Fifteen Minutes Each Four Years

It’s a free country, we’re proud to be in it
So we’ll drain the last drop of our beers
And show up for our country for fifteen minutes
Each four years

It’s a kibbitzer’s heaven to kibbitz
So we’re not giving in to our fears
And we’re not giving NOTHING but fifteen minutes
Each four years

There are those who will tell you your vote doesn’t matter
Stay home, watch shows that night
And if that’s what we’re doing on all of the others
It doesn’t mean they’re right
It doesn’t mean they’re right

There’s a donkey and you get to pin it
The results will be framed as Vermeers
When we finally get round to our fifteen minutes
Each four years

They’ll say, “Freedom’s not free” but it is if you pick it
With no blood, sweat or tears:
So we’ll hand in our instant-win lottery ticket:
There’s a green volunteer who knows where you can stick it
The machine’s made for tricking, we hope that they’ll trick it:
It’d mean
Someone still cares.

You can tell me democracy’s finished
But it’s not as bleak as it appears:
‘Cos it’s not like we’re gonna miss fifteen minutes
Each four years
And we’re talking, if we’re serious,
Fifteen minutes
Each four years.