Friday, March 24, 2006

Tell Me It Was Worth It All

Julia has proposed that we post anti-war songs.

I think it's a damned fine idea.

I Ain't Marchin' Anymore
Phil Ochs

Oh I marched to the battle of New Orleans
At the end of the early British war
The young land started growing
The young blood started flowing
But I ain't marchin' anymore

For I've killed my share of Indians
In a thousand different fights
I was there at the Little Big Horn
I heard many men lying
I saw many more dying
But I ain't marchin' anymore

It's always the old to lead us to the war
It's always the young to fall
Now look at all we've won with the sabre and the gun
Tell me is it worth it all

For I stole California from the Mexican land
Fought in the bloody Civil War
Yes I even killed my brother
And so many others
And I ain't marchin' anymore

For I marched to the battles of the German trench
In a war that was bound to end all wars
Oh I must have killed a million men
And now they want me back again
But I ain't marchin' anymore

It's always the old to lead us to the war
It's always the young to fall
Now look at all we've won with the sabre and the gun
Tell me is it worth it all

For I flew the final mission in the Japanese sky
Set off the mighty mushroom roar
When I saw the cities burning
I knew that I was learning
That I ain't marchin' anymore

Now the labor leader's screamin' when they close the missile plants,
United Fruit screams at the Cuban shore,
Call it "Peace" or call it "Treason,"
Call it "Love" or call it "Reason,"
But I ain't marchin' any more.

4 comments:

roxtar said...

Great idea! I've declared a "Golden Protest Weekend" on WBST (BlackSkyTheory)

Now featuring an extra-cute and super-seditious doggie DJ! All the wxcyadu, all the time!

Uncle Rameau said...

I had been thinking of protest songs meself of late, evidenced by this from
3 weeks ago.

Today, picking from among the many by Bruce Cockburn, I propose

If I Had A Rocket Launcher .


Here comes the helicopter -- second time today
Everybody scatters and hopes it goes away
How many kids they've murdered only God can say
If I had a rocket launcher...I'd make somebody pay

I don't believe in guarded borders and I don't believe in hate
I don't believe in generals or their stinking torture states
And when I talk with the survivors of things too sickening to relate
If I had a rocket launcher...I would retaliate

On the Rio Lacantun, one hundred thousand wait
To fall down from starvation -- or some less humane fate
Cry for guatemala, with a corpse in every gate
If I had a rocket launcher...I would not hesitate

I want to raise every voice -- at least I've got to try
Every time I think about it water rises to my eyes.
Situation desperate, echoes of the victims cry
If I had a rocket launcher...Some son of a bitch would die


or
"And They Call It Democracy"
or
"Peggy's Kitchen Wall"

I heard Love and Rockets doing Ball of Confusion on the CBC today. Not bad , but you can't beat the Temps from 35 years ago.

rryfi - what a good protest song often is

Anonymous said...

I'd like to protest the Republican theme song: Every Breath You Take by The Police

Anonymous said...

"Where Have All the Flowers Gone." Not my era, but poignant nevertheless.

The last three verses:

Where have all the young men gone
Long time passing
Where have all the young men gone
Long time ago
Where have all the young men gone
Gone for soldiers every one
Oh when will they ever learn
Oh when will they...
Ever learn

Where have all the soldiers gone
Long time passing
Where have all the soldiers gone
Long time ago
Where have all the soldiers gone
Gone to graveyards, every one
Oh when will they ever learn
Oh when will they...
Ever learn

Where have all the graveyards gone
Long time passing
Where have all the graveyards gone
Long time ago
Where have all the graveyards gone
Gone to flowers, every one
Oh when will they ever learn
Oh when will they...
Ever learn

In other words, the cycle repeats itself endlessly.