You were born alive and well;
You were just fighting for yourself in Kansas, 1985
You made peace with your parents — or the companies
At least — when you bought them their birthday cards
And you ran into their bedroom screaming
“wake on up, it‘s morning! Don't just sleep the day away!“
And in 21 years, everything that you have learned it turns
And betrays you

You were scared and very nervous on the first day of school, when you moved here from out west
And the self-righteous sultans of Brooklyn took you in
And you played baseball in the streets
And you were very tired, so the city never sleeps
But I stayed up with you over telephone wires;
Right out of this empire state
That claims your heartache

And if you want something you've gotta do it yourself
If you want something you've gotta do it yourself
Don‘t sacrifice work for subliminal health;
If you want something you've gotta do it yourself


And if you want something you've gotta do it yourself
If you want something you've gotta do it yourself
Don‘t sacrifice work for subliminal health;
If you want something you've gotta do it yourself