Turn of the Century
Vocals - Chris Birkel
Bass - Nick Macchia
Drums - James Johnson
Guitar - Josh Merlis
Keyboards - Mike Grecco
Lyrics - Mark Licurse
Fat cats in the East let corruption make its way.
The issue can't be solved in just a few days.
Politically entrenched, entrenched throughout the Congress.
Giving Hayes the election, doesn't lead to progress.
Grangers and the rangers in the Midwest have their means.
Riots, strikes, and stoppages, they struggle for the dreams.
Trust busting Teddy will have his rightful say,
And break those greedy barons with their horrifying ways.
Child labor laws and an eight-hour day.
Fixed minimum wage and silver right away.
Gompers and the AFL, the Knights are on our side,
Watch out robber barons, you know we won't subside.
It's the end of a century, a fight against corruption.
It's the end of a dynasty of political disruption.
The twentieth century is America's springboard,
To reach a higher goal, we all strive towards it.
The meeting of the rich and the meeting of the poor,
The meeting of the world with an open door,
War's on the horizon, though maybe we will see,
Human progress with a new Manifest Destiny.
Eighteen ninety eight the world opens its doors,
Immigrants are flooding both of our shores.
Europe and the West, empires on the rise,
The power only fuels the material desires.
Panama and Guam and the Philippines,
Global conquest seeps deep into their dreams.
McKinley is tentative to wager a war,
But the businesses inside, demanding they want more.
Christianize, civilize, is this our way?
Spreading democracy by war, is it really ok?
Roosevelt believes, it's in his corollary,
Yellow journalists report, are they making up the story?
The Spain and the Maine, well that's another thing.
I'm thinking 'bout world war, it makes me want to cringe.
Major casualties, and all kinds of destruction,
It's not America's job some said, to be an obstruction.
Wilson beats Taft and the Old Bull Moose,
Washington's ignored, neutrality vamoose.
Millions fall dead, in a war we didn't start,
Who can say that what they did was really very smart?
Wilson tried the League of Nations peace diplomacy,
Moving towards a growing role throughout the century.
People like me have a chance to say.
Who knows where America would be today?
All songs and essays are the intellectual property of their respective authors and are protected under United States copyright laws. The image on the inside label is credited to Mark Hess. The CD design is the Original Design of the Great Seal of the United States as reproduced from Our Documents, 100 Milestone Documents from the National Archives. History Raps & History Rocks is ™ Peter Mastrota 2001. A Music History of the American People is Copyright © South Studio Productions 2004. Site design is Copyright NuTech Web & Services © 2005. All Rights Reserved.
