancestors waited for the Turk on their wedding night.
And you stayed quiet, you believed, you hoped, you voted,
Now you can't believe how far you've sunk,
So snap out of it while you still can, speak up when it hurts,
You don't owe the bank anything, but you owe it to your kids!
Refren:2x
The system lies to you, don't believe a word,
Life is a struggle, from birth to the grave,
So wake up right now!