Time for some John Prine:

[ret5hd]

.
.
.
Padlock the door and board the windows
Put the people in the street
"It's just my job, " he says "I'm sorry."
And draws a check, goes home to eat
But at night he tells his woman
"I know I hide behind the laws."
She says, "You're only taking orders."
That's how every empire falls
A bitter wind blows through the country
A hard rain falls on the sea
If terror comes without a warning
There must be something we don't see
What fire begets this fire?
Like torches thrown into the straw
If no one asks, then no one answers
That's how every empire falls

[mahina]

1. Is that real?

Update: reading through the YouTube link as she cuts going back 567 years so I guess it is that rare gift.
Wrotten by RB Morris, covered by John Prine.
Mahalo for this.
-
I thought I knew every John Prine song he ever wrote. It sounds like his voice, but not his guitar.

Thank you

[ret5hd]

2. another version from JP channel:

[NowsTheTime]

3. Posted 9 years ago on youtube.... most people watching it naturally assume John wrote it..but he didn't