A Message Song

Long ago in a faraway country,
Foreign places, foreign lives.
I'd speak in a foreign language,
Hearing what I'd like to hear.

But even in the land of the dragon,
People conquered, people lied.
I had hoped that things had changed by now.

"Where ya goin'?" I asked a peasant,
"To the hill where Wizard lives.
For a penny he'll tell your fortune,
For another, he'll make it good."

So even in the land of the Wizard,
People followed where people led.
I had hoped that honesty was true.

And don't ya think that after all these centuries,
People might have changed, changed just a little bit.
And don't you wonder what is wrong with us?

Long ago in a different country,
Here's another chapter still.
Wars continue and I grow tired,
Of the anger that I see.

So even in the land of the righteous,
People murder and people stole.
I had hoped that wisdom came with age.

And don't ya think that after all these centuries,
People might have changed, changed just a little bit.
And don't you wonder what is wrong with us,
Why can't we see, why don't we change, how can we live this way?

Just last week in a similar country
To the one I'm living in,
Black man killed by a white man's hatred,
I can see the headlines still.

So even in the land of the living,
People torture, people hate.
I had hoped that things would change by now.

And don't you think after all these centuries,
People might have changed, changed just a little bit?
And don't you wonder what is wrong with us,
Why can't we see, why don't we change, how can we live this way?