So, the suburbs were a jungle,
Did you mama make you eat it'
You were barely out of high school when your daddy told you, "Beat it,"
And repression was a buzzword, so you called yourself a victim,
A victim of repression'
This court is now in session,
With a growl and a guitar you made yourself a name,
But the fire left the grooves when the first cheque came.

You've been bought, (interests are conflicting)
You've been bought, (the chemical's addicting)
You've been bought, (what goes around comes around)
You'll get caught,
Get it while you're hot, 'cause you know you've been bought.

Sold your bad reputation for a deal in Tinseltown,
Then the video rolls, then the whip comes down,
Did you slap around the ladies for the camera'
Do you slap them when the camera isn't there'
Those are lawyers telling you to look rebellious,
Pulling strings when your fist goes in the air,
This year's rock and roll messiah, come to settle some old score,
You can save that bad boy posturing; I've seen that sneer before.

You've been bought, (a real heavy sweater)
You've been bought, (Elvis did it better)
You've been bought, (what goes around comes around)
You'll get caught,
Get it while you're hot, 'cause you know you've been bought.

South African promoters call and you wonder if you should,
But ideals fall like dominoes when the money looks good,
We don't need another manufactured rebel,
We don't want your twisted doctrines of despair,
If your music's saying nothing, save it for the dentist chair.

You've been bought, (interests are conflicting)
You've been bought, (the chemical's addicting)
You've been bought, (what goes around comes around)
You'll get caught,
Get it while you're hot, 'cause you know you've been bought,
You've been bought,
You've been bought,
You'll get caught,
Get it while you're hot, 'cause you know you've been bought, hey.