Roosevelt Room Songtext

von Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band

Hey there son of Adam
Hey there daughter of Eve
Help me sing this tear gas riot song
To some fresh faced police
They won't even know what hit 'em
When they lift their Roman shades
When the people's song comes pouring in on a brand new day

Now, you who dam the river
You who change a mountain's name
First we marched to rally back
Now we're taking down Washington state
In death there's a consolation
You know only hate and rage
You paid a dowry for your child's rights
Now she's living like a slave

A prayer came down the wire
And it was all in the enemy's code
You couldn't figure out what mercy meant
Until you did like you were told
When they finally sent the doctors
Once the fireball went out
There was nothing left but the cockroaches
In a movie with no sound

What good, what good are you?
With your cynical flag and your Roosevelt room
What good, what good are you?
With your Cherokee trail and your Arlington tomb

Yeah, go ask Hunter Thompson
Yeah, go ask Hemmingway's ghost
It all catches up with you
Once you get just a little too old
Take a hard look in the mirror
It's a thing that you did not see
The shadow's long
But the day is young
It just wasn't meant to be

There's no blankets for the winter
There's no oil in the lamp
And I'd like to write my congressman
But I can't afford the stamp
You want me to pay my taxes
So you can propagate your lies
While there's barefoot dudes down in New Orleans
Looking like they're gonna die

Yeah, you who quote the legends
You who poisoned all of my dreams
You pinned all of the medals on
All those boys from Omaha Beach
Hope you haven't got too lazy
I know you like your apple pie
But the working poor you've been pissing on
Are doing double shifts tonight

What good, what good are you?
With your cynical flag and your Roosevelt room
What good, what good are you?
With your Cherokee trail and your Arlington tomb