The national nightmare has begun
Empire of fantasy with a dark gloved fist aloft
While the challenger explodes
Banks are failing coming down hard 
The way things are going I'm moving to the sun belt
Stars and stripes, forever is a long time
Don't ask me what's to be done
Ask what you can do for your country

The Big Dipper' coming down
Miss America's lost her crown
Guess I've spent too long in this old town
No time to run and hide
We've been taken for a ride
America leads the world in teenage suicide 
I always thought it would have been great
To be a part of the United States
A land of unmissed opportunity

A friend seems so far ahead
A land safe on film
Untouched by reality
But like a well played record seemed to scratch
The news that real life and cinema don't match
Even Forrest Gump can't save us now 
The king of Hollywood is dead
I don't care what the president said
I don't believe in everything I've read

The Big Dipper's coming down
New York's just a shanty town
That distant sound is L.A. burning down 
The golden years of justice
The golden years of youth
The golden years of liberty
The golden years of truth 

Laser bombin'
Status seekin'
Trail blazin'
Frontier pushin'
Space racin'
Earth quakin'
Jesus freakin'
Serial killin'
Cult crushin'
Net surfin'
Networkin'
Fast talkin'
Gun runnin'
Fun lovin'
America

The Big Dipper' coming down
Miss America's lost her crown
Guess I've spent too long in this old town
No time to run and hide
We've been taken for a ride
America leads the world in teenage suicide
The Big Dipper's coming down
New York's just a shanty town
That distant sound is L.A. burning down
The king of Hollywood is dead
I don't care what the president said
I don't believe in everything I've read