The cross is burning
Flames dancing higher and higher
Never learning for centuries of our mistakes
Does history rewind or does it repeat?
When good men comply and do nothing
I see your flag and raise you a fist
Ask me to abide, I'll blow you a kiss

But how will we know
When it's safe to come out now
When the dust and the smoke all settles and clears
There's a peace sign painted on the brick wall, scarred with bullet holes
And echoing from street to street is Katy, bar the door

Now tanks are on Main Street and blood is on their hands
How can you believe a single word they said?
A generation tricked into fighting each other
In this race to the bottom, we push and we shove the whole way
But most of the time we just look away
'Cause it's all just too hard to face
We close our eyes and count the days
From our hiding place

How will we know
When it's safe to come out now?
When the dust and the smoke all settles and clears?
There's a peace sign painted on the brick wall, scarred with bullet holes
And echoing from street to street is Katy, bar the door
Bar the door

Just a voice, just a name
Just a cog in this machine
Just a face on a screen
Telling me what I don't need
Just a scratch, watch it bleed
Let it spread through everything
Just someone break us free
Anyone but me

And how will we know
When it's safe to come out now
When the dust and the smoke all settles and clears
There's a peace sign painted on the brick wall, scarred with bullet holes
And echoing from street to street is Katy, bar the door
Yeah, echoing down every street is Katy, bar the door