Long Road Out of Eden

Moon shining down through the palms Shadows moving on the sand Somebody whispering the twenty-third psalm Dusty rifle in his trembling hands Somebody trying just to stay alive He got promises to keep Over the ocean in America Far away and fast asleep Silent stars blinking in the blackness of an endless sky Cold silver satellites, ghostly caravans passing by Galaxies unfolding, new world's being born Pilgrims and prodigals creeping toward the dawn And it's a long road out of Eden Music blasting from an SUV On a bright and sunny day Rolling down the interstate In the good old USA Having lunch at The Petroleum Club Smoking fine cigars and swapping lives He said, "Give me another slice of that barbecued brisket Give me another piece of that pecan pie" Freeways flickering, cell phones chiming a tune We're riding to utopia, road map says we'll be arriving soon Captains of the old order clinging to the reins Assuring us these aches inside are only growing pains But it's a long road out of Eden Back home, I was so certain the path was very clear But now I have to wonder what are we doing here I'm not counting on tomorrow and I can't tell wrong from right But I'd give anything to be there in your arms tonight Weaving down the American highway Through the litter and the wreckage and the cultural junk Bloated with entitlement, loaded on propaganda Now we're driving dazed and drunk Been down the road to Damascus, the road to Mandalay Met the ghost of Caesar on the Appian way He said, "It's hard to stop this binging once you get a taste But the road to empire is a bloody stupid waste" Behold the bitten apple, the power of the tools But all the knowledge in the world is of no use to fools And it's a long road out of Eden