[Intro]
The panel waits
The lights are white
The guests are armed
The wound is live

[Verse]
Dead Air Democracy
Five voices in a row
All talking over everything
That anybody knows
A citizen is calling in
The line begins to crack
The host says thanks for sharing that
Then never calls them back

[Pre-Chorus]
We have freedom in the static
We have choice between the chains
We have twenty kinds of shouting
We have no one left to blame

[Chorus]
Dead Air Democracy
Can you hear me now
Dead Air Democracy
Let the signal drown
Dead Air Democracy
All the words are free
Dead Air Democracy
But no one speaks for me

[Verse]
The vote becomes a graphic
The grief becomes a poll
The future is a slogan
The country is a role
They ask us who is winning
They never ask what’s true
They turn the pain to numbers
And sell the night to you

[Pre-Chorus]
We have freedom in the fracture
We have choice between the noise
We have anchors dressed as shepherds
We have markets dressed as voice

[Chorus]
Dead Air Democracy
Can you hear me now
Dead Air Democracy
Let the signal drown
Dead Air Democracy
All the words are free
Dead Air Democracy
But no one speaks for me

[Instrumental]
Microphones humming
Audience waiting
Old flags fading
No one relating

[Bridge]
I wanted more than being counted
I wanted more than being sold
I wanted words that held a body
I wanted hands that did not fold

[Breakdown]
Talk
Spin
Mute
Win
Poll
Call
Drop
All

[Build-up]
If the air belongs to power
If the screen replaces streets
Then we gather in the silence
Where the broken signal meets

[Chorus]
Dead Air Democracy
Can you hear me now
Dead Air Democracy
Let the signal drown
Dead Air Democracy
All the words are free
Dead Air Democracy
But no one speaks for me

[Chorus]
Dead Air Democracy
We are still around
Dead Air Democracy
Underneath the sound
Dead Air Democracy
We can still believe
Dead Air Democracy
If we learn how to speak

[Outro]
The panel waits
The lights are white
The guests are armed
The wound is live