I've heard enough from pundits I've heard our leaders speak I tell you know I'd rather talk To the people in the street 'Cause you don't know someone Until you've looked them in the eye And that gave me a purpose And every reason why I drove myself across America From Sea to shining Sea From the Rocky coast of Maine To the mighty redwood trees From the plains of North Dakota to the Gulf of Mexico It's good to know That hope's alive again Across America I spoke to folks in New Orleans With hammers in their hands There's a waitress in Missouri Who wants her own health plan And to the workers up in Michigan In all the auto plants They're the working men and women Saying "Yes, we can" Your checks and stocks and banks Can't take our hope away You can't foreclose on hope Nobody has to pay I drove myself across America From Sea to shining Sea From the Rocky coast of Maine To the mighty redwood trees From the plains of North Dakota to the Gulf of Mexico It's good to know That hope's alive again Across America