i heard you sing a rebel song
sung it loud and all alone
we can't afford the things you save
we can't afford the warranty
well i see you walking in the glare
down the county road we share
our southern blood my heresy
damn that ol' confederacy
it took a
long time to
become the thing
i am to you
and you won't
tear it apart
without a fight
without a heart
i'm sorry for what you've learned
(learned)
when you feel the tables turn
to run so hard in your race
(race)
now you found who set the pace
the landed aristocracy
exploiting all your enmity
all your daddies fought in vain
leave you with the mark of cain
it took a
long time to
become the thing
i am to you
and you won't
tear it apart
without a fight
without a heart
it took a
long time to
become you
become you
the center holds so they say
(it never held too well for me)
it never held too well for me
(the center holds so they say)
i won't stop short for common ground
(that vilifies the trodden down)
that vilifies the trodden down
(i won't stop)
the center held the bonded slave
for the sake of industry
(ah)
the center held the bloody hand
of the executioner man
(ah)
it took a
long time to
become the thing
i am to you
and you won't
tear it apart
without a fight
without a heart
it took a
long time to
become you
become you
it took a
long time to
become you
become you
