Zero or a Zillion

(Yeah, mother fuckers

Keep the fucking doors set

What

Put your fucking hands down!)

As I sit and listen to a kid you clearly influenced

I text and say I'm glad that you're my friend (yay!)

Then leave another perfect time show, feeling inspired and powerful

"The Ghost of Corporate Future" in my head (my fucking head!)

And as I count the ways that I've said "fuck you" to the man

I don't care who thinks that I've sold out or not

Since going barefoot I feel better

That Regina fucking Spektor is a name I'll never be ashamed to drop (Go Regina!)

I saw that little weirdo walk into the open mic, sit down shyly at the piano and then start (Wow!)

Singing songs we'll start to knowing, silly, sad and so mind blowing

They were undeniably straight from the heart (Right from the heart!)

And the music

It doesn't change

No, songs remain the same

Whether there are zero people or there are a zillion people in the world who are listening

Yeah, the music

It doesn't change

No, songs remain the same

Whether there are zero people or there are a zillion people in the world who are listening

I have a friend named Eva, seventeen

She's a soprano, she sings opera with a voice that makes me cry (cry!)

But she sings in competitions and the kids at school give her shit

I wish that she could sit back and close her eyes (eyes!)

And feel the vibration of her voice inside her chest without worrying about who thinks that--who thinks who's the best

While at time when there are people who think that it's not enough and there are people who think that I've went too far (too far!)

All I ever wanted was to not feel suicidal

And I traded in my meds for a guitar

There's so much depression nowadays in adolescents

And with all the social pressure that makes sense

But music shouldn't be the problem

Music should be the solution

And only a positive experience (experience!)

Because the music

It doesn't change

No, the songs remain the same

Whether there are zero people or there are a zillion people in the world who are listening

No, the music

It doesn't change

No, the songs remain the same

Whether there are zero people or there are a zillion people in the world who are listening (tell 'em!)

I have a friend named Johnny D

His band is Tin Tree Factory

Everything he does is gold to me

And it's on archive.org for free

Yes!

W-W-W-DOT-A-R-C-H-I-V-E-DOT-O-R-G

I like sittin' on the floor watchin' Johnny play

On his knees, on a carpet

Not on a stage

In front of a fire, in a living room

Cozy and warm full of potluck food

But if one day suddenly Johnny got huge

I'd be glad that you knew Johnny too (Johnny!)

His songs are smart, important, brave

Wanting that to myself would be totally lame (lame!)

I don't claim to be Regina's only true fan

Just because I knew her way back when

And if you think Cat Stevens couldn't be my god

'Cause I heard him first in Harold and Maude

I bought all his albums

I listened, I cried

Teaser and the Firecat changed my life

I painted a firecat on my jean jacket

Drew "Peace Train"s on my homework packet

I'm still listening to "The Wind (of my Soul)"

And I'm a hard headed woman, so I've been told

Yeah, music's just sound

We're just ears

Why are you affected by what who hears

If Michael Jackson's hits make him less sacred

Then you taking your clothes off makes me less naked

When what each preach, I'll make it or break it

Do you wanna abstain? (Uh, no.)

Repeat after me

You can like what you like

You can like what you like

And let them like what they like

And let them like what they like

You can like what you like

You can like what you like

And let them like what they like

And let them like what they like

Boom-boom-boom-shaka-shaka-shaka-boom

Boom-boom-boom-shaka-shaka-boom-boom

(And they, and they...

Like, like...

Like it!)

I love you, Mikey!