Single by Brendan Bonsack



The king has died, the king is dead

They’re minting special coins

They’re firing rifles in the air

Birds are scattering everywhere



The king has died, the king is dead

It’s all over the news

The writers right and the writers left

Are rifling through the things he said



What is a king, what is a king?

But dirt surrounded by a ring

Of men in suits, of men with guns

Some pointed out, some pointed in



Who built the roads, who built the rail

Not the king with the silky hands

Never knew the soil nor splinter

He flew abroad for every winter



Who fired the shots, who dug the holes?

Who drove the trucks and trains?

Who put their wages in the banks

To furnish him with bombs and tanks?



What is a king, what is a king?

But dirt surrounded by a ring

Of men in suits, of men with guns

Some pointed out, some pointed in



The king has died, the king is dead

There’s children waving flags

Look how well the children sing

How well the song fit for a king



Oh boy, oh girl, oh let this be

A footnote to his fugue

They may shoot you down for not digging

But the earth remains unmoved



What is a king, what is a king?

But dirt surrounded by a ring

Of men in suits, of men with guns

Some pointed out, some pointed in



For notes and lyrics, visit brendanbonsack.com/songs/what-is-a--king


© Brendan Bonsack 2025