Songtexte: Michael Franti And Spearhead. Rock The Nation.

We livin' in a mean time and an aggressive time
a painful time, a time when cynicism rots the vine
in a time where violence blocks the summer shine
lifetimes, go by in a flash
in a search for love, in a search for cash
everybody wanna be some fat tycoon
everybody wanna be on a tropic honeymoon
nobody wanna sing a little bit out of tune
or be the backbone of a rebel platoon
it's too soon to step out of line
you might get laughed at you might get fined
but do you feel me when I say I feel pain everyday
when I see the way my friends gotta slave
and never get ahead of the bills they gotta pay
no way no way
some make a living doing killing Columbia penicillin
some are willing to play the villain they just cillin'
to pass the time, pass the information
or pass the wine
pass the buck or pass the baton
but can't pass the police or the pentagon
the IRS or the upper echelon
I think it's time to make a move on the contradiction

(chorus)
Bom-Bom, rock the nation
take over television and radio station
Bom-Bom, rock the nation
give the corporation some complications

This is the dawning of our time I say it one more time
to emphasis the meaning of my rhyme
to rise above all the dirt and grime
add the right spice at the right time
fuck the constitution
are we part of the solution or we part of the pollution
sittin' by and wonderin' why
things aren't the way we like to find them to be, to be
for you and for me the people over there and the ones in between
check our habitation are we a peace lovin' nation
peace lovin' nation
I have a reasonable doubt I think I'll just spell it out
there's no reason to scream or to shout
the NRA just bought a man's soul
then he jumps up and shouts gun control
the government says that killin' a sin
unless you kill a murderer with a lethal syringe
so I ask again "are we peace lovers then"
some of them slang guns when they're six years old
this whole damn place seems to, lost control
so I raise my voice before I loose my soul
(chorus)

This is the way I'll express my feelings
vibe revealed and revolved spinnin' on a record y'all
try to confiscate take what I communicate with
it's ancient gift of the lip steady creating
activating passin' vocal vibrations to the blind plus seeing
human doesn't mean just being
be coming don't believe it just belife it
belongings or beloved rehearse it or recite it
while shinning drop your guns and move your tongues
battle motivation in no time lyrics come
sometimes fun others run their mouth or away
my minds co beaming like an early sunray
one day we'll get the picture and all combine
less the talking bout mines is mine and become one mind
every piece of the puzzle has its place
to build the piece of the puzzle called the human race

taking it long enough we crush the journalistic
dyslexic critters talk backwards to rap words
I'm sure raising my hands with questions and demands
statements and a plan with a map of the land
(chorus)