Work Text:
Yesterday in New York City, Dr. Richards made a call
Through a trans-dimensional portal he'd just finished down the hall
But the charges were accepted by an ancient alien beast
And his army -- the Avengers were not pleased, to say the least.
And if you can't tell the Captain what you're doing, Richards,
Your plan has probably got a deadly fault
If you can't tell the Captain what you're up to, you know,
You probably shouldn't do it at all.
Now it wasn't long ago that Iron Man took up a cause
To enforce a kind of order; give the super-powered pause
So he compromised his ethics and his honor and his friends
Till he won! But what he lost just wasn't worth it in the end.
So if you can't tell the Captain what you're doing, Tony,
It won't be only him that looks appalled
No, if you can't tell the Captain what you're up to, genius,
You shouldn't get up to it at all.
But it isn't just the futurists who need some common sense
For S.H.I.E.L.D. has screwed its share of pooches without recompense
In the name of World security, a man must sometimes lie
But it isn't just integrity that winds up compromised.
And if you can't tell the Captain what you're up to, Fury,
You won't like how the chips are gonna fall.
'Cause if you can't tell the Captain what you're meddling with
You shouldn't meddle with it at all.
Now I won't say Cap's infallible, or that he's always right
He's temperamental, judgey, and dear God, the man's uptight,
But that conscience is a litmus test, those ethics sure and sound
So just meet his eye and own your shit, or put that shovel down!
'Cause if you can't tell the Captain what you're up to, people,
You probably wanna make a different call.
No, if you can't tell the Captain what you're messing with
You probably oughtn't mess with it at all
If you can't tell the Captain what you're up to, people,
(Purge the files and leave no trace! Here comes the Captain's frowny face!)
If you can't tell the Captain what you're up to, people,
(Guilty? Anxious? Feel like Hell? Better get ready with a memory spell!)
If you can't tell the Captain what you're up to, people,
(Thinking twice is such a bore -- that's what Captain America's for!)
No, if you can't tell the Captain what you're up to,
You shouldn't get up to it at all!