Lyrics by: Joe Salembier
Posted: July 3, 2025
Intro:
I wrote this song as a protest. Feeling that the country wasn’t progressing towards a peaceful future, we seemed to get ourselves caught up in local conflicts and foreign wars, wars we couldn’t get out of. I wanted to say something about that.
As for the music, it’s very different. The lyrics are delivered as a monotone, very poem-like. My producer felt it would provide greater impact when set against a hard charging rock-like musical backing.
I’m posting this piece over the July 4 holiday asking people to think about where we’re really headed as a country.
Click on the window below to hear A New American Anthem:
Chorus
Where is the promised land.
The plays a one night stand
singing sideways in the park
making love out in the dark
Where do our people go
and what do we need to know
to try to do our part
and make a brand new start.
Dad’s a hustler and a con man
a lover and a yes man
doing what it takes to get us by.
Reading us a bedtime story,
talking about the days of glory
when things were good and
we were riding high.
Hanging in and hanging on
those summer days are dead and gone,
So grab the flag and wave it all goodbye.
(Chorus)
He’s a faker and a liar
brother’s not a pacify-er
High school drop out
filled with anger and despair.
But recruiters found him ready
army sniper aim so steady.
War happened and they sent him over there.
Now his world is fancy letters
p t s d’s are getting better.
Those V.A. guys, they really really care.
(Chorus)
When things start getting crazy and
the future looks real hazy
let’s all stop back
and try to understand.
All the weeping and the whining
won’t stop the sun from shining
so suck it up and take it like a man.
Others have gone before us
and sung a U.S. chorus
together ever building this great land.
(Chorus)
This is the promised land
the band plays our songs so grand
singing anthems in the park
bringing light out of the dark.
Freedom’s the way to go
That’s all we really need to know.
So it’s time to play it smart
and make a brand new start.
