What's that rotten smell? The stench of morning headlines Someone's trying to sell a war of ignorance With newspapers passed out in our schools And every morning children recite an oath to fools Oh no, those are words my lips won't make I couldn't fake blind allegiance To a dead ideal while kids follow what I say I should have hit the lights and said "STOP! Kids you're writing your own pledges now And if you need ideas I'll tell you when I was your age... Yes you could see me, dancing in the streets In front of soldiers, in battle armor, called the state police I saw my parents standing next to me And I thought 'This is what it's like to bring your kids up right' And I looked up and smiled" Thinking people can't be mind controlled History knows this So we'll teach our children to be skeptical of the government They'll question all the lies they're ever told They'll be fearless when they stop worshiping the flagpole And reject what they've been sold Then you will hear them, dancing in the streets A sea of children singing so loud the sound is deafening This war machine will collapse in disbelief And the hawks will lose their wings and cry For forgiveness for their crimes And the kids will nod and smile