Radicals Rockers, Frustrated By The Mainstream
"Can I Get A Word In" is a hard-rocking ballad against the hypocrisy of the singer's family, which might be a real, nuclear family, or simply the men and women in the community surrounding him. Either way, he is frustrated and overwhelmed by their in-the-box, mainstream dogma, and feels as though his voice of resistance is being silenced. Listeners might think of Bob Dylan's classic "Maggie's Farm," which has a similar theme of a young and radical mind being repressed, and even moves through a by-the-book family in a similar way. The lyrics of "Can I Get A Word In" do not possess the depth and breadth of Dylan, though honestly, not many lyrics do...so who can blame them? This is a solid track with consistent beat and clever musical structure.
"Brother can you see me
Way across the room
You know I have a question
I'd like an answer you soon,
But you say no, no, no, no
You say no, no, no, no.
Sister can you feel me?
Right in front of you
Like a two-way mirror
That I can't see through
I say no, no, no, no
I say no, no, no, no.
I've been criticized by you for speaking my mind
You say going against the grain is a waste of time
It's easier for you to follow the herd,
Excuse me, brother and sister, can I get a word in?
Brother can you touch me?
I need to feel alive
Knee-deep in repression
How can I survive?
You say no, no, no, no
You say no, no, no, no.
Father will you quote me,
a scripture verse or two
From the work of fiction
Designed to govern you.
I say no, no, no, no
I say no, no, no, no."