Cause for oppression the gaining of wealth But as the dollar sign rises we're thrown into hell War, death, disease, famine, murder and hunger While you're living high and mighty were plotting down under War and oppression the noose is pulled tighter Tensions flare up and start a fire As confusion sets in the future appears dim You slide down the divide with no where to dig your nails in He was just 17 with no prospect for a future Wasn't gonna live his life as another fucking loser He ran to pick up his things and he walked out the door He didn't need his books today just a magnum .44 He's thinking about his family, he's thinking about his friends He's thinking about a future that's loaded with dead ends He's thinking about the beginning and he' thinking about the end He's thinking about what happens after your dead And as the sun climbs high in the mid American sky He doesn't want to live but he doesn't want to die He's eying all the students he's eying all the cops He's reaching for his pistol and suddenly he stops If we fight just like them the war is never won We're gonna have to learn compassion, gonna have to turn the gun