American Life

In a town in southernmost Sicily
 Lived a family too proud to be poor
 In the year that fever took father away
 They hastened for American shores
 Now a mother and her son are standing in line
 It's a cold day on Ellis Isle
 And they look to the Statue of Liberty (Liberty, Liberty)
 For the boy we have american life
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 Ong is a Laotian refugee
 He works in the audio trade
 The smoke from the flux is filling his lungs
 He's earning minimum wage
 Spending spare time down on San Pablo Ave
 Once a week gets a woman for the night
 And he writes home tales of prosperity (prosperity, prosperity)
 For the boy we have american life
 For the boy we have american life
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 Bob is an unemployed veteran
 Born and bred in the South Bronx
 He's living off the streets down in east L.A
 Residing in a cardboard box
 Now he plays a little guitar and he has a small dog
 Searching for aluminum cans
 And he holds on tight to his dignity (dignity, dignity)
 He was born into american life
 He was born into american life
 For the boy we have american life