American Spring

Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Greg Anton

A Hunter/Anton song recorded by "The Mix". It shares some lyrics with Cut The Deck.

Greg Anton has written:

"A rare Hunter political song, written more than a decade ago, has been re-recorded in 2020. The words eloquently paint a picture of today's America ... truly a song for our times."

I was born one American spring (note 1)
Neck in a noose, arm in a sling
Rolled from my cradle, cold and numb (note 2)
Crawled to the road, stuck out my thumb

Six days and nights without a ride
The seventh, someone pulled aside
Picked me up where I lay dead
And knocked some sense into my head

I was born one American spring
Bright dawn of reckoning
Clouds had faces, feet had wings
I grew up learning American things

Star-spangled church of the grand old flag
Not some blood-soaked mop-up rag
Cops were good, crooks were bad
Rights were something everyone had

American spring, of thee I sing
Of all the hopeless hopes you bring
Stars and bones twined in your hair
Electric music in your stare

Gambled with the bone man one dark night (note 3)
Forty nine cards, we were three jacks light
Couldn't tell an ace from a deuce by feel
Bone man said, shut up and deal

I built your house and I laid your floor
I carried your flag and I fought your war (note 4)
A silver pistol on your thigh
Cold blue thunder in your eyes

American spring, of thee I sing
Of all the hopeless hopes you bring
Stars and bones twined in your hair
Electric music in your stare

American spring, of thee I sing
Of all the hopeless hopes you bring
Of all the hanging ropes you swing
Of all the bells you never ring
Never ring

Swore allegiance nearly every day
Hand on heart, under God we pray
Just like religion under holy skies
The visions of the stars and stripes

None of that makes sense no more
Thick black waves lap on the shore
Inner city gunshots ring
There's nothing left to do but sing

American spring, of thee I sing
Of all the hopeless hopes you bring
Of all the hanging ropes you swing
Of all the bells you never ring
Never ring