I heard you sing a rebel song,

sung it loud and all alone.

We can't afford the things you save,

we can't afford the warranty.

I see you walking in the glare

down the county road we share.

Our southern blood, my heresy,

damn that ol' confederacy.



It took a long time to

become the thing I am to you.

And you won't tear it apart

without a fight, without a heart.



I'm sorry for what you have learned,

when you feel the tables turn.

To run so hard in your race,

now you find who set the pace.

The landed aristocracy

exploiting all your enmity.

All your daddies fought in vain,

leave you with the mark of Cain.



It took a long time to

become the thing I am to you.

And you won't tear it apart

without a fight, without a heart.

It took a long time to

become you, become you.



The center holds, so they say.

It never held too well for me.

I won't stop short for common ground

that vilifies the trodden down.

The center held the bonded slave

for the sake of industry.

The center held the bloody hand

of the executioner man.



It took a long time to

become the thing I am to you.

And you won't tear it apart

without a fight, without a heart.

It took a long time to

become you, become you.