Kids don't remember when we ruled the earth
And everything belonged to us by right of birth
Good and bad were simple shades of black and white
God Almighty looked down and told us we were right
So much for heaven

Look at all those empty buildings
Empty houses, empty yards
Used to live in all those empty buildings
Loved our wives in those empty buildings
But we never come

You kids don't remember back when things were good
And a man always knew exactly where he stood
He could beat the living daylights out of anyone
He could blow the whole damn world to kingdom come
So much for caring

Look at all those empty buildings
Empty houses, empty yards
Used to live in all those empty buildings
Raised our kids in those empty buildings
But they never grew

Kids don't remember patriotic songs
We'd never learn from our mistakes, cause we were never wrong
We put 'em out of sight and out of heart and out of mind
We partied just like it was 1999

We waved out flags at the purple mountains majesty
And the spacious sky filled with air almost fit to breathe
And a man and a woman could make freedom ring
But nowadays freedom, it just don't mean a thing
So much for caring

Look at all those empty buildings
Empty houses, empty yards
Used to live in all those empty buildings
Said our prayers in those empty buildings
But they don't come true

Look at all those empty buildings