Lyrics Basic Protest Song - Harry Chapin

Basic Protest Song

So you’re 13 and there’s a silent scream out there
And you can hear it
Just your basic protest song
Now you’re 16 and there’s a danger in the air
And you can see it
Just your basic protest song
Turnin' 20 and it’s around you everywhere
And you can feel it
Just your basic protest song
Now your 30 and it’s to late now to care
And you can taste it
Just your basic protest song
Well, I just turned 13 don’t know what I wanna be
I don’t have much experience but I’ll tell you what I see
When I hear the record sing and baby, baby I love you
It seems to me we all got so much lovin left to do
And at 16 I don’t know to much but I’ll tell you what I do know
If you do not give a damn I’ll tell you where to go
There is something truly crazy with our patriotic song
We know to wave the flag round the week begins a strong
So you’re 13 and there’s a silent scream out there
And you can hear it
Just your basic protest song
Now you’re 16 and there’s a danger in the air
And you can see it
Just your basic protest song
Turnin' 20 and it’s around you everywhere
And you can feel it
Just your basic protest song
Now your 30 and it’s to late now to care
And you can taste it
Just your basic protest song
Oh now that I am 20 got my first full time job
My boss, upstanding citizen, finds legal ways to rob
They say forget what you believe forget what you have seen
But I know I lost the best of me when I forgot my dreams
I’m passin' on through 30 got two kids of my own
Got a wife, house, a car, and dog but still I am alone
And I’m tired of only selling cause it’s myself that I sell
I’m glad of always buying cause I can’t buy it ourselves
I know none of us is perfect I can see myself to well
If we can’t push for paradise we’re settled in for hell
So you’re 13 and there’s a silent scream out there
And you can hear it
Just your basic protest song
Now you’re 16 and there’s a danger in the air
And you can see it
Just your basic protest song
Turnin' 20 and it’s around you everywhere
And you can feel it
Just your basic protest song
Now your 30 and it’s to late now to care
And you can taste it
Just your basic protest song