The Way It Is

My father told me
Son, it's OK to have ideals,
but beliefs against your government still won't pay your bills.
You can raise your fists and publicly resist
but in the end corruption still exists.
And no protest song will ever change the world.
Everybody does exactly as they are told.
In the end every man works for what is his.
You can fight the world, but that's just the way it is.
You're words are not meaningless to me,
I feel their honesty but it's my life I gotta figure out for me.
It's what I've always done not what I have become
and I know the consequences that will come.
And if I never reach the world or speak to people's souls
it's a passion that will not die as I grow old.
It's what I choose to do
it may not work for you but to myself I know I must be true.
I am not afraid to stand right where I've stood.
My beliefs they are unchanged because I believe they should.
And I'll measure my success one word at a time.
If the truth is spoken will I stand the test of time.