Sweet Subversion (Reprise)
(Guitar + Boy) = Us vs. Them = (Hatred + Apathy)
Story behind the song
The song was split in two, and the reprise fleshed out, when I realized it was tedious to bombard folks with three chords and the boring truth for somewhere around six minutes. As it is, lyrically, the first half turned out to be most of the abstractions, and the Reprise turned out to be more direct.
Andrew Thomas: Vocals, guitar, bass, mandolin
Nick Naioti: Background vocals, percussion
Kevin Tillery: Background vocals
Lyrics
Well, they're fighting their wars
At home and around the world
Defending our freedom
And protecting our rights
Freedom from what?
What poses a threat to us?
We've got the world on its toes
We've betrayed all our trust
I want freedom from these mind-numbing
Moral avengers
And their patriotic blindness
And their witch-hunt for sinners
I'd like to think that elsewhere
Things aren't as bad as here
The fact that other towns could have it worse
That's no minor fear
As I disappear into the night
A shadow among light
I wonder with my mind
And I pray with all my might
That you learn to rise above
And not listen to the rules
Laws were made to be broken
When they don't allow you to choose
Your own personal beliefs
And your own moral convictions
And they censor all your thoughts
And pin you down with restrictions
Don't call yourself "Left" or "Right"
Belong only to humankind
Accept no one's dogma
It wasn't written with you in mind
Look beyond this town's sheen
And see the sulfur and the scales
Patriotic propaganda
Lies held up by three nails
And this town in my dream
Is nothing but a mudslick
A ghost and a memory
So burn, Branson, burn
You're the perfect effigy
Of the imagery of the rivalry
Between them and me
That lurks inside this country boy
Raised on Cash and honesty
Sweet subversion is all that I offer
