What is the best anti-war song of all time?

[WilliamPitt]

I know everyone will have an opinion on this (I hope so, anyway), but in my personal opinion, you can't beat "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda," as sung by The Pogues on their album "Rum, Sodomy & The Lash."

This one's mine. What's yours?

===

When I was a young man I carried my pack
And I lived the free life of a rover
From the Murrays green basin to the dusty outback
I waltzed my Matilda all over
Then in nineteen fifteen my country said Son
It's time to stop rambling 'cause there's work to be done
So they gave me a tin hat and they gave me a gun
And they sent me away to the war

And the band played Waltzing Matilda
As we sailed away from the quay
And amidst all the tears and the shouts and the cheers
We sailed off to Gallipoli

How well I remember that terrible day
How the blood stained the sand and the water
And how in that hell that they called Suvla Bay
We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter
Johnny Turk he was ready, he primed himself well
He chased us with bullets, he rained us with shells
And in five minutes flat he'd blown us all to hell
Nearly blew us right back to Australia

But the band played Waltzing Matilda
As we stopped to bury our slain
We buried ours and the Turks buried theirs
Then we started all over again

Now those that were left, well we tried to survive
In a mad world of blood, death and fire
And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive
But around me the corpses piled higher
Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over tit
And when I woke up in my hospital bed
And saw what it had done, I wished I was dead
Never knew there were worse things than dying

For no more I'll go waltzing Matilda
All around the green bush far and near
For to hump tent and pegs, a man needs two legs
No more waltzing Matilda for me

So they collected the cripples, the wounded, the maimed
And they shipped us back home to Australia
The armless, the legless, the blind, the insane
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla
And as our ship pulled into Circular Quay
I looked at the place where my legs used to be
And thank Christ there was nobody waiting for me
To grieve and to mourn and to pity

And the band played Waltzing Matilda
As they carried us down the gangway
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared
Then turned all their faces away

And now every April I sit on my porch
And I watch the parade pass before me
And I watch my old comrades, how proudly they march
Reliving old dreams of past glory
I see the old men, all twisted and torn
The forgotten heroes from a forgotten war
And the young people ask, "What are they marching for?"
And I ask myself the same question

And the band plays Waltzing Matilda
And the old men answer the call
But year after year their numbers get fewer
Some day no one will march there at all

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda
Who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_the_Band_Played_Waltzing_Matilda

[Godot51]

1. A fine choice, laddie but...

I'm for Alice's Restaurant Massacree... with the four part harmony.

[HERVEPA]

17. And Arlo is is now an ant-union Republican/Libertarian

[Jakes Progress]

30. One sad day when I read about that.

It' like a lot of the hippies I used to know who started little businesses. The business grew, money became a fetish, and now they are the kind of libertarian assholes they used to protest. Sad.

[Bette Noir]

63. I can't call Arlo a "libertarian asshole."

We used to know each other through our charity work. He's moody, but generally has a heart of gold. No way is he a money fetishist. Whether he's a libertarian, I don't know, but he's certainly not an asshole.

[Jakes Progress]

69. Google Arlo Guthrie Libertarian.

Besides libertarian, he is a registered republican.

Not knowing him personally I can't call him and asshole, and I didn't. Reread my post. Just like the assholes I referred to, I used to like and respect Arlo. A heart of gold doesn't exempt you from trying to be aware and informed.

[proud2BlibKansan]

148. I've never met a libertarian who wasn't an asshole

Just sayin . . .

[JenniferJuniper]

106. Here's his explanation, for what it's worth:

"I became a registered Republican about five or six years ago because to have a successful democracy you have to have at least two parties, and one of them was failing miserably. We had enough good Democrats. We needed a few more good Republicans. We needed a loyal opposition."

I believe he supported Ron Paul in '08.

Arlo has a history of philosophical bopping around. When I was a kid one day in the '70's while sitting in mass with my family in a Catholic Church in the Boston area I swore I saw him sitting in a pew diagonally in front us. I got smacked in back of my head by my father for whispering "look, there's Arlo Guthrie!" Sure enough, I found out later he was playing a gig nearby.

Many more years later, I while sitting in a dentist office waiting room, I read in a People magazine that he indeed had become a Catholic for a time, but had since moved on to an assortment of other religions.

So don't be shocked if you hear next he's become a Social Democrat. I think he's a bit flaky.

[greiner3]

209. His bio reads;

That he considers himself a Republican because there are no good ones and he wants to make sure there are at least one.

[Richardo]

48. I myself prefer the Tom Waits version

[chollybocker]

2. This Machine Kills Fascists

"All You Fascists Bound to Lose" - Woodie Guthrie, 1940's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwcKwGS7OSQ&feature=related

[jobycom]

41. That's not an anti-war song.

Guthrie really meant "kill fascists." He had several songs pushing for war against fascists--Lindberg, The Sinking of the Reuben James, Jarama...

He wasn't anti-war, he was anti-fascist. In "Lindberg" he criticizes those who wanted us out of the war.

Different era, different realities. The people who opposed us getting into World War II were usually the pragmatists or the wealthy, whereas the idealists and the common folk wanted Hitler and fascism stopped. That's a generalization, of course--there were anti-war idealists who opposed WW II, just as there were pragmatists who opposed the Iraq invasion (Ron Paul, for instance) because of the costs more than any ethics about killing.

[abq e streeter]

3. Dylan's Masters of War is among the best

[Richard D]

40. +1

[Mojorabbit]

60. I agree. nt

[MilesColtrane]

84. +1

[janet118]

90. This should be Cheney's theme song.

"Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul."

[Mad_Dem_X]

201. I always think of Cheney when I hear that song

Especially the last verse. I always say that when Cheney finally kicks it, I'll go to his funeral and stand over him, just to make sure he's really dead.

[dana_b]

107. my all time favorite..

it still gives me chills.

[pokerfan]

108. +1,000,000

[GCP]

149. Yes indeed

And Eddie Vedder does a great version of it.

[postulater]

174. Yup.

[ThomCat]

4. That is definitely an amazing song

and always brings a tear. The best ones do.

[Blacksheep214]

5. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Ohio

Ohio
lyrics by Neil Young

--------

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio.

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are gunning us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are gunning us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio.


This tears me up to this day!

[anniebelle]

6. Tom Waits - The Day After Tomorrow

I cry every time I hear that song.

[rainy]

7. I love that song. Here's a few: A Hard Rain's a gonna Fall

by Bob Dylan and "One Tin Soldier"

[BobTheSubgenius]

143. That was going to be my suggestion.

Still is, in fact. :) Nice choice.

[rfranklin]

8. I ain't marching any more by Phil Ochs...

One among many other favorites from the 1960s.

[annabanana]

142. HUGE Phil Ochs fan, here.

They've made a Movie about him... to be in limited release

http://philochsthemovie.com/

[PSzymeczek]

166. The War Is Over

Another great by Phil.

[pitchforksandtorches]

178. Also Phil's "Is There Anybody Here?" and "One More Parade"

(,@)==:::


Phil’s great lyrics here:


http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~trent/ochs/lyrics/is-there-anybody-here.html


http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~trent/ochs/lyrics/one-more-parade.html

[Paka]

181. A lot of Phil Ochs songs come to my mind...

but "I ain't marching any more" is as good as it gets. Love Phil Ochs. We were born one month apart and it was sad to lose such a talent so young. Another good war song is "The Universal Soldier" by Buffy Sainte-Marie.

[1gobluedem]

194. Is There Anybody Here by Phil Ochs

I was tempted to copy that to CD and mail it to the College Republicans who were such warhawks during the Bush years.

[DailyGrind51]

9. Elvis Costello's version of "The Scarlet Tide" with the line,

"Admit you lied and bring the boys back home!", a direct challenge to the Bush administration regarding Iraq!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xSfTqvoAj0&feature=feedlik_more

[mgc1961]

10. This song may not be my favorite after further consideration but its' a good one.

Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival's John Fogerty

Some folks are born made to wave the flag
Ooh, they're red, white and blue
And when the band plays "Hail to the Chief"
Oh, they point the cannon at you, Lord

It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no Senator's son
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no

Some folks are born silver spoon in hand
Lord, don't they help themselves, oh
But when the tax men come to the door
Lord, the house look a like a rummage sale, yes

It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no millionaire's son, no, no
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no

Yeah, some folks inherit star spangled eyes
Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord
And when you ask them, "How much should we give?"
Oh, they only answer, more, more, more, yoh

It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no military son
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one

It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate one, no, no, no
It ain't me, it ain't me
I ain't no fortunate son, no, no

[johnnyplankton]

212. My Choice

It's still rings true, except for a handful of Congress kids.

[AsahinaKimi]

11. Whats going on

What's Going On
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Reit-KlyyUk&feature=fvw
Written by: Al Cleveland/Marvin Gaye/Renaldo Benson
Performed by: Marvin Gaye

--------------------------------------------------------------------


Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today - Ya

Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what's going on
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Ah, what's going on

In the mean time
Right on, baby
Right on
Right on

Father, father, everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Tell me what's going on
I'll tell you what's going on - Uh
Right on baby
Right on baby

[HankyDubs]

13. ooh Marvin

Forgot about that one.

I'll go another direction...

"War Pigs"

Generals gathered in their masses
Just like witches at black masses (edit: apologies to wikkens)
Evil minds that plot destruction
Sorcerers of death's construction
In the fields the bodies burning
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind
Poisoning their brainwashed minds
Oh lord yeah!

Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor

Time will tell on their power minds
Making war just for fun
Treating people just like pawns in chess
Wait 'til their judgement day comes
Yeah!

Now in darkness world stops turning
Ashes where the bodies burning
No more war pigs have the power
Hand of God has struck the hour
Day of judgement, God is calling
On their knees the war pig's crawling
Begging mercy for their sins
Satan laughing spreads his wings
Oh lord yeah!

[HankyDubs]

14. And also

"War"

Until the philosophy which hold one race superior
And another
Inferior
Is finally
And permanently
Discredited
And abandoned -
Everywhere is war -
Me say war.

That until there no longer
First class and second class citizens of any nation
Until the colour of a man's skin
Is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes -
Me say war.

That until the basic human rights
Are equally guaranteed to all,
Without regard to race -
Dis a war.

That until that day
The dream of lasting peace,
World citizenship
Rule of international morality
Will remain in but a fleeting illusion to be pursued,
But never attained -
Now everywhere is war - war.

And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes
that hold our brothers in Angola,
In Mozambique,
South Africa
Sub-human bondage
Have been toppled,
Utterly destroyed -
Well, everywhere is war -
Me say war.

War in the east,
War in the west,
War up north,
War down south -
War - war -
Rumours of war.
And until that day,
The African continent
Will not know peace,
We Africans will fight - we find it necessary -
And we know we shall win
As we are confident
In the victory
Of good over evil

Bob and His Majesty Haile Selaisse

[lame54]

35. classic...

Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor

[lame54]

36. ...

[Lucinda]

96. +1

Lots of great songs out there...but this one still gets me.

[MicaelS]

12. One Tin Soldier

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qswm7lHp7oY

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Tin_Soldier

Listen, children, to a story
That was written long ago,
'Bout a kingdom on a mountain
And the valley-folk below.

On the mountain was a treasure
Buried deep beneath the stone,
And the valley-people swore
They'd have it for their very own.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.

So the people of the valley
Sent a message up the hill,
Asking for the buried treasure,
Tons of gold for which they'd kill.

Came an answer from the kingdom,
"With our brothers we will share
All the secrets of our mountain,
All the riches buried there."

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.

Now the valley cried with anger,
"Mount your horses! Draw your sword!"
And they killed the mountain-people,
So they won their just reward.

Now they stood beside the treasure,
On the mountain, dark and red.
Turned the stone and looked beneath it...
"Peace on Earth" was all it said.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.

[TBF]

15. Holiday by Green Day

"Holiday"

Say, hey!

Hear the sound of the falling rain
Coming down like an Armageddon flame (Hey!)
The shame
The ones who died without a name

Hear the dogs howling out of key
To a hymn called "Faith and Misery" (Hey!)
And bleed, the company lost the war today

I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives
On holiday

Hear the drum pounding out of time
Another protester has crossed the line (Hey!)
To find, the money's on the other side

Can I get another Amen? (Amen!)
There's a flag wrapped around a score of men (Hey!)
A gag, a plastic bag on a monument

I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives
On holiday

(Hey!)
(Say, hey!)

"The representative from California has the floor"

Sieg Heil to the president Gasman
Bombs away is your punishment
Pulverize the Eiffel towers
Who criticize your government
Bang bang goes the broken glass and
Kill all the fags that don't agree
Trials by fire, setting fire
Is not a way that's meant for me
Just cause, just cause, because we're outlaws yeah!

I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives
I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives

This is our lives on holiday

[Biker13]

157. Best Song Ever!

I grew up close to NYC, and have seen, literally, hundreds of concerts. Green Day ranks up with one of the best!

Biker's Old Lady

[TBF]

187. Always liked Green Day - but when I heard this song the lyrics

just hit me. Billie Joe is so talented.

[rug]

16. The Battle Hymn of the Republic, Updated

Mine eyes have seen the orgy of the launching of the Sword;
He is searching out the hoardings where the stranger's wealth is stored;
He hath loosed his fateful lightnings, and with woe and death has scored;
His lust is marching on.

I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;
They have builded him an altar in the Eastern dews and damps;
I have read his doomful mission by the dim and flaring lamps—
His night is marching on.

I have read his bandit gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
"As ye deal with my pretensions, so with you my wrath shall deal;
Let the faithless son of Freedom crush the patriot with his heel;
Lo, Greed is marching on!"

We have legalized the strumpet and are guarding her retreat;
Greed is seeking out commercial souls before his judgment seat;
O, be swift, ye clods, to answer him! be jubilant my feet!
Our god is marching on!

In a sordid slime harmonious Greed was born in yonder ditch,
With a longing in his bosom—and for others' goods an itch.
As Christ died to make men holy, let men die to make us rich—
Our god is marching on.

- Mark Twain


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battle_Hymn_of_the_Republic,_Updated

[Scruffy1]

136. I had forgotten that one in my dotage-thanks

[Blue_Tires]

196. awesome...

[dotymed]

18. John Prine,

" Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" and "Sam Stone."

[janet118]

25. The Great Compromise too n/t

[Lucinda]

97. LOVE John Prine.

:hi:

[Defectata]

122. +1

love me some John Prine

[lunasun]

164. Forgot those yeah had those on records ...Sam Stone blows away the curtain see whats real

[azygous]

19. The movie "On the Beach" grand finale

theme song played as the submarine carrying the last humans surviving a world-wide nuclear war as they realized the planet was doomed and so were they. The song was "Waltzing Matilda".

[Roy Rolling]

20. Country Joe and the Fish

I can't believe nobody said "Fixin' to Die Rag"

Well, come on all of you, big strong men,
Uncle Sam needs your help again.
He's got himself in a terrible jam
Way down yonder in Vietnam
So put down your books and pick up a gun,
We're gonna have a whole lotta fun.

And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Come on Wall Street, don't be slow,
Why man, this is war au-go-go
There's plenty good money to be made
By supplying the Army with the tools of its trade,
But just hope and pray that if they drop the bomb,
They drop it on the Viet Cong.

And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam.
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Well, come on generals, let's move fast;
Your big chance has come at last.
Now you can go out and get those reds
'Cause the only good commie is the one that's dead
And you know that peace can only be won
When we've blown 'em all to kingdom come.

And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Come on mothers throughout the land,
Pack your boys off to Vietnam.
Come on fathers, and don't hesitate
To send your sons off before it's too late.
And you can be the first ones in your block
To have your boy come home in a box.

And it's one, two, three
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam.
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

[The Wizard]

31. Second that one (NT)

[Joe Fields]

47. That's the one I vote for.

[anamandujano]

51. Came here to post that. It's amazing.

They were singing it when I was in college and didn't have a clue what was going on.

[era veteran]

54. Yes, This one

[Bette Noir]

64. Love Country Joe. And he was a vet, so he knew first hand.

Saw him open once for... Arlo? Donovan? I don't remember.

[lark]

89. Love that song, and I did list it, just late to the party

:toast:

We played that song a lot during anti-war rallies in the 60;s-70;s

[CRH]

94. Add me to the list, for Country Joe and the Fish, ...

Close second to Marvin Gaye for Brother Brother.

[CanonRay]

152. Yes, yes, my personal favorite

[Paka]

182. I already posted for Phil Ochs,

but Country Joe and "Fixin to Die Rag" is pretty good too. Country Joe has a few others I'd vote for as well. The list can go on and on.

[90-percent]

202. Thanks

Country Joe and the Fish were the first rock bands I discovered.

So, I should know this, but I don't. Only thing close to an anti war song by Frank Zappa is perhaps "Dumb All Over"?

-90% Jimmy



Whoever we are, wherever we're from, we shoulda noticed by now our behaviour is dumb
And if our chances expect to improve it's gonna take a lot more than tryin' to remove the other race or the other whatever from the face of the planet altogether
They call it "The Earth" which is a dumb kinda name but they named it right 'cause we behave the same
We are dumb all over
Dumb all over, yes we are, dumb all over, near and far, dumb all over, black 'n white, people, we is not wrapped tight
And nerds on the left, nerds on the right
Religious fanatics on the air every night, sayin' the bible tells the story and makes the details sound real gory about what to do if the geeks over there don't believe in the book we got over here
You can't run a race without no feet
And pretty soon there won't be no street for dummies to jog on or doggies to dog on
Religious fanatics can make it be all gone
I mean it won't blow up and disappear, it'll just look ugly for a thousand years
You can't run a country by a book of religion
Not by a heap or a lump or a smidgeon of foolish rules of ancient date, designed to make you all feel great while you fold, spindle and mutilate those unbelievers from a neighbouring state
To arms, to arms
Hooray! That's great, two legs ain't bad
Unless there's a crate they ship the parts to mama in
For souvenirs: two ears (Get down)
Not his, not hers but what the hey
The good book says, "It's gotta be that way"
But their book says, "Revenge the crusades"
With whips 'n chains and hand grenades
Two arms, two arms
Have another and another
Our Cod says, "There ain't no other"
Our Cod says, "It's all ok"
Our god says "This is the way"
It says in the book, "Burn and destroy"
And repent and redeem and revenge and deploy and rumble thee forth to the land of the unbelieving scum on the other side
'Cause they don't go for what's in the book and that makes 'em bad
So verily we must choppeth them up and stompeth them down
Or rent a nice French bomb to poof them out of existence while leaving their real estate just where we need it to use again for temples in which to praise our god, 'cause he can really take care of business
And when his humble TV servant with humble white hair and humble glasses and a nice brown suit and maybe a blonde wife who takes phone calls, tells us our god says it's ok to do this stuff, then we gotta do it
'Cause if we don't do it we ain't "Gwine up to hebbin"
Depending on which book you're using at the time
Can't use theirs, it don't work, it's all lies, gotta use mine
Ain't that right?
That's what they say
Every night, everyday
Hey, we can't really be dumb if we're just following god's orders
Well let's get serious, god knows what he's doin'
He wrote this book here and the book says, "He made us all to be just like him"
So, if we're dumb, then god is dumb and maybe even a little ugly on the side
Dumb all over, a little ugly on the side
Dumb all over, a little ugly on the side
Dumb all over, a little ugly on the side
Dumb all over, a little ugly on the side

[TomClash]

21. UB40's "Who You Fightin' For?"

The Clash's "The Call Up"

Jimmy Cliff's "Vietnam"

Three that come to mind.

[TwentyFive]

22. GUNS & ROSES: I don't need your civil war It feeds the rich while it buries the poor

This is my favorite...

"What we've got here is failure to
communicate.
Some men you just can't reach...
So, you get what we had here last week,
which is the way he wants it!
Well, he gets it!
N' I don't like it any more than you men." *

Look at your young men fighting
Look at your women crying
Look at your young men dying
The way they've always done before

Look at the hate we're breeding
Look at the fear we're feeding
Look at the lives we're leading
The way we've always done before

My hands are tied
The billions shift from side to side
And the wars go on with brainwashed pride
For the love of God and our human rights
And all these things are swept aside
By bloody hands time can't deny
And are washed away by your genocide
And history hides the lies of our civil wars

D'you wear a black armband
When they shot the man
Who said "Peace could last forever"
And in my first memories
They shot Kennedy
I went numb when I learned to see
So I never fell for Vietnam
We got the wall of D.C. to remind us all
That you can't trust freedom
When it's not in your hands
When everybody's fightin'
For their promised land

And
I don't need your civil war
It feeds the rich while it buries the poor
Your power hungry sellin' soldiers
In a human grocery store
Ain't that fresh
I don't need your civil war

Look at the shoes your filling
Look at the blood we're spilling
Look at the world we're killing
The way we've always done before
Look in the doubt we've wallowed
Look at the leaders we've followed
Look at the lies we've swallowed
And I don't want to hear no more

My hands are tied
For all I've seen has changed my mind
But still the wars go on as the years go by
With no love of God or human rights
'Cause all these dreams are swept aside
By bloody hands of the hypnotized
Who carry the cross of homicide
And history bears the scars of our civil wars

"WE PRACTICE SELECTIVE ANNIHILATION OF MAYORS ANDGOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
FOR EXAMPLE TO CREATE A VACUUM
THEN WE FILL THAT VACUUM
AS POPULAR WAR ADVANCES
PEACE IS CLOSER" **

I don't need your civil war
It feeds the rich while it buries the poor
Your power hungry sellin' soldiers
In a human grocery store
Ain't that fresh
And I don't need your civil war
I don't need your civil war
I don't need your civil war
Your power hungry sellin' soldiers
In a human grocery store
Ain't that fresh
I don't need your civil war
I don't need one more war

I don't need one more war
Whaz so civil 'bout war anyway

[jobycom]

34. One of my favorites. nt

[Bossy Monkey]

23. On a similar theme, "Poor Old Tom" by Peter Case

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGSHvVaAZbs
"The worst disease in the world it to be unwanted/ to be used up and cast away."

[redwitch]

24. Universal Soldier Phil Ochs

Masters of War
Waltzing Matilda


My top 3.

[janet118]

26. I believe Universal Soldier written by Buffy Sainte-Marie . . .

not Phil Ochs

[redwitch]

29. Thanks, I didn't know that.

Have only ever heard him singing it.

[Bette Noir]

65. Buffy wrote it, Donovan made a Top 10 hit of it.

I have mixed feelings about it, though. It's blaming 17, 18 year old boys for the bad decisions of old white men. Can't expect a kid to have the morals of a Bhodhisattva.

[redwitch]

80. Good Lord, how could I have forgotten Donovan?

I always feel guilty and generally uncomfortable when I hear it. For that very reason it is one of the best. I have a nephew currently serving in Afghanistan and he's a great kid. I wish he was somewhere else.

[era veteran]

55. Yes & she is one of the best.

[PSzymeczek]

165. Universal Soldier

was Buffy Sainte-Marie.

[tomfodw]

27. Not sure if any of these is the best, but...

Here are a couple:

"Waist Deep In the Big Muddy"

"Deja Vu All Over Again" by John Fogerty


Not specifically anti-war, but "Not Ready to Make Nice" by the Dixie Chicks and "On With the Song" by Mary Chapin Carpenter deal directly (and, appropriately, quite nastily) with the consequences of having opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

[lame54]

28. Here is a great one that I bet you haven't heard

Deep Purple

"Under The Gun"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baS4hqbFwAM

nfidel can you hear
Would be strange delight
I need you to give your sympathy tonight
When you hear what I say
Deeds I've done
Realise I've never lost and never won

I've got a feeling that it's never right
There was a reason but it's out of sight
It's going down somewhere tonight
Under the gun

Put death in my hand
Learn to fight
Who could care if it's wrong or if it's right
We got no choice
Under command
We're ordered to die or take this land

Stupid bastards and religious freaks
So safe in their castle keeps
They turn away as a mother weeps
Under the gun

When brave men fall
Under crimson skies
There's a sadness reflected in a soldier's
eyes
Tears will dry
For those I kill
Remember no more their names but
someone will

The only way to be victorious
Screw the fools who think it's glorious
Who gives a toss about the likes of us
Under the gun

[The Wizard]

32. Here's the saddest song ever written

"Get Up Jimmy Newman" by Tom Paxton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsWxO0dhnWo&playnext=1&list=PL6C2207A823C061EE

[Sonoman]

153. Oh, man....

that takes me back a long, long way.

Thank you for that one.

Sonoman

[hangman86]

33. It's a tie!

The classic rock side of me says Bob Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall," but the indie rock side of me chooses The Dismemberment Plan's "Time Bomb." Since many aren't familiar with the latter, here are the lyrics and a link:


well i, i am a time bomb and i, i lay forgotten at the bottom of your heart...
i'm fine, ticking away the hours to blow your world apart

i, i am a poison and i, i am still coursing through your bloodstream like
a ghost, like wine, gathering vintage for the day i hurt the most

i, i am a land mine and i, i lay on the soil burned out by battles you thought
you'd won, i've got time... to wait for the footsteps.. of a memory that's on
the run...yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

well i, i am a tar pit and i, i swell like a living thing all at the slightest
touch.. a black grime, yeah, swallowing everything.. a cold and timeless clutch

i, well i am a trip wire, and i, i'm stretching across the road you're
barreling down tonight...a thinish twine, waiting to be released right beyond
your sight

i, well i am a fault line and i, i'm pulling apart the ground that lay beneath
your newest seed.. so fine, moving in inches now a caution you won't know, you
don't know, well i've got time

well i, i am a time bomb i only live in that one moment in which you die... its
not right, its not what i wanted then but you know and i know there's no going
back

i, i am a lost soul and i, i send out a sickened light for anyone to see... a
cry for help, yeah, a warning to stay away... the burning... the blinding...
the reaching in darkness...why, yeah, yeah


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaOy6IBLt4o

[janet118]

37. John McCutcheon "Christmas in the Trenches"

My name is Francis Tolliver. I come from Liverpool.
Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school.
To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany to here,
I fought for King and country I love dear.

It was Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung.
The frozen field of France were still, no Christmas song was sung.
Our families back in England were toasting us that day,
their brave and glorious lads so far away.
I was lyin' with my mess-mates on the cold and rocky ground
when across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound.

Says I "Now listen up me boys", each soldier strained to hear
as one young German voice sang out so clear.
"He's singin' bloddy well you know", my partner says to me.
Soon one by one each German voice joined in in harmony.
The cannons rested silent. The gas cloud rolled no more
as Christmas brought us respite from the war.

As soon as they were finished a reverent pause was spent.
'God rest ye merry, gentlemen' struck up some lads from Kent.
The next they sang was 'Stille Nacht". "Tis 'Silent Night'" says I
and in two toungues one song filled up that sky.
"There's someone commin' towards us" the front-line sentry cried.
All sights were fixed on one lone figure trudging from their side.
His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shone on that plain so bright
as he bravely strode, unarmed, into the night.

Then one by one on either side walked into no-mans-land
with neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand.
We shared some secret brandy and wished each other well
and in a flare-lit soccer game we gave 'em hell.
We traded chocolates, cigarettes and photgraphs from home
these sons and fathers far away from families of their own.
Young Sanders played his squeeze box and they had a violin
this curious and unlikely band of men.

Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more.
With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war.
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wonderous night
"whose family have I fixed with
in my sights?"

It was Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung.
The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung.
For the walls they'd kept between us to exact the work of war
had been crumbled and were gone forever more.

My name is Francis Tolliver. In Liverpool I dwell.
Each Christmas come since World War One I've learned it's lessons well.
That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame
and on each end of the rifle we're the same.
--

[jwirr]

52. I wonder if that was a true event?

[janet118]

82. I guess it was . . . partially, anyway

from Wikipedia

"Christmas in the Trenches" is a ballad from John McCutcheon's 1984 Album Winter Solstice. It tells the story of the 1914 Christmas Truce between the British and German lines on the Western Front during the Great War from the perspective of a fictional British soldier. Although Francis Tolliver is a fictional character, the event depicted in the ballad is true. John McCutcheon met some of the German soldiers involved in this Christmas story when he toured in Belgium.

[jwirr]

92. Thank you. Peace is possible if for only a day.

[Sonoman]

154. That is one of my favorite songs of all time.

I have also played it with John on a cold Christmas Day on a ranch in Alberta.

It was Ian Tyson's place and we were all trading verses.

And we were all crying at the end. I still have a recording of it.

Sonoman

[cbdo2007]

38. System Of A Down - B.Y.O.B. is a great recent anti-war song.

Why do they always send the poor


Barbarisms by Barbaras
With pointed heels
Victorious victorious kneel
For brand new spankin' deals

Marching forward hypocritic and
Hypnotic computers
You depend on our protection
Yet you feed us lies from the tablecloth

La LA La La La La La La hoooo!

Everybody's going to the party have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine

Kneeling roses disappearing into
Moses' dry mouth
Breaking in the Fort Knox stealing
Our intentions

Hangars sitting dripped in oil
Crying freedom
Handed through obsoletion
Still you feed us lies from the tablecloth

La La La La La LA La La hoooo!

Everybody's going to the party have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine

Everybody's going to the party have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine

Blast off
It's party time
And we don't live in a fascist nation

Blast off
It's party time
And where the fuck are you?

Where the fuck are you?
Where the fuck are you?

Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?

Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?

Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?

Kneeling roses disappearing into
Moses' dry mouth
Breaking in the Fort Knox stealing
Our intentions

Hangars sitting dripped in oil
Crying freedom
Handed through obsoletion,
Still you feed us lies from the tablecloth

La La La La La La La Lalala hooo!

Everybody's going to the party have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sunshine

Everybody's going to the party have a real good time
Dancing in the desert blowing up the sun

Where the fuck are you?
Where the fuck are you?

Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?

Why don't presidents fight the war?
Why do they always send the poor?

Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?

Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they always send the poor?
Why do they alwyas send the poor?

They always send the poor
They always send the poor

[JohnnyChill]

39. An amazing song by Iris DeMent

Not strictly an anti-war song, but it packs a powerful punch.

It's so good in 1997, Florida state Senator John Grant (Republican) zeroed out $104,000 in state funding from the annual budget, citing his displeasure at the lyrics of a song he had heard broadcast (Iris DeMent's "Wasteland of the Free"). In response to the shortfall, the station staged an emergency fund-raiser that took in $122,000 in a day and a half. (from Wikipedia).

Living in the Wasteland of the Free

We got preachers dealing in politics and diamond mines
and their speech is growing increasingly unkind
They say they are Christ's disciples
but they don't look like Jesus to me
and it feels like I am living in the wasteland of the free

We got politicians running races on corporate cash
Now don't tell me they don't turn around and kiss them peoples' ass
You may call me old-fashioned
but that don't fit my picture of a true democracy
and it feels like I am living in the wasteland of the free

We got CEO's making two hundred times the workers' pay
but they'll fight like hell against raising the minimum wage
and If you don't like it, mister, they'll ship your job
to some third-world country 'cross the sea
and it feels like I am living in the wasteland of the free

Living in the wasteland of the free
where the poor have now become the enemy
Let's blame our troubles on the weak ones
Sounds like some kind of Hitler remedy
Living in the wasteland of the free

We got little kids with guns fighting inner city wars
So what do we do, we put these little kids behind prison doors
and we call ourselves the advanced civilization
that sounds like crap to me
and it feels like I am living in the wasteland of the free

We got high-school kids running 'round in Calvin Klein and Guess
who cannot pass a sixth-grade reading test
but if you ask them, they can tell you
the name of every crotch on MTV
and it feels like I am living in the wasteland of the free

We kill for oil, then we throw a party when we win
Some guy refuses to fight, and we call that the sin
but he's standing up for what he believes in
and that seems pretty damned American to me
and it feels like I am living in the wasteland of the free

Living in the wasteland of the free
where the poor have now become the enemy
Let's blame our troubles on the weak ones
Sounds like some kind of Hitler remedy

Living in the wasteland of the free
While we sit gloating in our greatness
justice is sinking to the bottom of the sea
Living in the wasteland of the free
Living in the wasteland of the free
Living in the wasteland of the free

[MrModerate]

42. Mr. Dylan's "Masters of War" -- Antiwar and revolutionary too n/t

[jwirr]

43. I love that one. Someone said that if that song became popular no one

would ever go to war again.

[Iggo]

44. War Pigs -- Black Sabbath.

Generals gathered in their masses
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction
Sorcerers of death's construction
In the fields the bodies burning
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind
Poisoning their brainwashed minds
Oh lord yeah!

Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor

Time will tell on their power minds
Making war just for fun
Treating people just like pawns in chess
Wait 'til their judgement day comes
Yeah!

Now in darkness world stops turning
Ashes where the bodies burning
No more war pigs have the power
Hand of God has struck the hour
Day of judgement, God is calling
On their knees the war pig's crawling
Begging mercy for their sins
Satan laughing spreads his wings
Oh lord yeah!

[Glorfindel]

45. "La Colombe" by Jacques Brel and Alasdair Clayre

Both Joan Baez and Judy Collins recorded amazing versions of the song

Why all these bugles cry
These squads of young men drill
To kill and to be killed
Stood waiting by the train

Why the orders loud and hoarse
Why the engine's groaning cough
As it strains to drag us all
Into the holocaust

Why crowds who sing and cry
And shout and fling us flowers
And trade their rights for ours
To murder and to die

CHORUS
The dove has torn her wing
So no more songs of love
We are not here to sing
We're here to kill the dove

Why must this moment come
When childhood has to die
When hope shrinks to a sigh
And speech into a drum

Why are they pale and still
Young boys trained over night
Concripts payed to kill
And dressed in gray to fight

These rainclouds massing tight
This train load battle bound
This moving burial ground
Goes thundering to the night

CHORUS

Why statues towering grave
Above the last defeat
Old words and lies repeat
Across a new made grave

And why the same still birds
That victory always brought
These hours of glory bought
By men with mounds of earth

Dead ash without a spark
Where cities used to be
Where guns probe every spark
And crush it into dust

CHORUS

And while your face undone
With jagged lines of tears
That gave in those first years
All the peace I'd ever want

Your body in the gloom
The platform fading back
Your shadow on the track
A flower upon a tomb

And why these days ahead
When I must let you cry
And live prepared to die
And to....

Chorus

[janet118]

86. I think Judy Collins recorded this one too

I know Leonard did.

Story of Isaac by Leonard Cohen

The door it opened slowly,
my father he came in,
I was nine years old.
And he stood so tall above me,
his blue eyes they were shining
and his voice was very cold.

He said, "I've had a vision
and you know I'm strong and holy,
I must do what I've been told."
So he started up the mountain,
I was running, he was walking,
and his axe was made of gold.

Well, the trees they got much smaller,
the lake a lady's mirror,
we stopped to drink some wine.
Then he threw the bottle over.
Broke a minute later
and he put his hand on mine.

Thought I saw an eagle
but it might have been a vulture,
I never could decide.
Then my father built an altar,
he looked once behind his shoulder,
he knew I would not hide.

You who build these altars now
to sacrifice these children,
you must not do it anymore.
A scheme is not a vision
and you never have been tempted
by a demon or a god.

You who stand above them now,
your hatchets blunt and bloody,
you were not there before,
when I lay upon a mountain
and my father's hand was trembling
with the beauty of the word.

And if you call me brother now,
forgive me if I inquire,
"Just according to whose plan?"
When it all comes down to dust
I will kill you if I must,
I will help you if I can.

When it all comes down to dust
I will help you if I must,
I will kill you if I can.
And mercy on our uniform,
man of peace or man of war,
the peacock spreads his fan.

[solara]

46. The Cannon Song by Kurt Weill/Bertolt Brecht

Translated from the original German

John was present and Jim was all there
And Georgie was up for promotion
Not that the Army gave a bugger who they were
When confronting some heathen commotion

The troops live under
the cannon's thunder
From Sind to Cooch Behar
Moving from place to place
When they come face to face
(With a) different breed of fellow
Whose skin is black or yellow
they quick as winking chop them
into beefsteak tartar

Johnny found his whiskey too warm
And Jimmy found the weather too balmy
But Georgie took them both by the arm and said,
"Don't ever disappoint the Army!"

The troops live under
the cannon's thunder
From Sind to Cooch Behar
Moving from place to place
When they come face to face
(With a) different breed of fellow
Whose skin is black or yellow
they quick as winking chop them
into beefsteak tartar

John is a write-off and Jimmy is dead
And Georgie was shot for looting
And young men's blood goes on being red
While the Army just goes on ahead recruiting

The troops live under
the cannon's thunder
From Sind to Cooch Behar
Moving from place to place
When they come face to face
(With a) different breed of fellow
Whose skin is black or yellow
they quick as winking chop them
into beefsteak tartar

[Kurt Weill/Bertolt Brecht

[Doctor_J]

49. This one is actually by Eric Bogle, covered by many

The Clancy Bros cover is better, IMO. Bogle also wrote one called "No Man's Land", also about the Aussie WWI debacle, which is even better. Also done well by the Furey Brothers (the version that I have).

1. Well, how'd you do, Private William McBride?
Do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside?
I'll rest here awhile in the warm summer sun,
I've been walking all day, Lord, and I'm nearly done.
And I see by your gravestone you were only 19
When you joined the glorious fallen in 1916--
Well, I hope you died quick and I hope you died clean,
Or, Willie McBride, was it slow and obscene?

Chorus:
Did they beat the drum slowly,
Did they sound the fife lowly,
Did the rifles fire o'er you as they lowered you down?
Did the bugles sing "The Last Post" in chorus?
Did the pipes play "The Flowers of the Forest?"

2. Did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind?
In some faithful heart is your memory enshrined
And, though you died back in 1916,
To that loyal heart are you always 19?
Or are you a stranger without even a name,
Forever enshrined behind some glass pane,
In an old photograph, torn and tattered and stained,
And fading to yellow in a brown leather frame?

3. The sun's shining down on these green fields of France;
The warm wind blows gently, and the red poppies dance.
The trenches have vanished long under the plow;
No gas and no barbed wire, no guns firing now.
But here in this graveyard it's still No Man's Land
The countless white crosses in mute witness stand
To man's blind indifference to his fellow man.
And a whole generation who were butchered and damned.

4. And I can't help but wonder, now Willie McBride,
Do all those who lie here know why they died?
Did you really believe them when they told you 'The Cause?'
Did you really believe that this war would end wars?
Well the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame
The killing, the dying, it was all done in vain,
For Willie McBride, it all happened again,
And again, and again, and again, and again.

[DFW]

58. I was wondering if someone would give Eric Bogle his due

I played with him at a Scottish-themed folk festival in Germany in 1975 (am I dated or what?), and
remembered how powerful I thought "No Man's Land" was. No Man's Land is my personal favorite, too.

Eric was one hell of a nice guy too, when he was sober.

[Doctor_J]

74. Congrats

I am in envy. He & Kate Wolf wrote tribute songs to each other - giddy stuff amongst us folkistas.

Was Stan Rogers at that same festival? Another of my faves ho died young.

[DFW]

109. Can't be too many Americans who remember Stan (or Garnet) Rogers, either

There were no Canadians at all at this particular festival. In fact, I was the only American, invited at the
last minute by the organizer. He had never heard of Leo Kottke, and so thought I was some kind of 12 string
guitar genius instead of some poor clown who was able to figure out maybe 1/3 of Kottke's stuff, plus compose
some of my own.

The emphasis of this festival was on Scottish music, with a few token English and Irish folkies thrown in.
Headliner was a guy named Hamish Imlach, who had a great voice, a commanding stage presence, and a permanent
companion liter bottle of coca-cola that was in fact 85% high octane rum.

[Sonoman]

156. They were/are my cousins.

After leaving the Kerrville Folk Fest, Stan stayed at my house in Dallas (Bluffview) before he got on that damned airplane. Do you know he got off the plane and went back in to try to rescue two elderly sisters? That is when it basically blew up.

As a kid, he was my hero. As an old man, he still is. I still get all teary when I do "Bird on a Wing". I can't help but envisioning him walk up the way to that frosty door.

Garnet is a genius and is living in Ontario, breeding and raising thoroughbreds.

Well, that's it from Sonoma.

Sonoman

[DFW]

180. You're a cousin? No wonder!!

I remember that flight from Dallas all too well. I did not know that he had gotten off the
plane alive and then gone back in. No wonder he's your hero.

[Doctor_J]

188. Tell us more!

I have a nearly complete collection of Stan's records (now CD's). My faves are White Squall (great guitaring and of course the vocals), Two-bit cayeuse (don't know why - a stupid song), House of Orange, 23 years, Turnaround, Lies, Mary Ellen Carter, and Flyin' (a big hockey fan)

I have a bootleg tape from a show Stan did in Chicago c. 1979 that I treasure.

Anyway, your cousins are sensational poets and musicians.

[Sonoman]

203. I awoke at 1:11 PM, today.

When I awake, there is always music in my head.

Today's song?

Mary Ellen Carter

The last song I played last night - accompanied by an old OM28 and half a bottle of Leopold Bros Small-Batch Bourbon was Stan's "Song of the Candle".

Sonoman

[Doctor_J]

189. Oh yeah, I forgot

"Song of the Candle" and, back to the topic of this thread, Barret's Privateers.

[janet118]

210. I remember him well . . .

I even remember where I was the night he died. Wrote some great songs . . . and that voice!

[Paka]

184. Yes, Stan Rogers.

My brother sent me tapes of him for Christmas. I shouldn't have to tell you how long ago that was. Another we lost too young. What a trip down memory lane this thread has been.

:hippie:

[zipplewrath]

208. This was my thought

Eric Bogel really hit alot of the themes for me, although Waltzing Matilda is a very close second.

[Doctor_J]

50. Phil Ochs, Draft Dodger Rag

"If you ever get a war without blood & gore, I'll be the first to go"

[Tikki]

53. "Dead Heroes"....Red Rockers...

Tikki

[jwirr]

56. I am crying but I do not know why. Either because it was all so sad

or maybe because we did not learn anything. I think today one of the problems we have with fighting these wars is that we do not have songs like these to rally the people. I fact we do not have much clearly understood music for any of our causes.

[janet118]

91. when will they ever learn . . . when will they ever learn n/t

[zeemike]

57. There are lots of good one but I like the source

It really was the first one of my age and generation....and speaks to the cause of war and the need for peace.

Blowin in the wind
Bob Dyland.

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes, 'n' how many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head,
And pretend that he just doesn't see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes, 'n' how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

[janet118]

93. +1

[drmeow]

59. A few

EDWIN STARR
"War"
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Uh-huh
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again, y'all

YAZ
"Unmarked"
Go and join the army
Said the father to the son
See the world around you boy
And learn to use a gun
Think you're something special
Well, we'll make you just the same
There's nothing wrong in dying
After all, it's just a game
- Just a game.

Read the morning paper
There's a picture of a cross
"We were proud in them days"
By the way, I think you lost
Trust me when I tell you boy
That God is on our side
Even Jesus cheers us on
Against the other side
- Against the other side.

He who shouts the loudest
Is the one who's in control
We who never listen
Are the ones who pay the toll
Tell us that it's time at last
To make a final stand
I'm glad 'cos all I wanted
Was to kill another man
- Just to kill another man.

DANIELLE DAX
"16 Candles"
Can't find the lyrics but some key lines:

Fight with me for victory
The aging general lied
The time has come
To take the throne
For God is on our side

...

For on every side
Stank the stiff blue dead
Sacrificed to disaster
Still the girl he had left behind
Keeps his memory strong
For she hopes in vain
For her loves return
These 16 candles gone

MIDNIGHT OIL
"US forces"
US forces give the nod
It's a setback for your country
Bombs and trenches all in rows
Bombs and threats still ask for more
Divided world the CIA
Who controls the issue
You leave us with no time to talk
You can write your own assessment
Sing me songs of no denying
Seems to me too many trying
Waiting for the next big thing
Will you know it when you see it
High risk children dogs of war
Now market movements call the shots
Business deals in parking lots
Waiting for the meat of tomorrow
Everyone is too stoned to start emission
People too scared to go to prison
We're unable to make decisions
Political party line don't cross that floor
L. Ron Hubbard can't save your life
Superboy takes a plutonium wife
In the shadows of Ban the Bomb we live
Sing me songs of no denying
Seems to me too many trying
Waiting for the next big thing

"Short Memory"
Conquistador of Mexico
The Zulu and the Navaho
The Belgians in the Congo
Plantation in Virginia
The Raj in British India
The deadline in South Africa
The story of El Salvador
The silence of Hiroshima
Destruction of Cambodia
Short memory, must have a short memory
The sight of hotels by the Nile
The designated Hilton style
With running water specially bought
A smallish man Afghanistan
A watch dog in a nervous land
They're only there to lend a hand
The friendly five a dusty smile
Wake up in a sweat at dead of night
And in the tents new rifles, hey, short memory

[anamandujano]

61. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMHyovwX7JM

I've always loved the Joan Baez version.

[Doctor_J]

72. Do you think that was written by JR Robertson, or by

Levon Helm? Opinions vary. Joan's version was great, so was the live version at The Last Waltz. Good stuff.

[anamandujano]

150. If I had to guess for one million dollars, I'd say

Helm, but I don't really know.

By the by, how does anyone sing and play drums at the same time?

[Doctor_J]

191. Drums & vocals

We talked about this awhile back. Not that many do it. The names of Phil Collins, Karen carpenter, the dude from Rare Earth came up. It's rare.

[Sonoman]

158. I'll tell you right now.

Levon wrote that song.

Ronnie Hawkins made them release all rights to Jamie/Robbie. Dylan backed it up, because Levon, Rick, Richard, and Garth were all very independent souls, but Jaime/Robbie was totally dependent on Bob.

And Jamie/Robbie mouthed all of the lyrics on "The Last Waltz".

Great guitarist and a total ass.

I can write this because I know/knew them all.

Sonoman

[Doctor_J]

190. I figured as much

Levon's autobio painted JR as a first-class turd. Say hi to Levon next time you see him. I just watched The Right Stuff for the 10th time or so - glad he came through his cancer.

[JackDragna]

62. No love for Alice's Restaurant?

eom

[Bette Noir]

68. It was the first recommendation, but then people decided to trash Arlo.

[Honeycombe8]

66. The Fixin' to Die Rag - Country Joe & the Fish

This was written for Vietnam, but it could apply to any war.


Yeah, come on all of you, big strong men,
Uncle Sam needs your help again.
He's got himself in a terrible jam
Way down yonder in Vietnam
So put down your books and pick up a gun,
We're gonna have a whole lotta fun.

And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Well, come on generals, let's move fast;
Your big chance has come at last.
Gotta go out and get those reds —
The only good commie is the one who's dead
And you know that peace can only be won
When we've blown 'em all to kingdom come.

And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

[Zorro]

67. This one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSqjGqrpOBw

[semillama]

70. Motorhead's 1916

Here are the lyrics, but you need to hear it as sung in Lemmy's plaintive voice, too. It's impossible for me to hear this song without getting a huge lump in my throat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqFoqtpUFY8


1916
16 years old when I went to war,
To fight for a land fit for heroes
God on my side,and a gun in my hand,
Counting my days down to zero

And I marched and I fought and I bled
And I died & I never did get any older
But I knew at the time, That a year in the line,
Is a long enough life for a soldier

We all volunteered,
And we wrote down our names,
And we added two years to our ages

Eager for life and ahead of the game,
Ready for history's pages,
And we fought and we brawled
And we whored 'til we stood,
Ten thousand shoulder to shoulder

A thirst for the Hun,
We were food for the gun,and that's
What you are when you're soldiers

I heard my friend cry,
And he sank to his knees,coughing blood
As he screamed for his mother
And I fell by his side,
And that's how we died,
Clinging like kids to each other

And I lay in the mud
And the guts and the blood,
And I wept as his body grew colder,
And I called for my mother
And she never came,
Though it wasn't my fault
And I wasn't to blame,
The day not half over
And ten thousand slain,and now
There's nobody remembers our names
And that's how it is for a soldier.

[canaar]

71. Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye

The Irish Anti-War Song that provided the melody to When Johnny Comes Marching Home

While goin' the road to sweet Athy, hurroo, hurroo
While goin' the road to sweet Athy, hurroo, hurroo
While goin' the road to sweet Athy
A stick in me hand and a drop in me eye
A doleful damsel I heard cry,
Johnny I hardly knew ye.


With your drums and guns and guns and drums, hurroo, hurroo
With your drums and guns and guns and drums, hurroo, hurroo
With your drums and guns and guns and drums
The enemy nearly slew ye
Oh my darling dear, Ye look so queer
Johnny I hardly knew ye.


Where are the eyes that looked so mild, hurroo, hurroo
Where are the eyes that looked so mild, hurroo, hurroo
Where are the eyes that looked so mild
When my heart you so beguiled
Why did ye scadaddle from me and the child
Oh Johnny, I hardly knew ye.


Where are your legs that used to run, hurroo, hurroo
Where are your legs that used to run, hurroo, hurroo
Where are your legs that used to run
When you went to carry a gun
Indeed your dancing days are done
Oh Johnny, I hardly knew ye.


I'm happy for to see ye home, hurroo, hurroo
I'm happy for to see ye home, hurroo, hurroo
I'm happy for to see ye home
All from the island of Sulloon
So low in the flesh, so high in the bone
Oh Johnny I hardly knew ye.


Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg, hurroo, hurroo
Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg, hurroo, hurroo
Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg
Ye're an armless, boneless, chickenless egg
Ye'll have to be put with a bowl out to beg
Oh Johnny I hardly knew ye.


They're rolling out the guns again, hurroo, hurroo
They're rolling out the guns again, hurroo, hurroo
They're rolling out the guns again
But they'll never will take my sons again
No they'll never will take my sons again
Johnny I'm swearing to ye.

[WinkyDink]

206. I heard the Chad Mitchell Trio sing this a couple years ago. Very moving.

[KamaAina]

73. 70-plus posts and no "Give Peace A Chance"?

C'mon, people. You're just not trying.

[stevebreeze]

77. I'll second that! Give peace a chance!

[CRH]

99. A very honorable mention, ... N/T

[NoGOPZone]

101. Can't believe that was overlooked. nt

[Swede]

75. A couple by Black Sabbath.

War Pigs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZCyOWLrRTE


Children of the Grave

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=236Lquwq22A

[Iggo]

81. +

:thumbsup:

[Arugula Latte]

76. I like this one -- "In Dulce Decorum" by The Damned

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnJr2UN1MZI&feature=related

Dear mother how I will write this line
When I know I'm counting time
I'm tired and I'm scared
I'm waiting and death's my friend

To say in God we trust not for this
Oh the death and glory boys not for this

Dear beloved try to write to you
Through the senseless deaths of a million troops
I'm waiting my time is near
As my tears wash away my years

To say in God we trust not for this
Oh the death and glory boys not for this

Where I walk where I see
The haunting flares where my friends bleed
I see the face of the enemy
Of a man or boy who is just like me

Now you're not there
All the tears we bled
Cut through like winters rain
Can't you feel the pain

And if I could ever sleep again
I know till the end of time I'd hear
Their screams of pain

Dulce dulce decorum
Dulce dulce decorum
Dulce
Dear mother I'll write to you

[Demoiselle]

78. I have two favorites...

"Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier" is a beautiful and heartbreaking song.

And then there's this one:


WAIST DEEP IN THE BIG MUDDY


It was back in nineteen forty-two,
I was a member of a good platoon.
We were on maneuvers in-a Loozianna,
One night by the light of the moon.
The captain told us to ford a river,
That's how it all begun.
We were -- knee deep in the Big Muddy,
But the big fool said to push on.

The Sergeant said, "Sir, are you sure,
This is the best way back to the base?"
"Sergeant, go on! I forded this river
'Bout a mile above this place.
It'll be a little soggy but just keep slogging.
We'll soon be on dry ground."
We were -- waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool said to push on.

The Sergeant said, "Sir, with all this equipment
No man will be able to swim."
"Sergeant, don't be a Nervous Nellie,"
The Captain said to him.
"All we need is a little determination;
Men, follow me, I'll lead on."
We were -- neck deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool said to push on.

All at once, the moon clouded over,
We heard a gurgling cry.
A few seconds later, the captain's helmet
Was all that floated by.
The Sergeant said, "Turn around men!
I'm in charge from now on."
And we just made it out of the Big Muddy
With the captain dead and gone.

We stripped and dived and found his body
Stuck in the old quicksand.
I guess he didn't know that the water was deeper
Than the place he'd once before been.
Another stream had joined the Big Muddy
'Bout a half mile from where we'd gone.
We were lucky to escape from the Big Muddy
When the big fool said to push on.

Well, I'm not going to point any moral;
I'll leave that for yourself
Maybe you're still walking, you're still talking
You'd like to keep your health.
But every time I read the papers
That old feeling comes on;
We're -- waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool says to push on.

Waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool says to push on.
Waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool says to push on.
Waist deep! Neck deep! Soon even a
Tall man'll be over his head, we're
Waist deep in the Big Muddy!
And the big fool says to push on!

[dajoki]

79. A couple...

off the top of my head. "Eve of Destruction" by Barry Mcguire and "Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag" by Country Joe and the Fish. Of course there are plenty more.

[radiclib]

83. DOH!...misposted in the Lounge

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x9612256

Don't ask me how I did that

[radiclib]

102. The Great Mandela--Peter, Paul & Mary

"The spangled dwarf in his bow tie
The infantry that don't ask why.."

Oh wait, that's a different one :blush:

[jojog]

85. The Clash - Charlie Don't Surf

Charlie don't surf and we think he should
Charlie don't surf and you know that it ain't no good
Charlie don't surf for his hamburger Momma
Charlie's gonna be a napalm star

Everybody wants to rule the world
Must be something we get from birth
One truth is we never learn
Satellites will make space burn

We've been told to keep the strangers out
We don't like them starting to hang around
We don't like them all over town
Across the world we are going to blow them down



The reign of the super powers must be over
So many armies can't free the earth
Soon the rock will roll over
Africa is choking on their Coca Cola

It's a one a way street in a one horse town
One way people starting to brag around
You can laugh, put them down
These one way people gonna blow us down



Charlie don't surf he'll never learn
Charlie don't surf though he's got a gun
Charlie don't surf think that he should
Charlie don't surf we really think he should
Charlie don't surf

Charlie don't surf and we think he should
Charlie don't surf and you know that it ain't no good
Charlie don't surf for his hamburger Momma
Charlie don't surf

[lark]

87. My 2 favorites

War - by War
Feel LIke I'm Fixing to Die Rag - Country Joe and the Fish

[jojog]

88. Bob Marley - War

What life has taught me
I would like to share with
Those who want to learn...

Until the philosophy which hold one race
Superior and another inferior
Is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned
Everywhere is war, me say war

That until there are no longer first class
And second class citizens of any nation
Until the colour of a man's skin
Is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes
Me say war

That until the basic human rights are equally
Guaranteed to all, without regard to race
Dis a war

That until that day
The dream of lasting peace, world citizenship
Rule of international morality
Will remain in but a fleeting illusion
To be persued, but never attained
Now everywhere is war, war

And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes
that hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique,
South Africa sub-human bondage
Have been toppled, utterly destroyed
Well, everywhere is war, me say war

War in the east, war in the west
War up north, war down south
War, war, rumours of war

And until that day, the African continent
Will not know peace, we Africans will fight
We find it necessary and we know we shall win
As we are confident in the victory

Of good over evil, good over evil, good over evil
Good over evil, good over evil, good over evil

[rurallib]

95. Let me throw in Dylan's "With God on our Side"

highlights that warriors always feel that God is behind them.
Here is Joan Baez singing it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTtVTNTfg80

[BlueMTexpat]

98. Showing my era here, but "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"

Where Have All The Flowers Gone
Songwriter: Seeger, Pete

Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago

Where have all the flowers gone?
Young girls have picked them everyone
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Oh, when will they ever learn?

Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time ago

Where have all the young girls gone?
Gone for husbands everyone
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Oh, when will they ever learn?

Where have all the husbands gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the husbands gone?
Long time ago

Where have all the husbands gone?
Gone for soldiers everyone
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, everyone
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, everyone
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Oh, when will they ever learn?

Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago

Where have all the flowers gone?
Young girls have picked them everyone
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Oh, when will they ever learn?

[CrawlingChaos]

177. That's a good choice!

A simple song, but very moving and sad. It's a little before my time but it always gets to me whenever I hear it.

[Paka]

186. Thanks. I've been waiting for that one.

Anything by Pete is okay by me!!! He's an American Icon.

:bounce:

[Arkansas Granny]

197. That's my choice, too. It never fails to bring tears to my eyes.

[PassingFair]

100. I alway love to hear "WAR, humfph, What is it Good For?"

Absolutely nothin'

Say it again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01-2pNCZiNk

Edwin Starr

"Good God Y'all"

[on point]

103. Lennon: Imagine Nothing to kill or die for...

[JenniferJuniper]

104. Phil Ochs had a number of course, but "The War is Over"

is one of my faves. (as well as being an inspiration for John and Yoko)

Here are some of the verses:


So do your duty, boys, and join with pride
Serve your country in her suicide
Find the flags so you can wave goodbye
But just before the end even treason might be worth a try
This country is too young to die

I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over

One-legged veterans will greet the dawn
And they're whistling marches as they mow the lawn
And the gargoyles only sit and grieve
The gypsy fortune teller told me that we'd been deceived
You only are what you believe

I believe the war is over
It's over, it's over

[Oldtimeralso]

105. How About the One that Got the Dixie Chicks in Hot Water!

"Travelin' Soldier" written by Bruce Robison

[Altoid_Cyclist]

110. A lot of my favorites have already been mentioned.

War Pigs by Sabbath is my all time favorite, but here are a few more.

The Rich and the Poor by Carl Morehouse

http://spacklesparkle.blogspot.com/2009/09/rich-and-poor-carl-morehouse.html

Postcards From Cambodia by Bruce Cockburn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suxYiyLUYps

Lyrics:

Abe Lincoln once turned to somebody and said,
"Do you ever find yourself talking with the dead?"

There are three tiny deaths heads carved out of mammoth tusk
on the ledge in my bathroom
They grin at me in the morning when I'm taking a leak,
but they say very little.

Outside Phnom Penh there's a tower, glass paneled,
maybe ten meters high
filled with skulls from the killing fields
Most of them lack the lower jaw
so they don't exactly grin
but they whisper, as if from a great distance,
of pain, and of pain left far behind

Eighteen thousand empty eyeholes peering out at the four directions

Electric fly buzz, green moist breeze
Bone-colored Brahma bull grazes wet-eyed,
hobbled in hollow of mass grave
In the neighboring field a small herd
of young boys plays soccer,
their laughter swallowed in expanding silence

This is too big for anger,
it’s too big for blame.
We stumble through history so
humanly lame
So I bow down my head
Say a prayer for us all
That we don’t fear the spirit
when it comes to call

The sun will soon slide down into the far end of the ancient reservoir.
Orange ball merging with its water-borne twin
below air-brushed edges of cloud.
But first, it spreads itself,

a golden scrim behind fractal sweep of swooping fly catchers.
Silhouetted dark green trees,
blue horizon

The rains are late this year.
The sky has no more tears to shed.
But from the air Cambodia remains
a disc of wet green, bordered by bright haze.
Water-filled bomb craters, sun streaked gleam
stitched in strings across patchwork land and
march west toward the far hills of Thailand.
Macro analog of Ankor Wat’s temple walls
intricate bas-relief of thousand-year-old battles
pitted with AK rounds

And under the sign of the seven headed cobra
the naga who sees in all directions
seven million landmines lie in terraced grass, in paddy, in bush
(Call it a minescape now)

Sally holds the beggar's hand and cries
at his scarred up face and absent eyes
and right leg gone from above the knee

Tears spot the dust on the worn stone causeway
whose sculpted guardians row on row
Half frown, half smile, mysterious, mute.

And this is too big for anger.
It’s too big for blame
We stumble through history so
humanly lame.
So I bow down my head,
say a prayer for us all.
That we don’t fear the spirit when it comes to call.

[Paper Roses]

111. A real oldie: When Johnny comes marching home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0c10iQAbJc

[H2O Man]

133. The older versions

of that great Irish song are extraordinary and haunting. It is absolutely one of the best anti-war hymns ever.

[Paper Roses]

140. I've heard some of the older versions. I could not find one on

YouTube.
There is another old one that I vaguely remember but cannot quite get a handle on the title. I know there were haunting repeats of the words "Guns and Drums". Maybe someone posted it and I missed. Now I think I'll go see if I can find and old Irish version of "When Johnny comes marching home"

[Robbie88]

112. Lots of great ones here...

I'll throw out "Some Mother's Son" by The Kinks, since I don't think I've seen that mentioned yet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seMc_UaE3FQ

I think that this verse, in particular, is quite powerful:

"Some mother's son lies in a field
Back home they put his picture in a frame
But all dead soldiers look the same
While all the parents stand and wait
To meet their children coming home from school
Some mother's son is lying dead"

[1monster]

113. Close, but a song by the same composer, Eric Bogle, NO MAN'S LAND,

(also known as The Green Fields of France) edged out AND THE BAND CALLED WALTZING MATILDA by a nose...

No Man's Land

1. Well, how do you do, Private William McBride,
Do you mind if I sit down here by your graveside?
And rest for awhile in the warm summer sun,
I've been walking all day, and I'm nearly done.
And I see by your gravestone you were only 19
When you joined the glorious fallen in 1916,
Well, I hope you died quick and I hope you died clean
Or, Willie McBride, was it slow and obscene?

cho: Did they Beat the drum slowly, did the play the pipes lowly?
Did the rifles fir o'er you as they lowered you down?
Did the bugles sound The Last Post in chorus?
Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

And did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind
In some loyal heart is your memory enshrined?
And, though you died back in 1916,
To that loyal heart are you always 19?
Or are you a stranger without even a name,
Forever enshrined behind some glass pane,
In an old photograph, torn and tattered and stained,
And fading to yellow in a brown leather frame?

3. The sun's shining down on these green fields of France;
The warm wind blows gently, and the red poppies dance.
The trenches have vanished long under the plow;
No gas and no barbed wire, no guns firing now.
But here in this graveyard that's still No Man's Land
The countless white crosses in mute witness stand
To man's blind indifference to his fellow man.
And a whole generation who were butchered and damned.

4. And I can't help but wonder, no Willie McBride,
Do all those who lie here know why they died?
Did you really believe them when they told you 'The Cause?'
Did you really believe that this war would end wars?
Well the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame
The killing, the dying, it was all done in vain,
For Willie McBride, it all happened again,
And again, and again, and again, and again.

(sung here in his own voice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1VD84SLW8I )

[mntleo2]

114. Ship of Fools ~ World Party

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKv9p-lyKNA

Says it all not only about war, but about stooopid politics and dummas social and economic policy.

Cat in Seattle

Ship of Fools ~ Karl Wallinger


We're setting sail
To the place on the map from which no one has ever returned
Torn by the promise of the joker and the fool
By the light of the crosses that bur-urn
Torn by the promise of the women and the lace
And the gold and the cotton and pearls
It's the place where they keep all the darkness you meet
You sail away from the light of the world

Listen baby - you will pay tomorrow
You're gonna pay tomorrow-ow-ow
You will pay tomorrow-ow-ow-ow-wow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow

Save me, save me from tomor-orrow
I don't want to sail with this ship of foo-ools, no no
Oh-oh-oh, save me, save me from tomor-orrow
I don't want to sail with this ship of foo-ools, no no
I want to run and hide
Right now - ri-ight now-ow yeah-eah-eah

Avarice and greed are gonna drive you over the endless sea
They will leave you-ou drifting in the shallows
Drowning in the oceans of history-y-y-y
Travellin' the world, you're in search of no good
But I'm sure you're philosophic like I knew you would
Using all the good people for your gallant slaves
As your little boat struggles through the the warning waves

But you will pay, you will pay tomorrow
You're gonna pay tomorrow-ow-ow
You gonna pay tomorrow-ow-ow-ow-wow-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow

Save me-ee, save me from tomor-orrow
I don't want to sail with this ship of foo-ools, no no no no
Oh-oh-oh, save me-ee, save me from tomor-orrow
I don't want to sail with this ship of foo-ools, no no no no

Where's it comin' fro-om or where's it goin' to?
It's just a - it's just a ship of foo-oo-oo-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ools

Yeah, oh Lord

[Rochester]

115. "Eve of Destruction"

Can't believe no one mentioned it yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntLsElbW9Xo

[1monster]

118. plus 1. I'd forgotten about that one.

[1monster]

116. Requiem For The Masses was really good and didn't get any where near

enough air time or credit.


Requiem For The Masses
Songwriter: Kirkman, Terry;


Mama, mama, forget your pies
Have faith they won't get cold
And turn your eyes to the bloodshot sky
Your flag is flying full

At half mast for the matadors
Who turned their backs
To please the crowd
And all fell before the bull

Red was the color of his blood flowing thin
Pallid white was the color of his lifeless skin
Blue was the color of the morning sky
He saw looking up from the ground where he died
It was the last thing ever seen by him

Kyrie Eleison

Mama, mama, forget your pies
Have faith they won't get cold
And turn your eyes to the bloodshot sky
Your flag is flying full

At half mast for the matadors
Who turned their backs
To please the crowd
And all fell before the bull

Black and white were the figures that recorded him
Black and white was the newsprint he was mentioned in
Black and white was the question that so bothered him
He never asked, he was taught not to ask
But was on his lips as they buried him

Rex tremendae majestatis

Requiem aeternam
Requiem aeternam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRTUJbn_eKA

[radiclib]

144. You could have mentioned that it was by the Association

..and you wouldn't have gotten any snark from me. :hi:

[1monster]

207. I meant to... just forgot to mention it. I love the Association: Everything That Touches You is

on my private list of all time greats.

[radiclib]

145. You could have mentioned that it was by the Association

..and you wouldn't have gotten any snark from me. :hi:

[The Wizard]

117. Three more

Barry McGuire, The Eve of Destruction
The Kinks, Twentieth Century Man
Richie Havens, Handsome Johnny

[abq e streeter]

120. Trivia: Louis Gossett Jr. wrote (or co-wrote) Handsome Johnny

[Mike 03]

119. I know people think it's corny, but "One Tin Soldier" from way back,

a theme from one of the Billy Jack movies.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor
Go ahead and cheat a friend
Do it in the name of heaven
You'll be justified in the end
There won't be any trumpets blowing, come the judgment day
On the bloody morning after...
One tin soldier rides away

[abq e streeter]

121. Maybe not the "best" but still a powerful one...Sky Pilot

In the morning they return
With tears in their eyes
The stench of death drifts up to the skies
A soldier so ill looks at the sky pilot
Remembers the words
"Thou shalt not kill"
Sky pilot.....sky pilot
How high can you fly
You never, never, never reach the sky

[mntleo2]

125. Actually that is one of the best ...

Remember at the beginning of the Vietnam War there was a lot of "Rah-rah" wingnuts crying pretty much the same BS as they cried for the Iraq war. I personally knew young men who went to that war simply because their parents told them, "Unless you go, you are no son of mine ever again, if you don't..."

"Kill a commie for God" was their mantra. When the Animals performed that song, it initially outraged established religions and at one point got banned. It is a powerful reminder how religion "overlooks" immoral murder when it is inconvenient to make any outcry when it comes to unwarranted war.

Very powerful indeed.


Cat in Seattle <---an elder who remembers what it was like then

[abq e streeter]

130. Another "elder' who remembers very well

including the day that I spent 8 hours at the induction center before they told me they thought I was "unfit for military service". I thought, well these people are excellent judges of character....I was pretty sure I was going to not be taken (despite 1-A status and draft lottery # 15), but had a backup plan with friends of friends in Canada (to this day I don't know their names, but know they were ready at any time day or night to help get me across the border from Detroit). I was lucky in that I come from a liberal family and they were 100% supportive of my doing whatever it took to not fight in that war. (My dad, by the way is a WW2 vet who enlisted shortly after Pearl Harbor)...
I guess I called Sky Pilot powerful but not "best" is because as a singer/musician/lyricist, I sometimes find Burdon's lyrics (in many of his original songs, not just this) to be somewhat awkwardly written. (and sometimes most decidedly not awkward). But always powerful and from the heart as is his singing. Not always technically perfect, but utterly soulful.

[Defectata]

123. I'll nominate an entire album....

Pink Floyd's - The Final Cut

[abq e streeter]

124. The Doors-Unknown Soldier

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUQEqvxdBnk&feature=related

[abq e streeter]

126. The Righteous Brothers-Peace, Brother, Peace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjzlCvNZ7UA

[abq e streeter]

127. The Fugs-Kill For Peace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7VQVzMR4Rs

[rtassi]

128. I can't decide between "universal soldier" by Donovan, or

"What's going on" by Marvin Gay

[abq e streeter]

129. Sister Rosetta Tharpe -Down By the Riverside (Ain't Gonna Study War No More)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xzr_GBa8qk

[Inchworm]

131. No links?!? Matilda is one of my favorite songs! (link)

And the band played Waltzing Mathilda - Pouges
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPFjToKuZQM

:cry:

Edit: the song has a personal "kick" to it for me...

[colsohlibgal]

132. Country Joe And The Fish At Woodstock

The " I Feel Like I'm Fixin' To Die Rag". It's catchy and you can dance to it but the message is dead (pun intended) serious.

We have been using our citizens, so many of them young, for cannon fodder for way too long.

[H2O Man]

134. "Machine Gun" -- Jimi Hendrix

Damn, man, I should probably start hanging out in the DU Lounge more often.

The New Year's Eve live version by Jimi with his Band of Gypsies is outstanding.

[TygrBright]

135. "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye..."

(The tune we know as "When Johnny Comes Marching Home"-- but those lyrics were attached to it much later)

~Along the road to sweet Athei, Haroo, haroo
Along the road to sweet Athei, Haroo, haroo
Along the road to sweet Athei
With a stick in my hand and a spot on my eye, a doleful damsel I heard cry
Johnny I hardly knew ye!

With yer drums and guns and guns and drums, haroo, haroo
With yer drums and guns and guns and drums, haroo, haroo
With yer drums and guns and guns and drums the enemy nearly slew ye,
My darling dear ye look so queer, Johnny I hardly knew ye

Where are the legs that used to run haroo, haroo
Where are the legs that used to run haroo, haroo
Where are the legs that used to run
When first ye left to carry a gun, I fear yer dancing days are done
Johnny I hardly knew ye!

Where is the eye that looked so mild, haroo, haroo
Where is the eye that looked so mild, haroo, haroo
Where is the eye that looked so mild
When first ye gazed on me an' yer child, you'll nevermore see a mother smile
Johnny I hardly knew ye!

Ye haven't an eye, ye haven't a leg haroo, haroo
Ye haven't an eye, ye haven't a leg haroo, haroo
Ye haven't an eye, ye haven't a leg yer an eyeless, toeless, chickenless egg
And ye'll have to be put with a bowl to beg
Johnny I hardly knew ye!

I'm happy for to see ye home haroo, haroo
I'm happy for to see ye home haroo, haroo
I'm happy for to see ye home
All from the island of Suloon, so low in the flesh so high in the bone
Johnny I hardly knew ye!

With yer drums and guns and guns and drums, haroo, haroo
With yer drums and guns and guns and drums, haroo, haroo
With yer drums and guns and guns and drums the enemy nearly slew ye,
My darling dear ye look so queer, Johnny I hardly knew ye~

This ballad from the late 18th Century was written about Irish troops who enlisted in the British Army to get their "sign in money" to feed their families--starving since their lands were enclosed and appropriated by the British--and were shipped off to serve in India and Ceyon ("Suloon," pr. sull-own).

Nothing really changes except the names.

sadly,
Bright

[SaveAmerica]

137. *sigh* as I think of my husband's PTSD therapy session missed because we don't have $ to get there

That's the best anti war song, it's being sung in the discouraged hearts of spouses and parents and sons and daughters of Iraq Afghanistan vets across this country. They're too busy healing and hurting to do what needs to be done to turn this car around and stop the insanity. We/they need help.

For God's sakes.

[SaveAmerica]

198. la de da de de, la de da de da, the thread goes on, the thread goes on

[SaveAmerica]

199. Men will keep marching off to war...

[TygrBright]

138. Oh, yeah... And a couple from Pink Floyd:

Dogs of War

Dogs of war and men of hate
With no cause, we don't discriminate
Discovery is to be disowned
Our currency is flesh and bone
Hell opened up and put on sale
Gather 'round and haggle
For hard cash, we will lie and deceive
Even our masters don't know the web we weave
One world, it's a battleground
One world, and we will smash it down
One world ... One world
Invisible transfers, long distance calls,
Hollow laughter in marble halls
Steps have been taken, a silent uproar
Has unleashed the dogs of war
You can't stop what has begun
Signed, sealed, they deliver oblivion
We all have a dark side, to say the least
And dealing in death is the nature of the beast
One world, it's a battleground
One world, and we will smash it down
One world ... One world
The dogs of war don't negotiate
The dogs of war won't capitulate,
They will take and you will give,
And you must die so that they may live
You can knock at any door,
But wherever you go, you know they've been there before
Well winners can lose and things can get strained
But whatever you change, you know the dogs remain.
One world, it's a battleground
One world, and we will smash it down
One world ... One world

Us and Them
Us, and them
And after all were only ordinary men.
Me, and you.
God only knows it's not what we would choose to do.
Forward he cried from the rear
And the front rank died.
And the general sat and the lines on the map
Moved from side to side.
Black and blue
And who knows which is which and who is who.
Up and down.
But in the end it's only round and round.
Haven't you heard it's a battle of words
The poster bearer cried.
Listen son, said the man with the gun
There's room for you inside.

I mean, they're not gunna kill ya, so if you give em a quick short,
Sharp, shock, they wont do it again. dig it? I mean he get off
Lightly, cos I would've given him a thrashing - I only hit him once!
It was only a difference of opinion, but really...I mean good manners
Don't cost nothing do they, eh?

Down and out
It can't be helped but there's a lot of it about.
With, without.
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about?
Out of the way, it's a busy day
Ive got things on my mind.
For the want of the price of tea and a slice
The old man died.

I wish there weren't so many good ones... because there didn't have to be.

wearily,
Bright

[Scruffy1]

139. Utah Phillips-I will Not Obey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGxjp2E0B4g&feature=related

[Sonoman]

160. I wonder how many people here are aware of...

Bruce "Utah" Phillips?

It's a wonder the wind
Don't tear off your skin
Step in here
And out of the light.

Sonoman

[ElsewheresDaughter]

141. I like this Joan Baez viseo/version better,,,,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E9Nu8JinM0&feature=related

[BobTheSubgenius]

146. I'm not sure this is strictly an anti-war song, but

it sure is a condemnation of the mindset of war and power run amok; Waist Deep In The Big Muddy, by Pete Seeger.

[proud2BlibKansan]

147. Political Science by Randy Newman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du3WhHrrNgs

Hands down best anti-war song of all time.

****************************
No one likes us-I don't know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around, even our old friends put us down
Let's drop the big one and see what happens

We give them money-but are they grateful?
No, they're spiteful and they're hateful
They don't respect us-so let's surprise them
We'll drop the big one and pulverize them

Asia's crowded and Europe's too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada's too cold
And South America stole our name
Let's drop the big one
There'll be no one left to blame us

We'll save Australia
Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo
We'll build an All American amusement park there
They got surfin', too

Boom goes London and boom Paris
More room for you and more room for me
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town
Oh, how peaceful it will be
We'll set everybody free
You'll wear a Japanese kimono babe
And there'll be Italian shoes for me

They all hate us anyhow
So let's drop the big one now
Let's drop the big one now

[saras]

151. Best? I like this one because it sounds good

Steeleye Span's fairly radical adaptation of "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye", called Fighting For Strangers.

What makes you go abroad fighting for strangers
When you could be safe at home free from all dangers?

A recruiting sergeant came our way
To an inn nearby at the close of day
He said, "young Johnny, you're a fine young man
Would you like to march along behind a military band,
With a scarlet coat and a big cocked hat,
And a musket at your shoulder?"
The shilling he took and he kissed the book,
Oh poor Johnny what will happen to you?

The recruiting sergeant marched away
From the inn nearby at the break of day,
Johnny went too with half a ring
He was off to be a soldier, he'd be fighting for the King
In a far off war in a far off land
To face a foreign soldier,
But how will you fare when there's lead in the air,
Oh poor Johnny what'll happen to you?

What makes you go abroad fighting for strangers
When you could be safe at home free from all dangers?

The sun shone hot on a barren land
As a thin red line took a military stand,
There was sling shot, chain shot, grape shot too,
Swords and bayonets thrusting through,
Poor Johnny fell but the day was won
And the King is grateful to you
But your soldiering's done and they're sending you home,
Oh poor Johnny what have they done to you?

They said he was a hero and not to grieve
Over two wooden pegs and empty sleeves,
They carried him home and set him down
With a military pension and a medal from the crown.
You haven't an arm and you haven't a leg,
The enemy nearly slew you,
You'll have to go out on the streets to beg,
Oh poor Johnny what have they done to you?

What makes you go abroad fighting for strangers
When you could be safe at home free from all dangers?


Personally I agree with the message of Buffy St. Marie's "Universal Soldier". Whether a war is inspired by a gifted orator or the personal rancor of populations, it remains true that if no one will go and kill, then there are no wars.

[Doc_Technical]

173. saras, you beat me to it .

Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsjgaGPU-PY

[Swagman]

155. Universal Soldier by Donavon. Like Tom Wait's version of 'Band Played Waltzing Matilda"

[Drew Richards]

159. You wanna cry? wanna hear the best...listen to this

Ok I'm showing my age but this song still brings me to tears every every every time.

Craig Wasson artist boys in company C middle of movies and in closing credits....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-ojh7dA2KA

[Ian David]

161. Here are a few good anti-war songs

Steve Earle - Rich Man's War
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4bCVoMCeYY


Powderfinger (performed by The Beat Farmers)
Topic started by IanDB1 on Apr-09-08 05:16 PM (2 replies)
Last modified by IanDB1 on Apr-09-08 05:48 PM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=385&topic_id=116498


Jimi Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower - ORIGINAL MUSIC VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bng3agUOYiI

Blowing in the wind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFvkhzkS4bw


Muppet Show - For What's it's Worth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m0yCM5uhQU

[EverHopeful]

162. Dylan's John Brown is a favorite

but Country Joe's whole War War War album is incredible.

The first time I heard that last line of John Brown I could barely breathe.

John Brown

John Brown went off to war to fight on a foreign shore.
His mama sure was proud of him!
He stood straight and tall in his uniform and all.
His mama's face broke out all in a grin.

"Oh son, you look so fine, I'm glad you're a son of mine,
You make me proud to know you hold a gun.
Do what the captain says, lots of medals you will get,
And we'll put them on the wall when you come home."

As that old train pulled out, John's ma began to shout,
Tellin' ev'ryone in the neighborhood:
"That's my son that's about to go, he's a soldier now, you know."
She made well sure her neighbors understood.

She got a letter once in a while and her face broke into a smile
As she showed them to the people from next door.
And she bragged about her son with his uniform and gun,
And these things you called a good old-fashioned war.

Oh! Good old-fashioned war!

Then the letters ceased to come, for a long time they did not come.
They ceased to come for about ten months or more.
Then a letter finally came saying, "Go down and meet the train.
Your son's a-coming home from the war."

She smiled and went right down, she looked everywhere around
But she could not see her soldier son in sight.
But as all the people passed, she saw her son at last,
When she did she could hardly believe her eyes.

Oh his face was all shot up and his hand was all blown off
And he wore a metal brace around his waist.
He whispered kind of slow, in a voice she did not know,
While she couldn't even recognize his face!

Oh! Lord! Not even recognize his face.

"Oh tell me, my darling son, pray tell me what they done.
How is it you come to be this way?"
He tried his best to talk but his mouth could hardly move
And the mother had to turn her face away.

"Don't you remember, Ma, when I went off to war
You thought it was the best thing I could do?
I was on the battleground, you were home . . . acting proud.
You wasn't there standing in my shoes."

"Oh, and I thought when I was there, God, what am I doing here?
I'm a-tryin' to kill somebody or die tryin'.
But the thing that scared me most was when my enemy came close
And I saw that his face looked just like mine."

Oh! Lord! Just like mine!

"And I couldn't help but think, through the thunder rolling and stink,
That I was just a puppet in a play.
And through the roar and smoke, this string is finally broke,
And a cannon ball blew my eyes away."

As he turned away to walk, his Ma was still in shock
At seein' the metal brace that helped him stand.
But as he turned to go, he called his mother close
And he dropped his medals down into her hand

[lunasun]

163. Gotta add Jamiroqaui's "Too Young to Die"

Everybody -
Don't want no war, no, no no no,
We're too young to die, too young to die.
So many people,
All around the world, all around the world,
Seen their brothers fry, I seen your brother fry.
What's the motive ?
In that madness, oh I wish I knew,
You've made my people cry, you made my people cry.
So politicians, this time,
Keep your distance,
Say, say it loud,
We're too young to,
dooddooo doo die

All gone when they drop the bomb,
Can the politicians reassure ?
'Cos here I am presuming that,
Nobody wants a war.
There's so many people praying,
Just to find out if they're staying,
But lately stately governments,
And disillusioned leaders,
So full of empty promises,
But rarely do they feed us.
Put our backs against the wall,
Or don't we count at all ?

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

167. Here's mine

John Brown by Dylan


Lyrics by Bob Dylan 1963, 1968 Warner Bros. Inc Renewed 1990, Special Rider Music


John Brown went off to war to fight on a foreign shore.
His mama sure was proud of him!
He stood straight and tall in his uniform and all.
His mama's face broke out all in a grin.

"Oh son, you look so fine, I'm glad you're a son of mine,
You make me proud to know you hold a gun.
Do what the captain says, lots of medals you will get,
And we'll put them on the wall when you come home."

As that old train pulled out, John's ma began to shout,
Tellin' ev'ryone in the neighborhood:
"That's my son that's about to go, he's a soldier now, you know."
She made well sure her neighbors understood.

She got a letter once in a while and her face broke into a smile
As she showed them to the people from next door.
And she bragged about her son with his uniform and gun,
And these things you called a good old-fashioned war.

Oh! Good old-fashioned war!

Then the letters ceased to come, for a long time they did not come.
They ceased to come for about ten months or more.
Then a letter finally came saying, "Go down and meet the train.
Your son's a-coming home from the war."

She smiled and went right down, she looked everywhere around
But she could not see her soldier son in sight.
But as all the people passed, she saw her son at last,
When she did she could hardly believe her eyes.

Oh his face was all shot up and his hand was all blown off
And he wore a metal brace around his waist.
He whispered kind of slow, in a voice she did not know,
While she couldn't even recognize his face!

Oh! Lord! Not even recognize his face.

"Oh tell me, my darling son, pray tell me what they done.
How is it you come to be this way?"
He tried his best to talk but his mouth could hardly move
And the mother had to turn her face away.

"Don't you remember, Ma, when I went off to war
You thought it was the best thing I could do?
I was on the battleground, you were home . . . acting proud.
You wasn't there standing in my shoes."

"Oh, and I thought when I was there, God, what am I doing here?
I'm a-tryin' to kill somebody or die tryin'.
But the thing that scared me most was when my enemy came close
And I saw that his face looked just like mine."

Oh! Lord! Just like mine!

"And I couldn't help but think, through the thunder rolling and stink,
That I was just a puppet in a play.
And through the roar and smoke, this string is finally broke,
And a cannon ball blew my eyes away."

As he turned away to walk, his Ma was still in shock
At seein' the metal brace that helped him stand.
But as he turned to go, he called his mother close
And he dropped his medals down into her hand.

[sam sarrha]

168. give me an "F"...gimme a "U"...gimme a "C"... gimme a "K".. WHATS THAT SPELL.!!!

BE THE FIRST ONE ON YOUR BLOCK TO HAVE YOUR BOY COME HOME IN A BOX..!

[sam sarrha]

169. give me an "F"...gimme a "U"...gimme a "C"... gimme a "K".. WHATS THAT SPELL.!!!

BE THE FIRST ONE ON YOUR BLOCK TO HAVE YOUR BOY COME HOME IN A BOX..!

[sam sarrha]

170. give me an "F"...gimme a "U"...gimme a "C"... gimme a "K".. WHATS THAT SPELL.!!!

BE THE FIRST ONE ON YOUR BLOCK TO HAVE YOUR BOY COME HOME IN A BOX..!

[Doc_Technical]

171. Many great songs. Here's my $0.02:

Draft Morning by the Byrdw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6pb2pLeR_s

[OregonBlue]

172. Buffalo Springfeld For What It's Worth

There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and they carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side

It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
You better Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
You better Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
You better Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

[janet118]

175. best anti-war pop song . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS2nW6w-sZQ">Billy, Don't Be A Hero - Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods (1974)

"I heard his fiancee got a letter
That told how Billy died that day
The letter said that he was a hero
She should be proud he died that way
I heard she threw that letter away ..."


This song made all the young girls cry.

[travelingtypist]

176. Marillion Blind Curve V. Threshold

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CsRJh0xd0A
(Starts around 7:00)

V) Threshold

I saw a war widow in a laundrette,
Washing the memories from her husband's clothes.
She had medals pinned to a threadbare greatcoat
A lump in her throat with cemetary eyes.
I see convoys curbcrawling West German Autobahns
Trying to pick up a war.
They're going to even the score.
Oh... I can't take any more.

I see black flags on factories,
Soup ladies poised on the lips of the poor.
I see children with vacant stares,
destined for rape in the alleyways.
Does anybody care, I can't take any more!
Should we say goodbye?

I see priests, politicians?
The heroes in black plastic body-bags under nations' flags
I see children pleading with outstretched hands,
drenched in napalm, this is no Vietnam.
I can't take any more, should we say goodbye,
How can you justify?
They call us civilised!

[grahamhgreen]

179. "Yell fire" by michael franti. "killing in the name of" by rage against the machine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viYdHvYM6ao&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[countryken]

183. Anti war songs

'And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda' is one of my favorites. I've never heard the Pogues do it, but Eric Bogle's original is a powerful emotional rendering.

McCutcheon's 'Christmas in the Trenches' is another. I play that song and my son sings it just about every Christmas at the Unitarian Church. McCutcheon is so incredibly talented, it's scary.

A chilling song with a more current bent is John Flynn's 'Azizulla' from his 'Two Wolves' CD.

I'll play all three of these on my 'Progressive Roots' show Sunday night from 8-10pm eastern time on www.radiofreejax.com, if you're interested in tuning in. I'll be taking the night off this week, as my Steelers are in the Super Bowl, but the following week, I'll play these, and other requests of a topical nature, if you shoot me an email at [e-mail].

[TexasProgresive]

185. A lot of my favorites posted such as

EDWIN STARR
"War"

Peter, Paul, and Mary- "The Great Mandela"

Country Joe and the Fish- "Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die Rag"

and others. One other I like abd us fun as well is:
"Talking Vietnam Potluck Blues" by Tom Paxton

When I landed in Vietnam,
I hardly got to see Saigon.
They shaped us up and called the roll,
And off we went on a long patrol.
Swattin' flies, swappin' lies,
Firing the odd shot here and there.

The captain called a halt that night
And we had chow by the pale moonlight.
A lovely dinner they planned for us
With a taste like a seat on a crosstown bus.
Some of the veterans left theirs in the cans
For the Viet Cong to find. . .
Deadlier than a land mine.

Well naturally somebody told a joke
And a couple of fellas began to smoke.
I took a whiff as a cloud rolled by
And my nose went up like an infield fly.
The captain, this blonde fella from Yale, said
"What's the matter with you, baby?"

Well, I may be crazy, but I think not.
I'd swear to God that I smell pot.
But who'd have pot in Vietnam?
He said, "What do you think you're sittin' on?"
These funny little plants, thousands of them.
Good God Almighty... Pastures of Plenty!

We all lit up and by and by
The whole platoon was flying high.
With a beautiful smile on the captain's face
He smelled like midnight on St. Mark's Place.
Cleaning his weapon, chanting the Hare Krishna.

The moment came as it comes to all,
When I had to answer nature's call.
I was stumbling around in a beautiful haze
When I met a little cat in black P.J.'s,
Rifle, ammo-belt, B.F. Goodrich sandals.
He looked up at me and said,
"Whatsa' matta wit-choo, baby?"

He said, "We're campin' down the pass
And smelled you people blowin' grass,
And since by the smell you're smokin' trash
I brought you a taste of a special stash
Straight from Uncle Ho's victory garden.
We call it Hanoi gold."

So his squad and my squad settled down
And passed some lovely stuff around.
All too soon it was time to go.
The captain got on the radio. . .
"Hello, headquarters. We have met the enemy
And they have been smashed!"

He also had a great monologue that opened this song about bayonet training:

Talking Bayonet Rap

A monologue by Tom Paxton used as an intro to his song, “Talking Vietnam Blues”

It being vacation time, I’ve been thinking a lot about a fantastic vacation I had some ten years ago at a little-known garden spot. . . Unknown even to the most adventurous travel agents. A place called Fort Riley, Kansas, where I spent eight fun-filled weeks during which time I learned to do some very interesting things.

I learned how to throw a hand grenade, how to crawl in mud under barbed wire – stuff you can always use, you know. Especially if one is planning on a college education nowadays these skills are vital. And as a matter of fact the whole thing was so thrill-packed that it was only with a couple years perspective that I was able to pick out THE big moment for me which has to be the day they marched us out onto the drill field wearing, for the first time, our full combat gear. Which was very exciting, you know, a little heavy; all the boots, and the helmets and stuff and we were a little nervous ‘cause the rumor was we were going into combat that afternoon. You know. Right there in Kansas! You know. Those of you who have been in will know how plausible such a rumor can sound even in the middle of Kansas. But no, they didn’t have that planned that day. What they did instead was line us up in two long lines facing each other and a sergeant stalked dramatically down to the end of the lines pulled himself up to his full five-foot one bellowed the immortal command, “Fix Bayonets!”

So we put ‘em on for the first time. A little clumsily. We were just learning. We had to leave the covers on too because we were just starting out. Some of the guys got very cross about that. Uh. They, uh. They’d heard about them gherkas and they wanted to draw a little blood and the sergeant said, “no, no.” They had to wait until they met, “the dirty commies.” And, as far as he knew, there were none in our company with the possible exception of those of us who’d been to college. And since, as it happened, I was THE college man in the company, I was getting nervous about that time but there is safety in obscurity and he passed me by.

Now that we had the bayonets on, he gathered us all around him in a very tightly packed heap and he got up on this platform and pulled out his bayonet which was chrome plated and began waving it back and forth. Rhythmically. Hypnotically. Some of the cretins went right under. <snoring noise> And he gave us the “History of the Bayonet”. Went right back to the Roman short sword which apparently started that whole thing off and he went into great graphic detail of how the Legionnaires used to come hacking their way through the Gauls and the Visigoths – he called them Visigoths, who was I to argue about it? – carving out an empire as it were. And when I say that he went into details of blood and gore, he left out no details. And it was very heady stuff and some of the younger guys began to get a little excited, pawing the ground <snorting noises>, hitting each other in the shoulder, “hey, hey!” And now that he had us started like a master conductor he played on our emotions and started taking us up through history - The great bayonet charges of the Napoleonic Wars, the Crimean War, he even got excited and rang in the Charge of the Light Brigade. It wasn’t bayonets but what the hell. And guys are now guys are now beginning to jump up and down, you know, getting very worked up and their eyes are blood-red and they’re beginning to strangle one another in excitement. Now he’s got us up to the first World War, Bayonet charges into the face of machine gun fire. Which made sense, didn’t it? You know. If you had the machine gun, I suppose it made sense.

By this time we are almost out of control and he knows it. And at the exact psychological moment he suddenly held up his bayonet again and he yelled, “What is the purpose of the bayonet?” And we all yelled, “To kill, to kill” and we killed him!

Then his replacement got up. “All right mens, dat is enough now of theory. It is time to learn de practice uh dis weapon.” And now he taught us all the little jumps that you have to make; all the little John Wayne dance steps. You know. You saw Sands of Iwo Jima. All the, the High Thrust, and the Low Thrust, and my favorite, the Butt Smash, terrible thing. More importantly we learned that in this type of quarrel, finesse is not where it’s at. No no. It isn’t Douglas Fairbanks after all. What they’re looking for is something more on the order of brute ferocity. So whatever you do with the bayonet must be accompanied with sharp animal-like cries, along this line <sample ferocious yell>. This is to frighten your enemy. It isn’t enough, they figure, to run 200 yards across an open field and wave a bayonet in his face, you gotta yell at him too, right? I can see myself in a foxhole saying, “Oh my God! Here comes someone with a bayonet. What’ll I do if he yells at me?”

It’s been a long time but I, I checked with my friends and this is, this is still going on. But one thing, one element of modern military life, uh, is, is there that was not when I was in and I’m a little bitter about it. Perhaps you’ve heard about the astonishing agricultural discoveries made by the troops in Viet Nam. It seems, it seems that there’s an herb that grows there in an abundance to boggle the western imagination. Great waving forests and jungles of nothing but pot. A fact which comes as no surprise to the natives who have been merrily blowing grass for centuries now. What happened in the modern era was the first G.I. got off the plane, was there five minutes, scored, and began a chain of events leading up to the present weird situation where we have the Viet Cong, on the one hand, stoned in the jungle, the villagers caught in the middle, swacked in self-defense, and the G.I.’s on the other hand out of their gourds up to and including the general staff, which explains a lot when you think of it. Not all highs are good highs. We know that.

When I heard this shocking story, naturally I had to quickly write a song, maintaining my traditional posture of neutrality. <throat clearing.>

[greendog]

192. Richard Thompson-"How Will I Ever Be Simple Again"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owodGwwjv_o

[ElectricLightDem]

193. I'll Mention Just Two Songs

The first, goes with my user handle.

"Boy Blue" by Electric Light Orchestra. It's off their 'Eldorado' album.

Next is by a band that very much stood for peace and progressive values.

"Where the Rose is Sown" by Big Country. RIP, Stu.

[defendandprotect]

195. "Imagine" --

[Mad_Dem_X]

200. Either "Masters of War" or "For What It's Worth"

[Swampguana]

204. Rise Against - Hero of War

It's not like their typical hard stuff and seems like a pro war song till you get a little into the song. One of my favorite songs.

[ornotna]

205. One of my favorites

Sara Thomsen - Is it for Freedom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J96q9ICwRY0


Rulers of the nations as you fuss and fight
Over who owns this or that and who has the right
To design, build, sell and store and fire
All the bombs and guns to defend your holy empire

There are children hungry, children sick and dying
There are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers crying
They’re only pawns in your play of power and corruption
Slowly starve them, your new weapon of mass destruction

And prove to me, America, that you care
And prove to me, America, you’re aware
Who’s dying for your freedom in this land
Who pays the cost for the liberties you demand

Is it for freedom, or our comfort and convenience
Is it to profit for big business we pledge our allegiance
Are we prisoners in the land of the brave and the bold?
Held by indifference or hearts grown hard and cold (refrain)

Children of the world, you have the right
To sing and dance, run and play, let your dreams take flight
As the innocent die you rulers carry the shame
And if we stand idly by we share in the blame

And oh, America, do we care
Oh, America, are we aware
Who’s dying for our comfort in this land
Who pays the cost for the convenience we demand?

Children of the world, you have the right
To sing and dance, run and play, let your dreams take flight

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

211. One of my favorites that never seems to get mentioned

and because I am a big, big fan of the pop-rock-psychedelic era -

Sky Pilot, Eric Burdon and the Animals -

The last verse always just makes me cry, it's not great poetry or subtle, but it just says it all. One of the first songs I ever downloaded to my ipod.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_VJoDOdJH0

lyrics --


He blesses the boys as they stand in line
The smell of gun grease and the bayonets they shine
He's there to help them all that he can
To make them feel wanted he's a good holy man
Sky pilot.....sky pilot
How high can you fly
You'll never, never, never reach the sky

He smiles at the young soldiers
Tells them its all right
He knows of their fear in the forthcoming fight
Soon there'll be blood and many will die
Mothers and fathers back home they will cry
Sky pilot.....sky pilot
How high can you fly
You'll never, never, never reach the sky

He mumbles a prayer and it ends with a smile
The order is given
They move down the line
But he's still behind and he'll meditate
But it won't stop the bleeding or ease the hate
As the young men move out into the battle zone
He feels good, with God you're never alone
He feels tired and he lays on his bed
Hopes the men will find courage in the words that he said
Sky pilot.....sky Pilot
How high can you fly

You'll never, never, never reach the sky
You're soldiers of God you must understand
The fate of your country is in your young hands
May God give you strength
Do your job real well
If it all was worth it
Only time it will tell

In the morning they return
With tears in their eyes
The stench of death drifts up to the skies
A soldier so ill looks at the sky pilot
Remembers the words
"Thou shalt not kill"
Sky pilot.....sky pilot
How high can you fly
You never, never, never reach the sky

[Silver Swan]

213. I Come and Stand by Every Door

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhSPQstrZDw

I come and stand at every door
But none can hear my silent tread
I knock and yet remain unseen
For I am dead for I am dead

I’m only seven though I died
In Hiroshima long ago
I’m seven now as I was then
When children die they do not grow

My hair was scorched by swirling flame
My eyes grew dim my eyes grew blind
Death came and turned my bones to dust
And that was scattered by the wind

I need no fruit I need no rice
I need no sweets nor even bread
I ask for nothing for myself
For I am dead for I am dead

All that I need is that for peace
You fight today you fight today
So that the children of this world
Can live and grow and laugh and play

by Nazim Hikmet

[Iggo]

214. Two Minutes To Midnight -- Iron Maiden

Kill for gain or shoot to maim
But we don't need a reason
The Golden Goose is on the loose
And never out of season
Blackened pride still burns inside
This shell of bloody treason
Here's my gun for a barrel of fun
For the love of living death

The killer's breed or the demon's seed
The glamour, the fortune, the pain
Go to war again, blood is freedom's stain
But don't you pray for my soul anymore

2 minutes to midnight
The hands that threaten doom
2 minutes to midnight
To kill the unborn in the womb

The blind men shout let the creatures out
We'll show the unbelievers
Napalm screams and human flames
For a prime time Belsen feast...YEAH!
As the reasons for the carnage cut their meat and lick the gravy
We oil the jaws of the war machine and feed it with our babies

The killer's breed or the demon's seed
The glamour, the fortune, the pain
Go to war again, blood is freedom's stain
Don't you pray for my soul anymore

2 minutes to midnight
The hands that threaten doom
2 minutes to midnight
To kill the unborn in the womb

The body bags and little rags of children torn in two
And the jellied brains of those who remain to put the finger right on you
As the madmen play on words and make us all dance to their song
To the tune of starving millions, to make a better kind of gun

The killer's breed or the demon's seed
The glamour, the fortune, the pain
Go to war again, blood is freedom's stain
Don't you pray for my soul anymore

2 minutes to midnight
The hands that threaten doom
2 minutes to midnight
To kill the unborn in the womb

Midnight...Midnight...Midnight...It's all night
Midnight...Midnight...Midnight...It's all night

Midnight...All night!

[givemebackmycountry]

215. Ben McCullough by Steve Earle

THIS one gets me every time.


We signed up in San Antone my brother Paul and me
To fight with Ben McCulloch and the Texas infantry
Well the poster said we'd get a uniform and seven bucks a week
The best rations in the army and a rifle we could keep
When I first laid eyes on the general I knew he was a fightin' man
He was every inch a soldier every word was his command
Well his eyes were cold as the lead and steel forged into tools of war
He took the lives of many and the souls of many more

Well they marched us to Missouri and we hardly stopped for rest
Then he made this speech and said we're comin' to the test
Well we've got to take Saint Louie boys before the yankees do
If we control the Mississippi then the Federals are through

Well they told us that our enemy would all be dressed in blue
They forgot about the winter's cold and the cursed fever too
My brother died at Wilson's creek and Lord I seen him fall
We fell back to the Boston Mountains in the North of Arkansas

CHORUS
Goddamn you Ben McCulloch
I hate you more than any other man alive
And when you die you'll be a foot soldier just like me
In the devil's infantry

And on the way to Fayetteville we cursed McCulloch`s name
And mourned the dead that we'd left behind and we was carrying the lame
I killed a boy the other night who'd never even shaved
I don't even know what I'm fightin' for I ain't never owned a slave
So I snuck out of camp and then I heard the news next night
The Yankees won the battle and McCulloch lost his life.

CHORUS
Goddamn you Ben McCulloch
I hate you more than any other man alive
And when you die you'll be a foot soldier just like me
In the devil's infantry