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about

I have mixed feelings about this song, and the lyrics were changed repeatedly over the years until I finally did this recording. I remember hearing a story on NPR about how so many times people want to displace blame and guilt from themselves and not take responsibility for actions.

Well, I guess I honed in on the three areas where I hate to see people declare themselves victims. These are SPECIFICALLY the things I am addressing. As the writer of this song, I can definitley say that I am not addressing ANY OTHER ISSUES!

The first is driving drunk. Yes, a bar can get in trouble for serving blatantly intoxicated people, but the ultimate decision to drive while intoxicated lies in the hands of the driver.

Secondly, physical, mental, or sexual abuse of another and somehow making the abused person feel it is their fault. This goes with the third area that I have issues with - bullies and people who just like to hurt others because it makes them feel good.

Those are specifically the things I am touching on in this song. The Me Too movement I feel has been, by and large, a positive thing. Real victims are reclaiming theirvoices, power, and their lives. I hear people say that since the abuse happened long ago, it's time to just get over it. Well, I disagree. I don't think a victim can "just get over it" without real closure or consequences to the victimizer. Could some of these "old" allegations be false? Maybe some, but in the vast majority of these cases, they are not. The victim has feel that they had no power, and now are beginning to realize that they do.

lyrics

You're a victim
You know I hear you say
You say that nothing here is your fault
You push the blame away
So you got drunk as smashed your care last night
You know the bartender, he didn't do you right
You know he let you have one more for the road

You're a victim
You know I hear you say
You say you didn't mean to hurt her
But she makes you feel that way
You put the blame on somebody else
And displace the guilt away from yourself
You don't know what it was that you were doing

The victimization of America
You know it takes the blame away
No one here to blame but someone else
For the things you do or say
We can't help ourselves anyway
We're a nation of victims

You're a victim
You know I hear you say
It's why you've got to feel the hurt
It takes your blues away
You gotta make your mark by dishing out pain
Then blame the world again and again
As you wallow in your pain and your grief
And your self-pity

credits

from Electrically Yours 1997​-​2012, released July 1, 2022
From the album STEPHEN BERG released 2005

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Stephen Berg image

Stephen Berg Minneapolis, Minnesota

Stephen is a singer, songwriter, and recording artist from Minnesota, He has been active since the early 1990's as a solo artist. Stephen's acoustically driven songs explore the themes of toil, mortality, loss, politics, greed, nature, regrets, faith, and love. He's also a pretty swell guy! ... more

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