There's a meanspirited machine,
a cruel red and blue system to crush all
of your dreams.
No room for hope and no room for you and
me. Don't you know?
Don't you know?
Oh, they don't care.
It's just the American nightmare.
Just because they don't say it
doesn't mean they don't mean it.
Just because they don't do it
doesn't mean they don't need it.
Don't you know? Don't you know
they don't care?
It's just the American nightmare.
Heat. Heat.
Say, can you see how bad they
treat you and me? But don't worry. Don't
worry, cuz they will be sorry.
They will be sorry.
I will be sorry
cuz we will
They will be sorry.
Don't you know? Don't you know?
They will be sorry.
Oh,
they don't care.
They will be sorry.
It's just the American nightmare.
They will be sorry.
American Nightmare by Brett Keane is a song that expresses deep frustration with a "meanspirited machine" and a "cruel red and blue system" that acts to crush individual dreams. The lyrics emphasize a sense of hopelessness, stating there is no room for the listener or the singer, and that those in power simply "don't care."
Despite this dark outlook, the song transitions into a warning, suggesting that the system "will be sorry" for the way it treats people. The recurring chorus reinforces the central theme:
"There's a meanspirited machine, a cruel red and blue system to crush all of your dreams. No room for hope and no room for you and me... It's just the American nightmare. Just because they don't say it doesn't mean they don't mean it... They will be sorry."