Vanity Songtext
von The Watts Prophets

How many people will work, play and stay

On a job where there′s no pay?
None. Not even for fun
They all go for the movin' undercover
Tryin′ to get ahead and make a whole lot of bread

Because everybody wants a one-way ticket
Non-stop to the top
Nobody wants to flop
Most people are full of bull
Tryin' to get a little pull
The popsicle or wagon full

Because everybody's blaming somebody
Blaming somebody
Pointing the finger
Blaming somebody
For the shape this world is in
Nobody blame themselves
It′s always them other men


Sick folk condemning help
Poor folks condemning wealth
Wise men condemning fools
Fools condemning schools
Even little small kids are tryin′ to justify
Things their daddy did

Because everybody wants to be somebody
There isn't anybody who wants to be nobody
That′s why everybody's tryin′ to justify
Justify, justify, testify
Just why they do the things they do
No lie

Liars are tryin' to justify lies
But where are the people tryin′ to justify truth?
The Supreme Court is tryin' to justify the Constitution
Major oil companies are tryin' to justify pollution
The President is tryin′ to justify inflation
To satisfy the nation
Seems everybody′s tryin' to justify their situation

Because everybody wants to be somebody
There isn′t anybody who wants to be nobody


Rule-makers are tryin' to justify rules
Newspapers are tryin′ to justify news
Poor folks are tryin' to justify blues
Homeless, hungry, wearing holes in their shoes
Confused, paying dues
Hollering, "Let me have a dollar, I wanna get a bite"
Rich folks are building walls
To keep the poor out of sight
Where are the people tryin′ to justify right?

Because corruption is just like air
And air is everywhere
And it has a lot to do with race, religion, creed
But it mainly comes from greed
Still folks deny it
Tryin' to justify it
Claiming to be doing it out of need

And it makes you mad
It makes you sad
It makes you feel real bad

Because everybody wants to be somebody
There isn't anybody who wants to be nobody

Men are killing men and tryin′ to justify kill
Thieves are robbing friends and tryin′ to justify steal
Bakers bake, haters hate, lovers love
Who got the power to stop it this very hour?
Friends, when will it end?
Solomon said it before me
But I still go along with the hymn

Because everything I see all around me
Near, far and beyond
Still the same old song
Just a different form
Ain't nothing changed
Sure is strange

I mean, all is vanity
All is vanity

Including you
And you
And you
Even me
But I′m working on mine, see
Like I said
All is vanity
All is vanity
Because everybody wants to be somebody
There isn't anybody who wants to be nobody