Lyrics The Great Unknown - Dar Williams

The Great Unknown

Once upon a time there was a nuclear family
And we lived in a family time
And weЂ™d unite in a family way.
And off the ancient mountain
They were splitting every nucleus.
They said Ђ™donЂ™t be alarmed
Just donЂ™t try this at home.Ђ™
And they were the mystery that made the world run
And we had the powerЂ™cause they were the sun
And we called them our heroesand the future had come.
They saidЂ™look at the light weЂ™re giving you
And the darkness weЂ™re saving you from.Ђ™
Soon they were bringing it into our showroom
And theyЂ™d unveil it with itЂ™s title
Bring your familybring your family
ItЂ™s the great unknown.
You can lookbut you canЂ™t fathom
ItЂ™s the great unknown.
IЂ™m no ordinary princessI was born in the cold war
And my team is the rockets.
Go teamitЂ™s a dangerous time.
And I dream of the moon and building lunar clone colonies.
And I build my peace with strengththatЂ™s the best weapon youЂ™ve
Got.
OhI am the brainchildI am the mortar
With a plastic trophy and an eating disorder
And vision as big as a great big wall
And they tell me that IЂ™ll move forward for the good of us all
And the good of nuclear families all.
And they think I think I am important.
I know I never wasno I wasnЂ™t.
No I neverand how could I be?
ItЂ™s the great unknown.
Now weЂ™ve built itnow itЂ™s ticking
ItЂ™s the great unknown.
And I am your childrenI am millions.
And I wanted to sell outI wanted to try
But you know the sky got too lowand the ocean got too high.
And I tried to take God into my own hands.
Am I too late?
is it over?
Have I sacrificed my family to the great unknown?
ThereЂ™s a war between my conscience and the great unknown.
So I walked out into the gamma fields
Out in mercurynevada.
Where I stood in circle and that circle started to pray.
And the wind at the nuclear test sights floats the data at the radiation.
From the underground testing
Cross the lineyouЂ™ll get arrested.
And we came from all over in a silent appeal
As the drill comes down like a presidential seal.
And we stand for the livingand we stand for the dead
And we looked out to see your enemies
And we see that youЂ™re looking all at us instead.
And you think I am being disruptive?
But no IЂ™m running homeIЂ™m running
Ђ™cause IЂ™m trying to put the atom back together.
ItЂ™s the great unknown.
IЂ™m just trying to put the atom back together.
ItЂ™s the great unknown.