Anaïs Mitchell - Young Man in America Lyrics

My mother gave a mighty shout
Opened her legs and let me out
Hungry as a prairie dog
Young man in America, young man in America
Hungry, hungry, runnin' every which way
Young man in America

I come out like a cannonball
Come of age with alcohol, raven in a field of rye
With a black and rovin' eye, black and rovin' eye
Ravenous, ravenous, what you got, it's not enough
Young man in America
Oh, shelter, mother shelter, mother shelter us, ooh

My father was a lord of land
My daddy was a repo man, put me out onto the street
Didn't give a damn for me, did not give a damn
Daddy, daddy, gonna wish you never had me
I'm a young man

I'm growin' right before your eyes
I might grow to such a size
Blow in like a hurricane, everyone'll know my name
Everyone'll know my name
Blowin' in, blowin' up, shadow on the mountaintop
Young man in America

Oh, shepherd, father shepherd, father shepherd us, ooh

In my feathers and furs, clothes of many colors
Many men will envy me when I'm in my finery, me in my finery
Envy me, envy me, spendin' all my bright money
Young man in America

Maybe I'll climb the stairs with a girl of golden hair
Hold her like a sword and shield, up against this lonely world
Up against the world, it's a lonely, lonely world
For a yellow-headed girl and a young man

Like the wind I make my moan, I howl in the canyon
There's a hollow in my bones, makin' me cry and carry on
Make the foam fly from my tongue, make me want what I want
Another wayward son waitin' on oblivion
Waitin' on the kingdom come to meet me in my sin
Waitin' to be born again, mother, kiss me cheek and chin
Mmm, a little medicine, mmm, and I shed my skin
Mmm, and lemme climb back in the bed you made me in