The Man With the Hired Face

The Man With the Hired Face - Rod MacDonald

what if there were a man

and he learned to stand

in front of a camera

til he'd made it an art

and for most of your life

when you sat home at night

there he was on the screen

in a sympathetic part

and one day it was realized whenever he spoke
be it moral disapproval or makin' a joke
the people believed every word was just so
and they took him into their hearts

he was the man with the hired face
gets his picture all over the place
he's got an answer to every disgrace
'cause he knows how to read his lines

what if he stood for election
and surprised everyone
and soon all the people had
placed him in charge
and he went on the screen
once again to campaign
for moral crusades
and nuclear arms
but the people were comfortable with him in their homes
they'd been tired of thinkin' for themselves for so long
it didn't matter if the things he said were right or wrong
he says them with such charm

(chorus)

oh there were some who objected
and it had to be made perfectly clear
to know what's going on is not expected
what's expected in a leader
what the people hold dear is

eatin' your chittlins with a
seven-year old
and lookin' real good
up there on your horse
and bein' photographed with the
leaders of the world
and knowin' which fork to use
with which course
i know what your saying, this is just a bad dream
the people would never stand for such an oily scheme
anyway the real powers out of sight, behind the scenes
it's just a necessary thing to have, a new kind of mr. clean
to talk of god and hate the russians and keep the money green
is that what you're saying, ain't that exactly what you mean?

which brings us back around to the source

of the man with the hired face

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