Randy Newman

A Few Words

Randy Newman


I'd like to say a few words 
In defense of our country 
Whose people aren't bad nor are they mean 
Now the leaders we have 
While they're the worst that we've had 
Are hardly the worst this poor world has seen 

Let's turn history's pages, shall we? 

Take the Caesars for example 
Why within the first few of them 
They were sleeping with their sister 
Stashing little boys in swimming pools 
And burning down the City 
And one of 'em, one of 'em 
Appointed his own horse Consul of the Empire 
That's like vice president or something 

That's not a very good example, is it? 

But wait, here's one, the Spanish Inquisition 
They put people in a terrible position 
I don't even like to think about it 

Well, sometimes I like to think about it 

Just a few words in defense of our country 
Whose time at the top 
Could be coming to an end 
Now we don't want their love 
And respect at this point 
is pretty much out of the question 
But in times like these 
We sure could use a friend 

Hitler. Stalin. 
Men who need no introduction 

King Leopold of Belgium. That's right. 
Everyone thinks he's so great 
Well he owned The Congo 
He tore it up too 
He took the diamonds, he took the gold 
He took the silver 
Know what he left them with? 

Malaria 

A President once said, 
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" 
Now it seems like we're supposed to be afraid 
It's patriotic in fact and color coded 
And what are we supposed to be afraid of? 
Why, of being afraid 
That's what terror means, doesn't it? 
That's what it used to mean 

[To the first eight bars of 
"Columbia The Gem Of The Ocean"] 

You know it pisses me off a little 
That this Supreme Court is gonna outlive me 
A couple of young Italian fellas 
and a brother on the Court now too 
But I defy you, anywhere in the world 
To find me two Italians as tightass 
as the two Italians we got 

And as for the brother 
Well, Pluto's not a planet anymore either 

The end of an empire is messy at best 
And this empire is ending 
Like all the rest 
Like the Spanish Armada adrift on the sea 
We're adrift in the land of the brave 
And the home of the free 

Goodbye. Goodbye. Goodbye.