Sound Bites
This song is based on two caricatures: the midwestern right-wing everyman manufacturing worker (Joe) and the ideological leftist transgender environmental activist (Cate). I convey my idea in the song that although it can be annoying and triggering sometimes, honest expression of ideas to those one disagrees with is ok. Also, agreeing to respectfully disagree is also ok. The rhetoric of the two caricatures intentionally gets less extreme and argumentative as the song progresses.
Chorus (All)
Well, I do not feel right (Yeah, Yeah)
Cause' of that crazy little sound bite (Yeah, Yeah)
Well, how can you say that (Yeah, Yeah)
I cannot take that
Verse 1 (Joe)
I’m just an average Joe
Trying to make a home
And my job’s without a low
Around this great nation my parts roam
Now all these people are speaking change
Wanting our society blown away
Because it offends their sensibilities
Well in this great environment I’m speaking free
Chorus (All)
Well, I do not feel right (Yeah, Yeah)
Cause' of that crazy little sound bite (Yeah, Yeah)
Well, how can you say that (Yeah, Yeah)
I cannot take that
Verse 2 (Cate)
I’m not an average Cate
To Joe I’m an “it” who should be erased
Because I’m poor and don’t fit the body
That his social construct wants me to be
Well as for this Earth, Joe’s lovely place
That’s what really will be erased
When the cars his plant makes
Release gases, cause Earth to bake
Chorus (All)
Well, I do not feel right (Yeah, Yeah)
Cause' of that crazy little sound bite (Yeah, Yeah)
Well, how can you say that (Yeah, Yeah)
I cannot take that
Verse 3 (Joe)
I’m a normal guy
I’m also barely getting by
You should have your right to smile
Even if I don’t understand your style
Well the world will be just fine
Economic growth’s caused by work like mine
Startups will promise with designs
If you let the market flow with time
Chorus (All)
Well, I do not feel right (Yeah, Yeah)
Cause' of that crazy little sound bite (Yeah, Yeah)
Well, how can you say that (Yeah, Yeah)
I cannot take that
Verse 4 (Cate)
I’m a unique, proud person
If you’re uncomfortable, learn something
You know, the system you’ve been praising
Well gross injustice it’s embracing
It exploits or ignores my life
It’s built on social strife
The profit motive, the colonizer’s wife
Innovation will be ended by it’s knife
Bridge (Cate)
Whoah, oh-ooh
Look in my eyes, see what they know
Whoah, oh-ooh
Look in my heart, see what it shows
Are we destined to never grow?
Chorus (All)
Well, I do not feel right (Yeah, Yeah)
Cause' of that crazy little sound bite (Yeah, Yeah)
Well, how can you say that (Yeah, Yeah)
I cannot take that
Verse 5 (Joe)
I’m a history fan
Some US actions should be panned
But the achievements of this land
Monuments, institutions justly stand
They’ve levelled the playing field
So with self-motivated ideals
We can solve these problems real
Unless you’re postmodern chambers are the deal
Chorus (All)
Well, I do not feel right (Yeah, Yeah)
Cause' of that crazy little sound bite (Yeah, Yeah)
Well, how can you say that (Yeah, Yeah)
I cannot take that
Verse 6 (Cate)
I’m curious, learning I’ve sought
Of deep rooted oppression I’ve been taught
Small improvements just aren’t a lot
When faced with this structural disease we’ve caught
You speak of bad acts
Look at today’s dark facts
We need to change our future tracks
To one where compassionate light we attract
Call and Response (Joe)
I can’t seem to grasp your full view
Call and Response (Cate)
Well you know, I can’t too
Call and Response (Joe)
But your passionate, honest
Call and Response (Cate)
And you’re positive, engagement-focussed
Altered Chorus (All)
Well I feel alright (Yeah, Yeah)
I’m done with crazy little sound bites (Yeah, Yeah)
I sort of get why you say that (Yeah, Yeah)
I’ll try to peacefully change that