Mark Schneider

Inspiring Since 1985

BS Yale (08), University of Connecticut (14)

Home · You are in Music and Lyrics - Mark Schneider UCONN

They Call it the American Dream

One dreary Sunday afternoon, not many years ago
My dad said, "Son, there's something that I think you ought to know...
It's a tale of self-reliance, that my father told to me
And I hope that it will guide you to be all that you can be

They call it the American Dream-
It's the story of the self-made man
They say that it's for everyone
That anybody can

Then he was silent since his throat was dry
We hugged and he began to cry
He smiled and looked me in the eye
Said "Good Luck" because he couldn't say goodbye

And with that I turned the key to rev my loaded Dodge
And the rest was all a blur to me, as I sought a place to lodge

I found some work in New York State
Moved into a motel-8
Could barely pay the rental rate
Got up early, came home late

I worked in a factory, from seven until nine
And I cherished every buck I made, because I knew that it was mine
And even though I recalled the words my dad had said
I didn't know what I could do, to change the life I lead.

Y'see I was searching for the American Dream
It's the story of the self-made man
They say that it's for everyone
That anybody can

I met a sweet brunette named Kate
Took her on a McDonald's date
One glance and we knew that fate would push us on

Married in a rundown hall
With relatives and Alcohol
Spent time drinking with them all
On the chapel lawn

They talked about the American Dream
It's the story of the self-made man
They say that it's for everyone
That anybody can

It's the two car garage and television set
The radio and Cadillac and the internet
The leisure time with my kids and my wife
And the right to choose how to live my life

Now the kids are out of school, and they're on my midnight shift
And they came up to me one day to ask me for a lift
And I emptied out my pockets, found a dollar-thirty-nine
I said, "sorry boys, It's all I've got, we're at the end of the line."

I followed the American Dream
It's the story of the self-made man
They say that it's for everyone
That anybody can

My younger son said, "dad
you told us we could make it, if we tried"
I looked at him feeling pretty bad,
And said, sorry son, I lied.

They Say that Abe Lincoln did it
And a dozen others did as well
But there are some other stories
That no one seems to tell.

And the day I felt the winds of change
The factory closed down
But I didn't have the bus-fare
To leave that broken town

They call it the American Dream
It's the story of the self-made man
They say that it's for everyone
That anybody can

Well, they call it the American Dream
It's the story of the self-made man
They say that it's for everyone
That anybody can

They say that it's for everyone
That anybody can.