American Dream Deferred

Verse 1: Picket fence needs painting, more gray than white John Deere's repossessed, can't put up a fight They promised if we worked hard, we'd get our slice of pie But that promise tastes bitter, like last year's rye Chorus: American Dream deferred, rain check's in the mail Always just beyond the next hill, beyond the pale They sold us a future bright as a harvest moon American Dream deferred, hope it gets here soon Verse 2: College degree gathering dust like an old guitar But all it's brought is debt, can't even fix the car Underwater mortgage, credit score's in the pit The land of opportunity? Feels like we've been snakebit (Repeat Chorus) Bridge: Stars and Stripes flying, tattered and worn On a flagpole that's seen better days, looking forlorn We pledged allegiance to a dream that didn't come true Now we're left wondering, what're we gonna do? Verse 3: Grandpa had it better, or that's how the story goes Now we're working three jobs, still wearing patched clothes Bootstraps are broken, can't climb that ladder no more American Dream deferred, knocking on a different door (Repeat Chorus) Outro: Still we rise with the roosters, put on our game face Holding onto hope in this uphill race American Dream deferred, but we ain't beat yet We'll rewrite the promise, on that you can bet