Words and music by dar williams
Once upon a time there was a nuclear family
And we lived in a family time
And we’d unite in a family way.
And off the ancient mountain
They were splitting every nucleus.
They said ’don’t be alarmed
Just don’t try this at home.’
And they were the mystery that made the world run
And we had the power’cause they were the sun
And we called them our heroesand the future had come.
They said’look at the light we’re giving you
And the darkness we’re saving you from.’
Soon they were bringing it into our showroom
And they’d unveil it with it’s title
Bring your familybring your family
It’s the great unknown.
You can lookbut you can’t fathom
It’s the great unknown.
I’m no ordinary princessI was born in the cold war
And my team is the rockets.
Go teamit’s a dangerous time.
And I dream of the moon and building lunar clone colonies.
And I build my peace with strengththat’s the best weapon you’ve
Got.
OhI am the brainchildI am the mortar
With a plastic trophy and an eating disorder
And vision as big as a great big wall
And they tell me that I’ll move forward for the good of us all
And the good of nuclear families all.
And they think I think I am important.
I know I never wasno I wasn’t.
No I neverand how could I be?
It’s the great unknown.
Now we’ve built itnow it’s ticking
It’s the great unknown.
And I am your childrenI am millions.
And I wanted to sell outI wanted to try
But you know the sky got too lowand the ocean got too high.
And I tried to take God into my own hands.
Am I too late? is it over?
Have I sacrificed my family to the great unknown?
There’s a war between my conscience and the great unknown.
So I walked out into the gamma fields
Out in mercurynevada.
Where I stood in circle and that circle started to pray.
And the wind at the nuclear test sights floats the data at the radiation.
From the underground testing
Cross the lineyou’ll get arrested.
And we came from all over in a silent appeal
As the drill comes down like a presidential seal.
And we stand for the livingand we stand for the dead
And we looked out to see your enemies
And we see that you’re looking all at us instead.
And you think I am being disruptive?
But no I’m running homeI’m running
’cause I’m trying to put the atom back together.
It’s the great unknown.
I’m just trying to put the atom back together.
It’s the great unknown.