The Word Justice Lyrics by Jackson Browne

The Word Justice Lyrics

    A man stands up before god and country
    Raises his right hand and takes an oath
    Swears he has acted in the line of duty
    And he more than anyone wants to tell the truth

    But there is a need to keep some things a secret
    Some weapons shipments--some private wars
    In the future democracy will be defended
    Behind closed doors

    Now the men of congress who convene to determine
    If covert war is a business or a crime
    Are the same men who routinely give their permission
    For the shedding of blood in security's name

    And there is a need to keep some things a secret
    The names of some countries--the terms of some deals
    And above all the sound of the screams of the innocent
    Beneath our wheels

    Does the word justice mean anything to you?
    Are the features of a lie beginning to come through?

    In the streets of america the children are buried
    Caught in an avalanche of weapons and drugs
    They live and they die in the bowels of a business
    That's disguised as a war between the crips and the bloods

    And there is a need to keep some things a secret
    The c.i.a. deals protecting the source
    And the government policies directly connecting the drugs and our wars
    Does the word justice mean anything to you?

    As the battlefield comes home and democracy falls through
    I am waiting for the time to come
    When the word will be real for everyone
    And not just a word but a thing that can be done
    But justice must be won

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