Breathin’ Ain’t Free

Smog rolls in with the morning light
Can’t see the hills past neon signs

In the past the sky was blue
Back when I was twenty-two
Now it’s gray and kinda thick
Kids get coughin' mighty quick

Diesel roars and factory steam
Pushin’ past that “livin’ green”
Asthma’s rising, lungs feel tight
Stars ain’t out on summer nights

"Breathin’ ain’t free"

No clean wind, no guarantee
Payin’ for air like gasoline

"Breathin’ ain’t free"

It burns to breathe
In this land of the brave, can’t catch reprieve

Oil towns built on fire and smoke
Men die young with lungs half broke
Cities choke on tailpipe songs
While we still claim “nothin’s wrong”

Can’t outrun it on the farm
Cropdust drifts like slow alarm
Even woods got poison haze
Breathin' strange these modern days

"Breathin’ ain’t free"

No clean wind, no guarantee
We paved the sky for industry

"Breathin’ ain’t free"

It stings like shame
When you raise your kid and curse his name

Filters won’t fix what we’ve done
Masks can’t block out every sun
If air's a right, then why’s it sold?
And who decides how black is gold?

"Breathin’ ain’t free"

No clean wind, no guarantee
We breathe the cost of their decree

"Breathin’ ain’t free"

And that’s our fate
To choke for power, love, and hate

The wind still blows, but not for peace
In a world where breathin’ ain’t free