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As the author of the lyrics, please give me the opportunity to share the meaning I meant to give to each line of the song.

Lost as a goose

In my mind, if there is one word that can characterize 2024 and the following years, it is certainly “uncertainty” (which often leads to anxiety). This uncertainty stretched from the US tariffs, to the support (or lack thereof) of Ukraine's war against Russia, to the Supreme Court high profile cases (how will these affect the lives of the citizens?), to the impact of the US policies on the other countries and global economy, to the conflict in Iran,… It is easy to feel lost with everything that is going on around us, especially with the abondance of information and misinformation surrounding these various topics.

Where lies the truth?

We run like we are on the loose

2025 is certainly a year marked by the rise of AI — its fame, its promises, and the sense of a new revolution unfolding. As with most things, AI carries both light and shadow, because its impact depends entirely on what we choose to make of it. Many claim that the next steps in AI development will far surpass human capability in nearly every domain. Understanding that humanity is capable of the best as well as the worst, and that AI learns from the data we feed it, it becomes easy to see why some people embrace this future while others fear what is approaching.

Regardless of what is coming, it seems that the more we outsource our intelligence to a device, the faster our intelligence fades, the more we become dependent, and the shorter our leash shrinks. Have you tried lately to do a simple math without a calculator, or to find your way without a GPS?

Freedom is defined by Wikipedia as the power or right to speak, act, and change as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Let us never give up our power to think for ourselves!

Tom and Ben are now playing guess
Far, far away in some recess

Looking at today's situation, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Frankly ask themselves what on earth happened since they helped to frame the US Constitution.

Quite stunned how we made it so low down here!

The US Constitution's basis rests on core principles such as popular sovereignty (power from the citizens), separation of powers (into 3 distinct branches: Judicial, Legislative, and Executive), checks and balances (each branch has ways to limit the power of the other two in order to ensure no branch oversteps its authority), limited government (it's power is not absolute and must operate within the law), representative democracy (citizens elect representatives to make decisions for them), and shared power between federal and state governments.

How are these principles holding up today?

Land of the free
Home of the brave and wannabe

Mix between the famous final line of the US national anthem and the American Dream (wannabe — Oxford dictionary: a person who tries to be like someone else or to fit in with a particular group of people).

We are as torn as they were back then
For 13 stripes fell so many men.

Today's society seems as polarised between the two political rival parties as was the case between Revolutionaries and Loyalists (and later between the Union and the Confederacy during the Civil War). Many men died back then on battle fields, and some still do on stage now for defending their opinion.

The important use of social media and their algorithms that feed us with what we want to believe, or what we are most likely ready to believe, has highly contributed to the polarisation of the society, and led to an increase of acts of violence against the “other”.

How do we bridge today's gap?

Quite stunned how we made it so low down here!

During their 2026 voyage in space and around the Moon, the astronauts of Artemis II reminded us about the extraordinary things mankind can do. Indeed, through our history we can see that we are capable of the best, but unfortunately also the worst.

Mankind's best moves mostly resulted from a Common Good strategy or quest, through:

  • Courage
  • Compassion
  • Hope
  • Cooperation
  • Curiosity

Most of mankind's darkest moments come from:

  • Greed
  • Fear
  • Pride
  • Power
  • Self-interest

Historically, civilizations rise when virtues dominate. They collapse when vices do.

50 stars hang in our blue sky
When on the streets so many die

50 stars fly high and bright on the current flag, in reference to the 50 US states. The number of homeless people dying on the streets, overwhelmingly made up of U.S. residents, has significantly risen in recent years.

Both left and right sit on the fence
Have we lost all common sense?

The US political landscape seems more polarised than ever, with currently quite few openings to mediation. Maybe it is time for a new pamphlet like Thomas Paine's ("Common Sense," published in January 1776) to collect arguments to encourage politicians and voters alike to fight for the benefit or interests of all (i.e. the Common Good).

Red like the blood, of one’s brother, or far abroad

In this time of worldwide raise of populism and nationalism, it might be important to remember that we all share the same red blood despite our differences (in skin colour, religion, sexual orientation, ideology, …)!

As all we stand, as one we fail
Truth is, there remains just a wail

In this age of mass misinformation, the inspiring concept of collaboration (“Together we stand, divided we fall”) is way too often abused to favor a group over another in the face of the overall Common Good, leading to more pain and suffering than good.

Quite stunned how we made it so low!

The common good is the set of shared conditions — like safety, education, health, and a stable environment — that allow everyone in a society to live with dignity and flourish. Protecting it strengthens trust, reduces inequality, and ensures that individual freedoms rest on solid foundations. It also promotes long-term sustainability by considering future generations. When people work for the common good, institutions become fairer, communities grow more cohesive, and citizens feel empowered. Defending it ultimately creates a more just, resilient, and humane world where everyone has the chance to thrive.

Regardless of any border, real or imaginary, we all share the same air and call the same planet Home. However, since 1971 our collective resource use exceeds Earth's annual regenerative capacity, and our ecological overshoot (when human demand exceeds this capacity) moves ever closer to a dramatic record. In 2025, Overshoot Day fell on July 24, meaning humanity now uses the equivalent of 1.7 Earths per year! This is not sustainable. Is this really the world we want to leave to our children?

Individualism is and will always remain the enemy of the Common Good.

So now, what do the Framers think?
Should we move on or will we sink?

Let's ask ourselves the question: what would the Framers think of the current state of the USA; politically, socially, internationally, …? What do we want to do going forward? What is the legacy we want to give to our children?

Most people, across cultures and beliefs, converge on a few essential hopes:

  • 1. A livable planet

    Clean air, stable climate, healthy ecosystems, and resources that haven't been exhausted. A world where nature is not something to mourn, but something to enjoy and protect.

  • 2. A just and peaceful society

    Institutions they can trust, communities where fairness matters, and a culture that values dignity over domination. A world where conflict is resolved through dialogue, not violence.

  • 3. Real opportunities to flourish

    Education, health, safety, and the freedom to imagine a future. Not just survival — but the chance to grow, create, and contribute.

  • 4. A sense of belonging and responsibility

    An understanding that they are part of something larger than themselves. That their actions matter, and that caring for others is a strength, not a burden.

  • 5. Hope: Perhaps the most important legacy

    The belief that tomorrow can be better, and that we have the power to shape it!

Please read beyond “We the People”

“We the People” (the first words of the Preamble to the United States Constitution) means that the power of the US Government comes directly from its citizens. They are the ultimate source of authority, agreeing to be governed by the Constitution for their Collective Good.

Voting is more than a right, it is a responsibility we carry for our communities and for the generations that follow. Voting is a voice, it is the power to shape our future, and that power grows when we take the time to be informed and to choose wisely. However, this power only works when people actually use it.

Be informed (seek the facts, understand the context, use reliable sources, question what you hear, keep an open mind), choose wisely, vote!

As men we ought to be humble

Benjamin Franklin certainly emphasised humility as a vital virtue, both in action (for example with humble speech), and from adversity “After crosses and losses men grow humbler and wiser”. Franklin's humility isn't just a charming historical anecdote — it's a practical blueprint for personal and collective growth. What makes it powerful is that it's active humility, not self-erasure. Franklin treated humility as a discipline that sharpens judgment, strengthens character, and opens the door to wisdom. Here's how we can grow from it:

  • 1. By embracing humility as a skill, not a personality trait

    Franklin didn't claim to be humble, he practiced acting humbly because he knew it made him wiser. That shift is liberating: humility becomes something we do, not something we are.

  • 2. By recognizing how little we know

    Franklin famously said that the older he grew, the more he realized the limits of his knowledge. This mindset keeps us curious, adaptable, and less dogmatic, essential qualities in a world drowning in (un)certainty and noise.

  • 3. By listening before speaking

    Franklin trained himself to avoid contradicting people directly. Not because he agreed with them, but because he understood that persuasion begins with respect. Humility makes dialogue possible.

  • 4. By focusing on improvement rather than perfection

    Franklin's “13 virtue” weren't about moral purity, they were a lifelong experiment in self-betterment. Humility means accepting that growth is incremental, messy, and ongoing.

  • 5. By seeing ourselves as part of something larger

    Franklin's humility fueled civic responsibility. He helped build libraries, fire brigades, hospitals, not for glory, but because he believed individuals thrive when communities thrive.

Listen to the words of the wise old Ben,
“Lost time is never found again!”

There is still a lot we can learn from Benjamin Franklyn as well as from other wise men and scholars. Isn't it more than time to act, and to do the right thing for the Common Good and the generations to come?

Through my previous jobs I have made during the last 20 years numerous trips to the USA (especially FL, TX, and NY). I have held an L1 working visa for almost 10 years and have a lot of gratitude for all the time I have spent in the US and the upmost respect for the American flag and people.

The ONLY objective of this song is to try to share thoughts in the hope of opening minds and possibly a constructive discussion, not to lay any blame or to be disrespectful in any way, shape, or form.
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