1. |
Long Story Short
02:56
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Let me make a long story short:
7th born in an Ohio home
He took his Father’s name and his Mother’s love and he went off to war.
If you saw him then, you might not expect much more than that
A poor kid walking in the wilderness
Let me make a long story short
I could make a long story short:
He made it out alive, met his future wife
Ida Saxton, they had a happy life but there tough times too
And you might not guess that he would become a President
And they would re-elect him
Let me make a long story short
I can make a long story short:
From birth to death has to be compressed,
Close to sixty years with a violent end
and I’m out of breath.
Everyone forgets everything that Will Mckinley did
He deserves better.
Let me make a long story short
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2. |
Left Right March
03:57
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When the country split in two, I knew I had to make a move
Young and dumb with something to prove
I turned 18 and I signed up
and I wouldn’t be back until the North won
I was Mother’s favorite son, no hint of what I would become.
Couldn’t grow a beard or fire a gun back then
But I pulled the trigger til my hand hurt.
I couldn’t ride a horse yet but I learned.
We trained for weeks and finally today’s the day that we march
Left right, left right march
Left right, left right march
Left right, left right march
I left home and did my part
Right when heard the call I left right, left right march
September 1862, at Antietam I wore blue
Took a wagon full of water and food
Across the enemy lines and I was so quick
Confederates shot at me but they missed
I was lucky, I was brave,
I saw a chance to make my name
I’m gonna have my picture taken some day.
I got promoted, got my stripes
the proudest moment in my life:
Walking home in uniform,
Mama’s gonna see me march
Left right left right march
Left right left right march
Left right left right march
I left home and fought so hard
Right when the war kicked off I left right, left right march
“Mama, you’ll see me again.
I shall come back to you”
Mama, I know how hard this has been, your prayers have been answered:
The war is done, the good guys won
one last time we march
Left right left right march
Left right left right march
Left right left right march
I left home and fought so hard
Right when the war kicked off I Left right left right march
Left home and did my part
Right when I heard the call I left right left right march
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3. |
Three Letters
04:03
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When we got married, we talked about our dreams
We’ll outgrow Ohio someday and head to DC
Imagine a White House, me by your side, overflowing with pride
You’ll be the first lady, my precious wife, the light of my life
and I’ll send three letters every day
I’ll tell you I love you while i’m away
Until we’re together I’ll fill up the page,
To show my devotion I’ll put my name on three letters every day
Earth is a cruel place and life isn’t fair
We’ve had our share of bad luck.
Lost both the children, our two little girls, Ida and Katharine,
It felt like our whole world came crashing down
But we made it through
We’re on the top now, no higher to move, nothing left to prove
I’ll still send three letters every day
to tell you i love you while I’m away
Until we’re together I'll fill up the page
to show my devotion I’ll put my name on three letters every day
That is a price i’m happy to pay
No need to worry, I’ll be kept safe and I’ll put the postage in the right place
on three letters tell me that you’re okay
I worry about you while I’m away
Until we’re back together I’ll put ink on the page,
Until I can hold you I’ll put my name on three letters every day
I hate to leave you, you know that’s the truth
I’ll be home soon
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4. |
Front Porch
02:42
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I don’t want to leave my front porch to chase this dream
A crowd has gathered at my front door on Market Street
I’m gonna give them what they ask for but I’ll be brief:
“I hope that all of you will vote for me, even though
I don’t want to leave the front porch”
You see, I don’t want to ditch my darling she’s much too frail
I’m worried she would have a breakdown on the campaign trail
Not to mention I would miss her more than you know
I will not leave my darling alone
I’m afraid to leave Ohio to fight this out
The other guy is so magnetic he’ll drag me down
Just keep my name in all the papers and I’ll stay in town
I’m basically the King of Canton now
My favorite part, I didn’t have to leave the front porch
Several hundred wait for hours to catch a glimpse
Don’t you know that I’m a big star? I prayed for this
Ida opened up a window and blew a kiss and everybody out there lost their shit
I’m pretty sure I’m gonna get the thing I’m working towards
Furthermore, I didn’t have to leave my front porch
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5. |
Modern Time
03:21
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Try to think back to when there was land to the West
We made our claim, stole the rest: Destiny Manifest
We built the roads, took control, it’s not enough, we want more
We need a brand new dream, something for a brand new century
I’m drawing a line and i’m not gonna let us fall behind
Modern Time
The race is on to get there first
An Empire built, an Empire earned.
Sea to sea is spoken for
Let’s take some land beyond our shore
Start with a naval base, don’t stop til there’s a flag in outer space
Redrawing the lines, no way that we’ll ever fall behind
Modern Time
Every century we manage to repeat our history
Can we hope to survive if every generation moves the line?
Modern Time
The world is ours, the world is safe
If you do what we say
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6. |
I'm in Charge Here
03:48
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I don’t like the implication
In between the lines they’re saying that somehow I am just a puppet,
Doing whatever Mark Hanna makes me
I should feel insulted, but I don’t feel a thing:
Now they line up to kiss my ring.
I don’t like the tone they’re taking. I can hear them laughing lately
Whispering behind my back, second-guessing every statement,
The cartoons in the paper, no they don’t make me laugh
I don’t really look like that
I got news for ya: what I’ve been through you wouldn’t believe it’s true.
I’ll tell ya, but where do I even start?
Fought in battle, I’ve dodged bullets
Call me Major, I know earned it
Every setback makes me stronger
Now I’m the leader and I’m in charge here, don’t you know?
I’m in charge here, don’t you know?
You will never catch me cheating because I believe that God can see me.
It just isn’t worth the risk to burn in Hell for politics
I play by the rules but I still get what I want
A win-win if there ever was one
I got news for ya: what I’ve been through I wouldn’t wish it on you
I’ll tell ya, but where do I even start?
My wife is broken, epileptic
She lost our children and her parents.
But I’m devoted, I still love her,
We’re a team and we’re in charge here, don’t you know?
We’re in charge here, don’t you know?
Listen to me, I’m your commander in chief
I got news for ya: I wouldn't be here if i had not been through the failures
Far too many to count
I slept on cold ground, did my service
Still got the uniform to prove it.
I reached the summit, got reelected,
cross me and you might regret it.
Whatever led up to this moment led me to a higher purpose.
My ambition has been rewarded and nothing can stop me
Until two bullets in Buffalo.
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7. |
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Early on September 6
In Buffalo the crowd was thick
Lined up to meet the President,
Our villain Leon wore his sunday best:
He wanted to look good for his arrest
Security was pretty strict, but Leon Czolgoz was nondescript
They screwed up and let him slip by
A psychopathic anarchist with a hidden handgun in a handkerchief
And they go single file into the Temple of Music
Single file into the Temple of Music
They call it “the McKinley Grip”
The special way that he takes your mitt
Held tightly so you can’t squeeze him
Keep moving ‘em down the line quick
Up to fifty every minute
With a pistol in a bandaged hand,
Leon leaned in and took his chance...
Two to the abdomen
It was the second one that did him in
Shots fired in the Temple of Music!
Shots fired in the Temple of Music!
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8. |
Roosevelt on Mount Marcy
02:10
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Roosevelt on Mount Marcy
The Vice President was hiking off the grid in New York state
A park ranger running towards him waving a yellow slip
and I bet Teddy knew what that means
I bet he knew that maybe it was time to head back down
I bet he read the telegram out loud:
"Come at Once"
The President took a turn and it really did not look good for him
Ida sang him his favorite song (nearer my god to thee)
the moment McKinley faded Roosevelt hopped a train
and that train didn’t stop til buffalo
Less than a mile from where William died the day before,
On the same damn road.
In a spare room at the Wilcox House, a crowd among the book-lined shelves,
All eyes on Roosevelt:
He took the oath.
Ida said “take me with you”
And the last words that he said to her:
“We are all going, my dear...”
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9. |
Trivia
05:15
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He didn't hunt, he didn't fish.
Whiskey rarely passed his lips
He went to church, knew every verse.
A simple man that liked his work
The shortest street in the country is named for McKinley
Apparently a 20 foot street is the best that William can get
Another thing before I forget,
Some trivia for you and your friends:
William McKinley left college quickly
He pretended to be sick but I’m not buying it.
I think he just missed his mom and he needed an excuse to come home
Not long after he was a soldier
He had to leave the nest, he had to grow up fast
He didn’t golf, curse, gamble or lie
Up to 10 cigars a day was his vice
No scandals, no paramours
He was the last president to have fought in the Civil War
There’s a high school in Hawaii named for McKinley
Cities and counties, a highway in the Phillipines
A fitting tribute to the man
Let me hit you with an interesting fact
Your Uncle will be so impressed:
First Lady Ida had seizures often
At a dinner once william covered up her face with a napkin like nothing was wrong
He took it off when she was done
Like no one saw her, must have been awkward
No embarrassment from Mister President
Born: January 29, 1843
Sworn in when he was 56, and five years later
Got shot: September 6, 1901
He took his last breath 8 days later, he held on while he could
Born: January 29, 1843
Sworn in when he was 56, and five years later
Got shot: September 6, 1901
He took his last breath 8 days later, he held on while he could
Ida breathed her last 5 years later
She’s buried next to him.
One more thing I haven’t said yet,
I think that I should leave you with this:
Twenty thousand feet, America's highest peak
Named after him for 119 years
Started as a campaign stunt, It was never something william sought/wanted
His death was violent, shot into silence
a monument to his name, testament to his fame
Recently they changed it back, so the Mount McKinley era ends
Call it Denali, like the natives did
I think that our man would understand.
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