Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
A memo to a higher office
open letter to the powers-that-be
to a god, a king, a head of state
a captain of industry
to the movers and the shakers --
can't everybody see?
It ought to be second nature --
i mean, the places where we live!
let's talk about this sensibly --
we're not insensitive
i know progress has no patience --
but something's got to give
I know you're different --
you know i'm the same
we're both too busy
to be taking the blame
i'd like some changes
but you don't have the time
we can't go on thinking
it's a victimless crime
no one is blameless
but we're all without shame
we fight the fire --
while we're
feeding the flames
Folks have got to make choices --
and choices got to have voices
folks are basically decent
conventional wisdom would say
well, we read about
the exceptions
in the papers every day
It ought to be second nature --
at least, that's what i feel
"now i lay me down in dreamland" --
i know perfect's not for real
i thought we might get closer --
but i'm ready to make a deal
Today is different
and tomorrow the same
it's hard to take the world
the way that it came
too many rapids
keep us sweeping along
too many captains
keep on steering us wrong
it's hard to take the heat --
it's hard to lay blame
to fight the fire --
while we're
feeding the flames