American Ed (Radio Edit)
Jim Flannery
Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!
Gather round the circle, it's your first day of school You'll be doing as I say, and learning what your told We start now when you're young cause its like this when you're old So introduce yourselves, we'll start with you, now go You'll know me as the twelfth name on your list I'm a learning machine by nature and I'm too young to be dismissed But I'll sit in the corner with my crayons, glue, and math Cause everyone around me says that's the best path Does this seem normal, does this seem right? Thankfully There's no time for questions, or questioning in sight Go play some games with the kids your own age And trust everything will be all right in the end Since I'm just four, that seems pretty fair But is it fair that you're gonna talk about me without out me to my parents? Will you tell them about the bullying? I'm worried I might be one too Should I be reassured my parents placed their trust in you? Don't despair, that's prolly a lot of unnecessary pressure on you too That I can't cut out a circle or rhyme with try-and-glue Is there anything else that you've been told to teach me I know I'm just four, but what about our history This all seems pretty simple, worksheets and tests If this s**t was designed, who said it's the best Not to worry, what would you rather instead You know there's worse ways, anything betters in your head But I'm 12 now, don't my ideas matter If I'm old enough that some kids are fathers And mothers, with honor roll mentions and spelling bee trophies How much did I learn in the last 8 years that I still can't pick my seat When will I need this, just for next semester? But everything that I've been doing has been to climb up this ladder How high does it go, I didn't notice it was all one piece When I went from grade to grade, it seemed significant Yet how many times have I learned about Thanksgiving While being required to refer to the native people as Indians That was just an example, I understand why you're making that face While I'm struggling to accept our country's history's a disgrace And that there's clearly one kid in this room being forced in last place I know I'm only 12 and barely know the words to the pledge And you're a full-grown human who's just doing what they said I may not know s--t but I can sense what's controlling you too Now can you help that kid out, and throw out the rules We all may just benefit, in the worst case, we're fools I'm still sitting here, after passing all this time If its college I've been preparing for, I should probably smile They accepted me, so I guess that's what this means That everything we did together went exactly as was planned So why the sudden attitude, what's changed since I was 12 That all this felt so controlling and I feel so alone The trophies and accolades, the A's and B's you demanded While I'm not free to walk the halls or be in the cafeteria I switched over to this magnet school thinking I'd feel better The kids are nicer prolly 'cause they f--king chose to be there But why's there so much pressure chasing letters just for letters It's for someone else's approval, isn't it, but does it really matter? If I can't form my own opinion of myself, then isn't that a problem Using critical thinking to make good judgments would sure as f--k be helpful If you're so unsatisfied then why'd you choose this road to being? No one told me there were options, I was taught just to keep climbing And who taught you that? Was that in the curriculum? I kinda f--king doubt it, not much I can do now Was it worth it all? The time and money invested for my inevitable fall? I cannot blame my college or my K-12 schools But something's gone wrong, when I'm lacking the tools I could analyze what I was taught, but not what was left out Resulting in my inability to function in a world without Prescribed expectations, order, judgment and limits If I don't see where I fit in, then I must be the idiot But how can this be if I'm so f--king great At least that's what the report cards and transcripts all say I can find work, so I guess, 'thank you', to school But that's a long f--king time to be under control Without being prepared for a dystopian world Where there's not enough salary to bribe your own soul To not feel something when you feel you're in hell What am I a part of? And what's not for sale? Have I wasted my time? do I have the appropriate skills? Should I be doing something more than just climbing a hill? Is there even a life worth living beyond paying bills? Or is this world all about money, power, and/or control?
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"American Ed (Radio Edit) Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 9 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric-lf/8387056/Jim+Flannery/American+Ed+%28Radio+Edit%29>.
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