I'd like to say
A few words
In defense of our country
Whose people aren't bad
Nor are they mean
Now, the leaders we have
While they're the worst that we've had
Are hardly the worst
This poor world has seen

Let's turn history's pages, shall we?

Take the Caesars, for example
Why, with the first few of them
They were sleeping with their sister, stashing little boys in swimming pools, and burning down the city
And one of 'em, one of 'em appointed his own horse to be Counsel of the Empire
That's like vice president or something
That's not a very good example right now, is it?
But here's one:
Spanish Inquisition
That's a good one
Put people in a terrible position
I don't even like to think about it
Well, sometimes I like to think about it

Just a few words
In defense of our country
Whose time at the top
Could be coming to an end
Now, we don't want their love
And respect at this point's pretty much out of the question
But in times like these
We sure could use a friend

Hitler
Stalin
Men who need no introduction

King Leopold of Belgium, that's right
Everyone thinks he's so great
Well, he owned the Congo
He tore it up too
Took the diamonds
Took the silver
Took the gold
You know what he left 'em with?

Malaria

You know, a president once said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"
Now it seems like we're supposed to be afraid
It's patriotic, in fact
Color-coded
What we supposed to be afraid of?
Why, of being afraid
That's what terror means, doesn't it?
That's what it used to mean

You know, it pisses me off a little that this Supreme Court's gonna outlive me
Couple young Italian fellas and a brother on the Court now too
But I defy you, anywhere in the world, to find me two Italians as tight ass as the two Italians we got
And as for the brother
Well, Pluto's not a planet anymore either

The end of an empire
Is messy at best
And this empire's ending
Like all the rest
Like the Spanish Armada
Adrift on the sea
We're adrift in the land of the brave
And the home of the free

Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye

Goodbye


Lyrics submitted by Eamon

A Few Words in Defense of Our Country Lyrics as written by Randy Newman

Lyrics © DOWNTOWN MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

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A Few Words in Defense of Our Country song meanings
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    General Comment

    I really enjoy this song. Here's a transcript of Randy's introduction to this number on his Live in London Album (2011):

    "When I came to Europe last, it was a few years ago, I recognized fairly soon that people here didn't like us very much, speaking as a country as I often do, and I understood it, but I wanted to do something to try and explain it, so I wrote this song."

    End Transcript


    The line that most gives me pause in this song is "And as for the brother, Pluto's not a planet any more either."

    What do you suppose he means by that? Is he saying simply that times have changed and so now it's possible for a black man can to serve on the Supreme Court? Or is he saying that , just as the Italians on the Supreme Court are unusually "tight-assed" for a pair of Italians, so too is Clarence Thomas unusually straight-laced for a black man?

    pikabooon October 04, 2012   Link

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