(Hook)
flip thru the paper
turn on the tele
go to a movie

(Verse 1)

Just because you saw the movie Crouching Tiger
Doesn’t mean that I know kung-fu
And just because Mr. Yan has an accent
Doesn’t mean that I’ve got one too
People tell me I “speak good English”
Or that I’m “too thin to be Bruce Lee”
Where do they get their preconceptions
Of what I’m supposed to be?

(Hook)
flip thru the paper
turn on the tele
go to a movie
(it’s in the tv/movie/paper…)

(Chorus)
Wake up, wake up! This just in!
I’m being judged by the color of my skin
Wake up, wake up! That’s not news
I’m not surprised, I just can’t get used to it

(Verse 2)
Yes, I know that my face might be yellow
But that doesn’t mean I’ll give you SARS
And I know that my eyes might be slanted
And that they seem closed from far away-
People say “Go back to where you came from!”
I dunno what that’s supposed to mean
Someone told me “all men are equal”
But I guess that’s just a dream

(Chorus)

[instrumental]

(Hook)

(Outro)
I can’t get used to it
I won’t get used to it
I can’t get used to it
I won’t get used to it

I just can’t get used to being generalized
Can’t get used to being stereotyped
Can’t get used to being generalized
Can’t get used to being stereotyped
I just can’t get used to it!

(Back)

(Verse 1)
Here I sweat
Blastin’ through rock in the Promised Land
When I came they said that I would find a better

Though I toil
Dollar a day in the Promised Land
There will come a time when I will find a better

I’ve been workin’ on the railroad
All the live long day
I’ve been workin’ on the railroad
Just tryin’ to make my way
I’ve been workin’ on the railroad
Living in this hell
I’ve been workin’ on the railroad
Just to hear the tall man tell me I’m a

(Hook)
[Chink!]
No matter how much I labor at the track
[Chink!]
No matter how many miles I can lay
[Chink!]
The sun’ll be always burning on my back
[Chink!]
And I will never see a cooler day
[Chink!]
All you gotta do is take a look
[Chink!]
All you gotta do is be aware
[Chink!]
For if you open up the history book
[Chink!]
You’ll find that I’m just barely even there

(Verse 2)
Here I am
Not the right race in the Promised Land
Guess I should’ve thought that one day it would matter

Uncle Sam
Says I’ve no place in the Promised Land
Still I really didn’t think that it would matter

Cause I’ve been working on the railroad
All the live long day
I’ve been working on the railroad
Just trying to make my way
I’ve been working on the railroad
Living in this hell
I’ve been working on the railroad
Just to hear the tall men tell me I’m a

(Chorus)

(Verse 3)
Here I bleed
Blastin’ through rock in the Promised Land
After all this time I haven’t found a better

Though I’ll die
Dollar a day in the Promised Land
I still hope that those who follow find a better

A better
A better
A better
A better…

(Back)

Fresh Off the Boat

Fresh Off the Boat
Fobby fobby

Fresh off the boat
Fresh off the boat

Fobby fobby

Fresh off the boat, hooray!

Fobby fobby

Fresh off the boat
Fresh off the boat

Fobby fobby
Fresh off the boat, hooray!

Wobbly wobbly

Can’t stay afloat
Can’t stay afloat

Wobbly wobbly

Can’t stay afloat, today!

Wobbly fobby

Can’t stay afloat
Fresh off the boat
Can’t stay afloat

Fobby wobbly

Fresh off the boat
Can’t stay afloat, today! Uh!

[instrumental]

La, la, la, lah…!

(Back)

Hyphenate

(Verse 1)
Hyphenate – Separate – Segregate – Isolate
Hyphenate – Separate
Round in circles

Hyphenate – Separate – Segregate – Isolate
Hyphenate – Separate
Round and round

Hyphenate – Separate – Segregate – Isolate
Hyphenate – Separate
Round in circles

Hyphenate – Separate – Segregate – Isolate
Hyphenate – Separate
Round and round I go

(Hook)
What are you?
Where’re you from?
Don’t you know
I’m from the same place as you?

(Verse 2)
Estimate – Nominate – Aggravate – Liminate
Estimate – Nominate
Round in circles

Estimate – Nominate – Aggravate – Liminate
Estimate – Nominate
Round and round

Desecrate – Humiliate – Relocate – Retaliate
Desecrate – Humiliate
Round in circles

Desecrate – Humiliate – Relocate – Retaliate
Desecrate – Humiliate
Round and round I go

(Hook)
I was born
I was raised
I grew up
Here in the US of A

(Outro)
Hyphenate – Separate – Segregate – Isolate
Hyphenate – Separate
Round in circles

Hyphenate – Separate – Segregate – Isolate
Hyphenate – Separate

Round and round and
round and round and
round and round and
round and round
I go

(Back)

The Americans

(Verse 1)
I went to an Asian-American party
But where were the Americans?

I went to an Asian-American party
But where were the Americans?

Pardon me, Diversity, I don’t mean to be rude
But where are all the people that you meant to include?
They’re missing out on all the wine and all the catered food – the Americans!

(Verse 2)
I went to an African-American party
But where were the Americans?

I went to an African-American party
But where were the Americans?

It isn’t my intention to exacerbate
But how on earth are we supposed to all assimilate?
We band together, forming groups along the racial side
But all this exclusivity just deepens the divide
The chasm of disunity is open ever wide – the Americans!

[instrumental]

(Verse 3)
I went to a Caucasian-American party
And everyone was White

I went to a Caucasian-American party
And everyone was White

Everyone was smiling and having lots of fun
In terms of colored people, though, I was the only one
And though I was invited, I still felt out of place
For no one can completely disregard ideas of race
As they, I’m sure, regarded me as just a special case – the Asian, Caucasian, Afro-Arabian, Mediterranean, Latino-Australian… American!

(Back)

Never Again

(Verse 1)
Six million Jews behind the wire
Threatened in an evil time
And we stood there dumb
Six million thrown into the fire
Burning for an unknown crime
While we twiddled our thumbs

When it all was over
When the smoke had cleared
When it all came to light
We then all decided
There’d be no more murder
And we’d be all right

(Hook)
NEVER AGAIN – but who’s got the balls on the court?
NEVER AGAIN – but who’s gonna hold the fort?
NEVER AGAIN – but who’s got the balls on the court?
NEVER AGAIN – but who’s gonna hold the fort?

(Verse 2)
You can promise all you like
Anyone can make a speech
But our history shows
Though we promise left and right
We don’t practice what we preach
And the hypocrisy flows

Flowin’ through Cambodia
Flowin’ through Rwanda
Flowin’ through East Timor
Flowin’ through the Balkans
Flowin’ through Guatemala
Flowin’ through Darfur

(Hook)
NEVER AGAIN – but who’s got the balls on the court?
NEVER AGAIN – but who’s gonna hold the fort?
NEVER AGAIN – but who’s got the balls on the court?
NEVER AGAIN – but who’s gonna hold the fort?

(Bridge)
Can’t get goin’
Empty slogan
Blood is flowin’
No one knowin’

(Back)

Put Your Swords Down

(Verse 1)
From the beginning
I’ve learned to hate
Those who are different
I can’t relate

You’re not my color
You’re not my creed
Yet, in my intolerance
Our children bleed

(Hook)
Put your swords down, put your swords down
So the dew will rust them
Put your swords down, put your swords down
Rust them into the ground
Put your swords down, put your swords down
I will put my trust in you

(Verse 2)
We share one future
We hold its peace
In our acceptance
Our children breathe

(Hook)
Put your swords down, put your swords down
So the dew will rust them
Put your swords down, put your swords down
Rust them into the ground
Put your swords down, put your swords down
I will put my trust in you

Ooh, I can taste your culture
Ooh, I can touch your skin
Ooh, I see revolution
Ooh, taking place within you…

(Hook)

(Back)

The Predicament

(Verse 1)
We’ve known each other for a long time
I know your thoughts and I think you know mine
We love good music and drink cheap wine
But being best friends isn’t what I had in mind

(Verse 2)
Girl, don’t you know what your doin’ to me?
I’m leaving signs but you’re too blind to see
We go to movies and stay out late
We’ve been on hundreds of these unofficial dates

(Bridge)
I find it so cliché
These things I feel for you
I don’t know how to say
I need you

(Hook)
Don’t you know you’re in love with me?
Calling me up at 3 A.M.
Don’t you know I’m in love with you?
O my God if you only knew
Everyone else can see it too: we are in love

I’m too short and you’re too tall
You don’t think this’ll work at all
I hear all the things you say
I still love you anyway
I realize more everyday we are in love

(Verse 3)
Girl, don’t you know you got me so upset
It’s like you love me but you don’t know it yet
With me you laugh, baby, with me you cry
But then you give your kisses to some other guy

(Bridge)
I find it so cliché
These things I feel for you
I don’t know how to say
I love you

(Hook)

(Back)

I Hate Jay