[Verse 1:] There's a sadness in your singing, I have never heard before There's a dying in your living that exists from shore to shore There's a coward in your character that I have never seen America, what happened to the promise and the dream
[Chorus:] The promise was that men could live and worship as they please The dream was for the huddled masses yearning to breathe free We closed so many doors and banned the prayers on many scenes America, what happened to the promise and the dream
[Verse 2:] There's a numbness in your feeling for the disadvantaged poor There's a weakness in your strength Because your leaders are unsure There are shadows in the light That once was freedom's brightest beam America, what happened to the promise and the dream
[Chorus]
[Verse 3:] There's a hating in your loving for the permanence of vows Tomorrow doesn't matter it's all for the here and now Your most important word called love is now a dirty thing America, what happened to the promise and the dream