I was talking 'bout the state of the union
How there's no one now in power thinking of me
I was saying how we ought to try to fix it
Find a leader who is not afraid to be

Then a voice came out of the darkness
Saying "Tear the system down"
Tear it down

I was thinking 'bout how that was very crazy
And I tried to find a way to tell him so
But when I did I used a word that was quite nasty
How the policeman heard me man I'll never know

Then a voice came out of the darkness
Saying "Tear the system down"
Tear it down; down to the ground

I was wrestled off to one side of the theater
And they said I'd have to go right to jail
They don't permit coarse language in their city
But they did accept a large amount of bail

Then a voice came out of the darkness
Saying "Tear the system down"
Tear it down; down to the ground