Bad Religion - Leaders And Followers lyrics

There's the image of a man Who commands a high opinion And he hides his hatred with a sheepish grin And beside him flanking closely Are the boisterous hollow ma**es Who lap up whatever trickles in This intercourse of nature This vulgar social pastime Reflects the lowest mark of our progress And the few who ride peripheral Maintain subtle advantage Fighting hard to abstain and redress Do you know your place In the big charade? Are you more than they? Leaders and followers Leaders and followers Recognition by proximity and a brand new face Just a smidgen of success pie and a pinch of social grace You can play with the big boys or you can tell them what to do But sooner or later there's another one like you The voyeuristic public Of which we're all a part Maintains perspective on the human play And while many have desires Of joining in the show Many turn and go the other way Tell me do you know your place In the big parade? Are you fear and shame?