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.
They tell us there are only two sides to be on
If you are on our side you’re right if not you’re wrong
But are we innocent, paragons of good?
Is our guilt erased by the pain that we’ve endured?
Hey look it's time to pledge allegiance
Oh god I love my dirty Uncle Sam
Our country's marching to the beat now
And we must learn to step in time
Where is the questioning where is the protest song?
Since when is skepticism un-American?
Dissent’s not treason but they talk like it’s the same
Those who disagree are afraid to show their face
Let's break out our old machines now
It sure is good to see them run again
Oh gentlemen start your engines
And we know where we get the oil from
Are you feeling alright now
Paint myself all red white blue
Are you singing let's fight now
Innocent people die, uh oh
There are reasons to unite
Is this why we unite?
If you hate this time
Remember we are the time!
Show you love your country go out and spend some cash
Red white blue hot pants doing it for Uncle Sam
Flex our muscles show them we’re stronger than the rest
Raise your hands up baby are you sure that we’re the best?
We'll come out with our fists raised
The good old boys are back on top again
And if we let them lead us blindly
The past becomes the future once again
Great song, great album, great band....was listening to this one today in the car.
All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
1. Take These Demons
2. God Damn That Man
3. Rope Me In and Smoke Me
4. I Pledge Allegiance to Myself
5. Portrait of an Artist as a Young Woman (Thank You)
6. 19 Miles to Baghdad
7. Get Up, Stand Up
8. Of Course, My Love
9. Reaching for Light
10. I Can See the Mountains from Here
11. Brooklyn Bound
12. Looking for Leonard Cohen, part 1
13. City of New Orleans
14. They Won't Bury Us Till We Die
19 miles to Baghdad
what have I become
New York's got snow in April
and I can't locate the sun
tie a yellow ribbon around something
something good has begun
Katy holds up the bible
are you reading this for fun?
19 miles to Baghdad
soldiers load up your guns
and tie a yellow ribbon around something
something good has begun
the boy in the middle he sits down to play
he moves to the window
i can see him as he waves
“Hey, Mac look out!”
Mac calls back, “Billy I'll be careful, I'm just trying to be brave,
so tie a yellow ribbon around something,
something lives beyond the grave.”
The field reveals that something was concealed
we make a deal to feel again
to ask what is the means and to what end
what is the cause that we defend?
the flag is flying across the country
me and the band we play the bars
and Glyn she points out to the highway
the flags fly the highest where the people buy their cars
two planes are flying across the country
New York's so pretty in the fall
“Hey Mac, look out!”
Mac calls back, “Billy, I'll be careful, I'm sure they built them to stand so tall.”
Now 19 Miles To Baghdad
They fall and we're called
to tie a yellow ribbon around something
something good has begun
tie a yellow ribbon
around something
what have we become?
Peace
*We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
Roger Waters’ dad died at the siege of Anzio in 1944 and he’s grappled with war’s futility ever since. Dark Side of the Moon's dreamy ode to battlefield confusion was originally called "The Violence Sequence."ze]
Us, and them
And after all we're only ordinary men.
Me, and you.
God only knows it's noz 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 won't 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
I've got things on my mind.
For the want of the price of tea and a slice
The old man died.
Peace
*We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
11/25/05 - Buenos Aires
11/26/05 - Buenos Aires
11/28/05 - Porto Alegre, BR
06/01/07 - Sao Paulo, BR
10/16/08 - Sao Paulo, BR
10/17/08 - Sao Paulo, BR
10/19/08 - Buenos Aires
I can't post attachments/links but for anyone who wants to view the unofficial video photo montage of war,destruction,protest and hope go to youtube type in Two Gallants,Waves of Grain,link to the montage and watch what humans have done to each other since the beginning of time.It will make your blood run cold.Powerful images set to a powerful song.
I cry every time I watch it.
“There should be a place where only the things you want to happen, happen”
I got your letter today
and I miss you all so much here
I can't wait to see you all
and I'm counting the days here
I still believe that there's gold
at the end of the world
And I'll come home to Illinois
on the day after tomorrow
It is so hard and it's cold here
and I'm tired of taking orders
And I miss old Rockford town(2)
up by the Wisconsin border
What I miss, you won't believe
shoveling snow and raking leaves
And my plane will touch down
on the day after tomorrow
I close my eyes every nite
and I dream that I can hold you
They fill us full of lies, everyone buys
'bout what it means to be a soldier
I still don't know how I'm supposed to feel
'bout all the blood that's been spilled
Will god on this throne
get me back home
on the day after tomorrow
You can't deny, the other side
Don't want to die anymore then we do
What I'm trying to say is don't they pray
to the same god that we do?
And tell me how does god choose
whose prayers does he refuse?
Who turns the wheel
Who throws the dice
on the day after tomorrow
I'm not fighting, for justice
I am not fighting, for freedom
I am fighting, for my life
and another day in the world here
I just do what I've been told
We're just the gravel on the road(3)
And only the lucky ones come home
on the day after tomorrow
And the summer, it too will fade
and with it brings the winter's frost dear
And I know we too are made
of all the things that we have lost here
I'll be 21 today
I been saving all my pay
And my plane will touch down
on the day after tomorrow
And my plane it will touch down
on the day after tomorrow
"I try my best to chug, stomp, weep, whisper, moan, wheeze, scat, blurt, rage, whine, and seduce. With my voice I can sound like a girl, the boogieman, a Theremin, a cherry bomb, a clown, a doctor, a murderer. I can be tribal. Ironic. Or disturbed. My voice is really my instrument."
Comments
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.
Copyright © 1963; renewed 1991 Special Rider Music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrdYrw1QO2Q
1. Take These Demons
2. God Damn That Man
3. Rope Me In and Smoke Me
4. I Pledge Allegiance to Myself
5. Portrait of an Artist as a Young Woman (Thank You)
6. 19 Miles to Baghdad
7. Get Up, Stand Up
8. Of Course, My Love
9. Reaching for Light
10. I Can See the Mountains from Here
11. Brooklyn Bound
12. Looking for Leonard Cohen, part 1
13. City of New Orleans
14. They Won't Bury Us Till We Die
Here's the video 19 Miles To Baghdad...lyrics by Lizzie West
19 miles to Baghdad
what have I become
New York's got snow in April
and I can't locate the sun
tie a yellow ribbon around something
something good has begun
Katy holds up the bible
are you reading this for fun?
19 miles to Baghdad
soldiers load up your guns
and tie a yellow ribbon around something
something good has begun
the boy in the middle he sits down to play
he moves to the window
i can see him as he waves
“Hey, Mac look out!”
Mac calls back, “Billy I'll be careful, I'm just trying to be brave,
so tie a yellow ribbon around something,
something lives beyond the grave.”
The field reveals that something was concealed
we make a deal to feel again
to ask what is the means and to what end
what is the cause that we defend?
the flag is flying across the country
me and the band we play the bars
and Glyn she points out to the highway
the flags fly the highest where the people buy their cars
two planes are flying across the country
New York's so pretty in the fall
“Hey Mac, look out!”
Mac calls back, “Billy, I'll be careful, I'm sure they built them to stand so tall.”
Now 19 Miles To Baghdad
They fall and we're called
to tie a yellow ribbon around something
something good has begun
tie a yellow ribbon
around something
what have we become?
Peace
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
Roger Waters’ dad died at the siege of Anzio in 1944 and he’s grappled with war’s futility ever since. Dark Side of the Moon's dreamy ode to battlefield confusion was originally called "The Violence Sequence."ze]
Pink Floyd...US and THEM
Us and Them
(Waters, Wright) 7:40
Us, and them
And after all we're only ordinary men.
Me, and you.
God only knows it's noz 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 won't 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
I've got things on my mind.
For the want of the price of tea and a slice
The old man died.
Peace
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSGvqjVHik8
http://forums.pearljam.com/showthread.php?t=272825
11/26/05 - Buenos Aires
11/28/05 - Porto Alegre, BR
06/01/07 - Sao Paulo, BR
10/16/08 - Sao Paulo, BR
10/17/08 - Sao Paulo, BR
10/19/08 - Buenos Aires
I can't post attachments/links but for anyone who wants to view the unofficial video photo montage of war,destruction,protest and hope go to youtube type in Two Gallants,Waves of Grain,link to the montage and watch what humans have done to each other since the beginning of time.It will make your blood run cold.Powerful images set to a powerful song.
I cry every time I watch it.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=odLFic4rNp4
I got your letter today
and I miss you all so much here
I can't wait to see you all
and I'm counting the days here
I still believe that there's gold
at the end of the world
And I'll come home to Illinois
on the day after tomorrow
It is so hard and it's cold here
and I'm tired of taking orders
And I miss old Rockford town(2)
up by the Wisconsin border
What I miss, you won't believe
shoveling snow and raking leaves
And my plane will touch down
on the day after tomorrow
I close my eyes every nite
and I dream that I can hold you
They fill us full of lies, everyone buys
'bout what it means to be a soldier
I still don't know how I'm supposed to feel
'bout all the blood that's been spilled
Will god on this throne
get me back home
on the day after tomorrow
You can't deny, the other side
Don't want to die anymore then we do
What I'm trying to say is don't they pray
to the same god that we do?
And tell me how does god choose
whose prayers does he refuse?
Who turns the wheel
Who throws the dice
on the day after tomorrow
I'm not fighting, for justice
I am not fighting, for freedom
I am fighting, for my life
and another day in the world here
I just do what I've been told
We're just the gravel on the road(3)
And only the lucky ones come home
on the day after tomorrow
And the summer, it too will fade
and with it brings the winter's frost dear
And I know we too are made
of all the things that we have lost here
I'll be 21 today
I been saving all my pay
And my plane will touch down
on the day after tomorrow
And my plane it will touch down
on the day after tomorrow
-Tom Waits