searching for america (live) - janis ian lyrics
[verse 1]
they herded us like so much meat
up from the sewers to the street
where concrete canyons stretched their walls
so high it made us want to crawl
past proverbs writ on subway cars
and in between the window bars
we walked until that pavement bled
and not a curse was left unsaid
[chorus]
searching for america
in the rivets and the rust
searching for america
finding only dust
[verse 2]
they gave us each a cropper’s shack
and land so hard it broke the back
and they fed us ’til our bellies burst
on promises that died at birth
i lay the baby out each dawn
in between the tender corn
blue sky for her bonnet
and flies her only blanket
we harvested until we bled
and every single root ran red
when the work was finally done
they gave our names to immigration
[chorus]
searching for america
in the rivers and the coasts
searching for america
finding only ghosts
[verse 3]
who are these people you have seen
to dream this dark and distant dream?
to tell the stories you have told
to leave these bruises on your soul
we are the flesh, we are the bone
we are the very cornerstone
we leave our mansions and our shacks
to hide here in between the cracks
to walk until they run no more
and wash up on some distant shore
where truth is not the enemy
and whatever does not k!ll us, sets us free
[pre*chorus]
somewhere out there
are millions just like me
we are homesick for eden
heartsick at the memory
[chorus]
searching for america
in every stick and stone
searching for america
going home
searching for america
going home
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