Lyric

No crown

No throne

No land

No army

But there's something

You all need to hear

I'M THE EMPEROR OF THE UNITED STATES!

Eighteen fifty-nine!

San Francisco town!

My business tanked, I lost it all

Flat broke, but I still stand tall!

But I ain't done!

Not even close!

I sent my proclamation

Straight to the press!

Citizens of America!

Listen up, I've got some news!

A royal announcement!

You'd better hear me out!

No election!

No nomination!

Congressional approval?

DON'T NEED YOUR PERMISSION!

No royal blood!

No throne to claim!

But starting today—

I'M YOUR EMPEROR!

Emperor Norton the First!

Emperor of the USA!

If you ask me who decided

I'll tell you straight, "I did!"

Emperor Norton the First!

I ain't got a kingdom to my name!

But I'm still the emperor

Of the United States today!

Dissolve Congress!

Ban the parties!

Hear my orders!

Everybody, move!

Build that bridge!

Across the bay!

Span the water!

Don't make me wait!

Marching through the city

In my military coat!

People smile and greet me

Everywhere I go!

Restaurants feed me!

The papers publish my decrees!

I print my own damn money!

Take it — and thank your Emperor!

WHO ELECTED YOU?!

NOBODY DID!

WHO RECOGNIZED YOU?!

NOT THE GOVERNMENT!

WHAT DO YOU RULE?!

NOT A DAMN THING!

THEN WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?!

...The Emperor. Obviously

NORTON THE FIRST!

NORTON THE FIRST!

NO CROWN!

NO THRONE!

NORTON THE FIRST! NORTON THE FIRST! NORTON THE FIRST!

Emperor Norton the First!

Emperor of the USA!

It ain't written in the law

But I'll stand proud anyway!

Emperor Norton the First!

I ain't got a crown to wear!

And everywhere I go

They call me Emperor!

January eighth

Eighteen eighty

Walking down

The same old street

Feeling tired

My legs grow weak

Something's wrong

I can hardly breathe

No royal palace

No fortune left

Maybe there's nothing

I can leave behind

But this city

Called me Emperor

Nobody told them to

They called me Emperor

I am Emperor Norton the First!

The emperor who owns nothing!

I never ruled a nation

But this city's been my everything!

I am Emperor Norton the First!

The emperor nobody chose!

But I was happy all the same

I loved them all, and they loved me back!

NO CROWN!

NO THRONE!

NO LAND!

NO ARMY!

BUT I'VE STILL GOT

THIS CITY WITH ME!

JOSHUA NORTON!

EMPEROR OF THE UNITED STATES!

EMPEROR NORTON THE FIRST!

...Who decided?

I did

I did