The Mirror

This is the story of an American hero
Born in the ghetto in poverty
Taken in by the white man, cleaned up, given a home
Became the salvation of every modern mother’s son
Worked in a factory, worked on the land
Steel work and dust bowl dirt staining his hand
Shot down in Memphis, Iwo Jima made me a man
Now I gotta look in some comic book
Just to find out who I am
IT HURTS
CAN’T YOU SEE ME BLEED
IT HURTS
CAN’T YOU FEEL THE NEED
THESE FLOWERS OF EVIL
AND THESE GODS WITHOUT GRACE
YOU TOOK THE MIRROR
NOW YOU’RE PUSHING IT IN MY FACE
It’s the American way into the twenty first century
It rides a motorbike alone down the interstate
It wears dark glasses and dates thin girls
Uses strong arm tactics all around the world
It’s the noble savage at the edge of the forest
With Oedipus eyes and Icarus wings
It’s a Soul Train coming, it’s savage and keen
And it’s spitting Coca-Cola from the barrel of an M16
IT HURTS
CAN’T YOU SEE ME BLEED
IT HURTS
CAN’T YOU FEEL THE NEED
THESE FLOWERS OF EVIL
AND THESE GODS WITHOUT GRACE
YOU TOOK THE MIRROR
NOW YOU’RE PUSHING IT IN MY FACE