A socioeconomic/political ballad dedicated to the memory of Phil Ochs.

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My lyricist (and alter ego), J K Cowan (formerly known as "Mad Dog" though he rarely goes mad), asked me to add music to his words; so here it is!

J K says these lyrics "came to him" shortly after the Obama election.

This is a song of cautious optimism.

United we stand, divided we fall
Alone we be behind this crumbling wall
A direction be chosen by those with frozen
Faces and minds, tumbling them all

Belief we need, faithless indeed
Achieving a goal planted solely in greed
Eyeing toward heaven the fear of eleven
Giving plenty to few that only all need

Want be contagious, achievement outrageous
Houses aplenty, these cages of lust
Now out in the open, no place to go then
Who then can answer the rages of rust?

Is there any worse than he who be first?
Left to wander in a desert of thirst
Knowing of power while counting the hour
What can be done to revert and reverse?

Now all can abhor it while those who ignore it
Put peril to them still lost in their forest
Faith must be earned one hopes we have learned
At last add the cost in before it's
Too late