Mikey knocked down 12 years old
Bloody knees and bloody nose
Wipes the mud out of his eye
Says "Dad, is it alright for me to cry?"
'Son don't you wanna be a man?
Your fate is like a gun in hand
"Land of opportunity"
Don't mean your chances come for free'

Tight-wound eighteen lean and mean
Working hard and playing clean
Two ends to burn, so much to learn
Or so say the back-bent has-beens
Two years of B's and C's at the J.C.
Nightshifts at the Burger King
A pretty smile and sweaty hands
And Mike's a swift unwitting family man

In the land of opportunity
Not a goddamned thing gonna came to you for free
There ain't no house up in the hills
Just credit cards and mounting bills
Six bucks an hour won't get it done
And sixty hours a week isn't any fun
It's all there for the making
Michael's future is his for the taking
Take the plates off of the Chevrolet
A rubber mask and his old man's .38
Two jobs down third time's the charm
An interstate bank with a silent alarm
Cops run him down on the way out of town
Shot thirteen times before he hit the ground
Close his eyes look to the sky
Close his eyes look to the sky
Says "Father, is it alright for me to die?"

Your land of opportunity
Won't be the same as the next guy's on the street

It's a land of opportunity
But that don't mean you're gonna be the one
That they're gonna listen to
Or that they're gonna set you free

For your country
For your country
For your country bleed