Tried and tested

Lyrics

[INTRO | SPOKEN] funny old country we argue about everything always have [INSTRUMENTAL | 8 BARS] [VERSE 1] nothing here was made in one day nothing came down clean a little taken from a king a little given to the street a signature a chamber a vote another door unlocked centuries of moving power from the few towards the lot [PRE-CHORUS] not perfect never said it was but tried and tested [CHORUS] tried and tested still correcting still allowed to change our minds tried and tested still objecting still a place where power can be asked to justify what it does what it takes who it serves tried and tested [INSTRUMENTAL | 16 BARS] [VERSE 2] but if you wanted to undo it where would you begin? you wouldn’t need an army you wouldn’t need to get in you’re already in give the anger somewhere easy give the frightened someone new tell the man who’s barely managing that man there is taking something from you [BUILD] keep us looking sideways never looking up [INSTRUMENTAL | 8 BARS] [VERSE 3 | HALF-SPOKEN] then make the world outside feel dangerous make being alone feel strong leave the table leave the room tell us everyone else had it wrong and pour a little money into making sure we hear it every day until somebody else’s words start sounding like something we’d say [BREAKDOWN] that’s the clever part no tanks no soldiers no occupied streets just us slowly learning not to trust each other [INSTRUMENTAL | PIANO ONLY] [LEAD] and maybe that’s the moment we remember— [FINAL CHORUS | CHOIR ENTERS] tried and tested still correcting still allowed to change our minds tried and tested still objecting still demanding power tell us why what it does what it takes who it serves [CHOIR:] who it serves [LEAD:] because this country doesn’t belong to a government [CHOIR:] no [LEAD:] doesn’t belong to a king [CHOIR:] no [LEAD:] doesn’t belong to the loudest voice telling us who we should fear [INSTRUMENTAL | FULL HOUSE DROP, 16 BARS] [FINAL REFRAIN] tried and tested [CHOIR:] tried and tested [LEAD:] and now they’re testing us [CHOIR:] testing us [LEAD:] so don’t look sideways look up [OUTRO | INSTRUMENTAL]