Christmas In Washington

Steve Earle

It's Christmastime in Washington


The Democrats rehearsed


Gettin' into gear for four more years


Things not gettin' worse


The Republicans drink whiskey neat


And thanked their lucky stars


They said, 'He cannot seek another term


They'll be no more FDRs'


I sat home in Tennessee


Staring at the screen


With an uneasy feeling in my chest


And I'm wonderin' what it means





Chorus:


So come back Woody Guthrie


Come back to us now


Tear your eyes from paradise


And rise again somehow


If you run into Jesus


Maybe he can help you out


Come back Woody Guthrie to us now





I followed in your footsteps once


Back in my travelin' days


Somewhere I failed to find your trail


Now I'm stumblin' through the haze


But there's killers on the highway now


And a man can't get around


So I sold my soul for wheels that roll


Now I'm stuck here in this town





Chorus





There's foxes in the hen house


Cows out in the corn


The unions have been busted


Their proud red banners torn


To listen to the radio


You'd think that all was well


But you and me and Cisco know


It's going straight to hell





So come back, Emma Goldman


Rise up, old Joe Hill


The barracades are goin' up


They cannot break our will


Come back to us, Malcolm X


And Martin Luther King


We're marching into Selma


As the bells of freedom ring





Chorus