Okay, so here's a problem
There's a big problem here
The problem is it's true
[Chorus]
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
God only knows why
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
(God only knows why)
There's a big problem here
The problem is it's true
[Chorus]
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
God only knows why
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
You're oppressed, you're oppressed, you're oppressed
(God only knows why)
I read a lot about
Terrible things that people have done to each other
You just cannot
Even imagine it, it's so awful!
So you don't wanna be someone like that
Now do you have a reason to be?
Yes, you have lots of reasons to be!
God, there's reasons to be resentful about your existence
Everyone you know is gonna die
You too! And there's gonna be a fair bit of pain along the way
And lots of it's gonna be unfair
It's like, yeah!
No wonder you're resentful
It's like act it out, see what happens
You make everything you're complaining about
Infinitely worse!
There's this idea that hell is a bottomless pit
And that's because no matter how bad it is
Some stupid son of a bitch like you could figure out a way to make it a lot worse!
That's what life is like
It's suffering!
That's what the religious people have always said
Terrible things that people have done to each other
You just cannot
Even imagine it, it's so awful!
So you don't wanna be someone like that
Now do you have a reason to be?
Yes, you have lots of reasons to be!
God, there's reasons to be resentful about your existence
Everyone you know is gonna die
You too! And there's gonna be a fair bit of pain along the way
And lots of it's gonna be unfair
It's like, yeah!
No wonder you're resentful
It's like act it out, see what happens
You make everything you're complaining about
Infinitely worse!
There's this idea that hell is a bottomless pit
And that's because no matter how bad it is
Some stupid son of a bitch like you could figure out a way to make it a lot worse!
That's what life is like
It's suffering!
That's what the religious people have always said
I knew this guy he'd been in a motorcycle accident, and it really ruined him
And he was like a linesman, you know, working on the power and
He was working with someone who had Parkinson's disease, and they had complimentary inadequacies
And so two of them could do the job of one person
So they're out there fixing power lines in the freezing cold, despite the fact that one was three quarters wrecked, with the motorcycle accident
And the other one had
Parkinson
It's like, that's how our civilization works
There's all these ruined people out there
They've got problems like you can't believe, off they go to work, and do things they don't even like
And look, the lights are on, my God, it's unbelievable
And he was like a linesman, you know, working on the power and
He was working with someone who had Parkinson's disease, and they had complimentary inadequacies
And so two of them could do the job of one person
So they're out there fixing power lines in the freezing cold, despite the fact that one was three quarters wrecked, with the motorcycle accident
And the other one had
Parkinson
It's like, that's how our civilization works
There's all these ruined people out there
They've got problems like you can't believe, off they go to work, and do things they don't even like
And look, the lights are on, my God, it's unbelievable
Now, there are all sorts of ways in which religious people try to explain that it can be done
I referred already to the grace of God
You say no, you can't do the job yourself
Because the improving you is the one that needs to be improved
Therefore, you have to say, "God help me."
Now, of course, that God exists is your opinion
That God will answer your prayer is your opinion, and your idea of God is your idea of God
If you bought somebody else's script, you bought it
[Chorus]
I can be the singer of clown
And you
I can be the singer of clown
And you
I can be the singer of clown
And You
I can be the singer of clown
And you
Maybe your mother and father talked to you about God in a very impressive way
But basically, you bought their idea
And if you're a father yourself, I'm a grandfather now, I've got five grandchildren
And I know I'm as stupid as my own grandfather must have been
You know, I am one, I sit there in the position which they look at
They go, "Oh, wow-wee, there's an important man."
I know that I'm just like anyone else
So I hope my children are not believing things on my authority
Because it's always their authority
If I look impressive and make big noises at them
They've just been taken in
[Chorus]
I can be the singer of clown
[Man]: Sounds like an easy religion
And you
[Man]: Let's not be so sure
[Man]: No wonder we're suffering
I can be the singer of clown
[Man]: I've chosen you
And you
[Chorus]
I can be the singer of clown
And you
I can be the singer of clown
And you
I referred already to the grace of God
You say no, you can't do the job yourself
Because the improving you is the one that needs to be improved
Therefore, you have to say, "God help me."
Now, of course, that God exists is your opinion
That God will answer your prayer is your opinion, and your idea of God is your idea of God
If you bought somebody else's script, you bought it
[Chorus]
I can be the singer of clown
And you
I can be the singer of clown
And you
I can be the singer of clown
And You
I can be the singer of clown
And you
Maybe your mother and father talked to you about God in a very impressive way
But basically, you bought their idea
And if you're a father yourself, I'm a grandfather now, I've got five grandchildren
And I know I'm as stupid as my own grandfather must have been
You know, I am one, I sit there in the position which they look at
They go, "Oh, wow-wee, there's an important man."
I know that I'm just like anyone else
So I hope my children are not believing things on my authority
Because it's always their authority
If I look impressive and make big noises at them
They've just been taken in
[Chorus]
I can be the singer of clown
[Man]: Sounds like an easy religion
And you
[Man]: Let's not be so sure
[Man]: No wonder we're suffering
I can be the singer of clown
[Man]: I've chosen you
And you
[Chorus]
I can be the singer of clown
And you
I can be the singer of clown
And you
So you see, when you select an authority
Who will help you to improve yourself
It's like hiring the police
Out of your tax money
And putting them in charge of seeing that you obey the law
I mean, can't you take care of yourselves?
I mean, is this the land of the free and the home of the brave, or isn't it?
But you see, nobody seems to want to be in charge of themselves
'Cause they feel they can't do it
As St. Paul said
[Chorus]
To will is present with me
But how to do good, I find not
For the good that I would, I do not
And the evil that I would not, that I do
To will is present with me
But how to do good, I find not
For the good that I would, I do not
And the evil that I would not that I do
So there at once, we are in difficulty
Because trying to improve yourself is like trying to lift yourself up into the air by tugging at your own bootstraps
And it can't be done
[Chorus]
To will is present with me
But how to do good, I find not
For the good that I would, I do not
And the evil that I would not, that I do
To will is present with me
But how to do good, I find not
For the good that I would, I do not
And the evil that I would not, that I do
[Outro]
To will is present with me
But how to do good, I find not
For the good that I would, I do not
And the evil that I would not, that I do
For the good that I would, I do not
And the evil that I would not, that I do
For the good that I would, I do not
And the evil that I would not, that I do
Who will help you to improve yourself
It's like hiring the police
Out of your tax money
And putting them in charge of seeing that you obey the law
I mean, can't you take care of yourselves?
I mean, is this the land of the free and the home of the brave, or isn't it?
But you see, nobody seems to want to be in charge of themselves
'Cause they feel they can't do it
As St. Paul said
[Chorus]
To will is present with me
But how to do good, I find not
For the good that I would, I do not
And the evil that I would not, that I do
To will is present with me
But how to do good, I find not
For the good that I would, I do not
And the evil that I would not that I do
So there at once, we are in difficulty
Because trying to improve yourself is like trying to lift yourself up into the air by tugging at your own bootstraps
And it can't be done
[Chorus]
To will is present with me
But how to do good, I find not
For the good that I would, I do not
And the evil that I would not, that I do
To will is present with me
But how to do good, I find not
For the good that I would, I do not
And the evil that I would not, that I do
[Outro]
To will is present with me
But how to do good, I find not
For the good that I would, I do not
And the evil that I would not, that I do
For the good that I would, I do not
And the evil that I would not, that I do
For the good that I would, I do not
And the evil that I would not, that I do