Ani Difranco The Atom Lyrics

The Atom Lyrics

The glory of the atom begs a reverent word

The primary design of the whole universe

Yeah, let us sing its praises, let us bow our heads in prayer

At the magnificent consciousness incarnate there



The smallest unit of matter with its orbiting electrons

Echoing off the solar system like a hawk in the hills at dawn

The smallest unit of matter

Uniting bird and rock and tree and you and me



Oh, holy is the atom, the truly intelligent design

To which all of evolution is graciously aligned

The one single structure to which everything distills

The air, the wood smoke there and the hills



Oh, leave me here surrounded by everything that's real

Far outside the boundaries of the digitized ordeal, yeah

Leave me here awake, leave me here to heal



Human beings are a cross between monkeys and ants

You can see us from your spaceship

Melting the polar ice caps with our arrogance

Summon a congress of angels dressed in riot gear

We've got ourselves a serious situation down here



I have this great, great uncle who worked on the atomic bomb

He got a Nobel Prize in physics and a place in this song

And I bet there were no windows and no women in the room

When they applied themselves to the pure science of boom



Yeah, messin' with the atom is the highest form of blasphemy

Whether you are making weapons or simple electricity

Someone fashion me a pulpit, I have been called to engage

With the maniacal heretics of the nuclear age



Let the religious get religion, let consumers get a clue

Let scientists get perspective, let activists get their due

Let industry get a conscience, let the earth inherit the meek

Let the divinity of nature speak



Oh, the glory of the atom begs a reverent word

The primary design of the whole universe

Yes, let us sing its praises, let us bow our heads in prayer

At the magnificent consciousness incarnate there