American exceptionalism is all over the news these days, what with our (hopefully temporary) inability to hold our government together despite being the world’s oldest continuously functioning Constitutional democracy. As in written Constitution, for my British readers.
We Americans are also exceptional in other ways, such as our retention of remarkably high levels of the old faiths depite being a prosperous and free country. I’m not about to assume that these two forms of exceptionalism are wholly unrelated, but this song is about the latter sort of exceptionalism.
I don't need to be a global citizen
'Cause I'm blessed by nationality
I'm a member of a growing populace
We enforce our popularity
There are things that seem to pull us under and
There are things that drag us down
But there's a power and a vital presence
That's lurking all around
We've got the American Jesus
See him on the interstate
We've got the American Jesus
He helped build the president's estate
I feel sorry for the earth's population
'Cause so few live in the U.S.A.
At least the foreigners can copy our morality
They can visit but they cannot stay
Only precious few can garner the prosperity
It makes us walk with renewed confidence
We've got a place to go when we die
And the architect resides right here
We've got the American Jesus
Bolstering national faith
We've got the American Jesus
Overwhelming millions every day
He's the farmers barren fields
(In God)
The force the army wields
(We trust)
The expression on the faces of the starving millions
(Because he's one of us)
The power of the damned
(Break down)
The fuel that drives the Klan
(Cave in)
He's the motive and the conscience of the murderer
(He can redeem your sin)
He's the preacher on TV
(Strong heart)
The false sincerity
(Clear mind)
The form letter that's written by the big computers
(And infinitely kind)
The nuclear bombs
(You lose)
The kids with no moms
(We win)
And I'm fearful that he's inside me
(He is our champion)
Yeah, we've got the American Jesus
See him on the interstate
(We've got the American Jesus)
We've got the American Jesus
Exercising his authority
We've got the American Jesus
Bolstering National faith
(We've got the American Jesus)
We've got the American Jesus
Overwhelming millions every day
One nation under God
One nation under God
One nation under God
