Hooded Candidate

(Verse 1)
noise on the AM, preacher on the wire
Selling fear and gasoline, striking every match to fire
Ghost of a bad dream in a tailored suit
Smiling like a salesman with a polished cowboy boot
He says he’s just a “patriot,” waving paper flags
But the ink runs red when you read between the rags
Dust off the old lies, shine ’em up like new
History’s a mirror and it’s staring back at you

(Pre-Chorus)
Yeah, you can bleach the sheets
But you can’t wash the stain
You can shout it from the rooftops
But it’s still the same old pain
(Chorus)
Hey—your white hood won’t save you now
Hey—truth’s gonna break your crown
You can preach that poison loud and proud
But we’re not buying what you’re selling to the crowd


(Verse 2)
Wrapped in the Bible, wrapped in the flag
Hiding all the hatred in a money-back bag
Talking about “heritage,” talking about “rights”
But you’re trading in the dark, scared of different lights
You can rebrand the past with a corporate grin
But a snake’s still a snake when it sheds its skin
Marching in circles with a chip on your shoulder
World keeps spinning, just getting bolder

(Chorus)
Hey—your white hood won’t save you now
Hey—truth’s gonna break your crown
You can preach that poison loud and proud
But we’re not buying what you’re selling to the crowd

(Bridge – gritty, stripped-down)
Cigarette ashes on a faded throne
King of a kingdom carved from bone
You can shout about blood, you can whisper about race
But you can’t build a future on a buried face
Yeah, the kids are watching
Yeah, they see the scars
And they’re painting over hate
With brighter stars
(Pre-Chorus)
You can change your name
You can clean your hands
But the echo of the chain
Still rattles in your plans

(Chorus)
Hey—your white hood won’t save you now
Hey—truth’s gonna break your crown
You can preach that poison loud and proud
But we’re not buying what you’re selling to the crowd

(Outro)
noise on the AM… silence in the room
Another old demagogue
Fading into doom.

1990s grunge alternative rock with heavy guitar feedback and distortion and gritty, scratchy deep male vocals