Songs As Political Protest

Principessa

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This was a Vietnam protest song that my choir sang in high school in the early 1980's.


(Terry Kirkman)

Requiem aeternam, requiem aeternam

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 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
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ManlyBanisters

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'Nother Elvis for you - Costello that is. - it's a general protest about British Army involvement around the world, from Nth.Ireland to Zimbabwe and beyond. Equally apllies to Iraq and Afghanistan now.

Please read the lyrics with heavy irony in mind - and by the way, 'white nigger' means Irish. The Irish were Britain's 'niggers' just as much as black people were - maybe more so in the 70's and 80's.

Oliver's Army

Don't start that talking
I could talk all night
My mind goes sleepwalking
While I'm putting the world to right
Call careers information
Have you got yourself an occupation?

Oliver's army is here to stay
Oliver's army are on their way
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today

There was a checkpoint charlie
He didn't crack a smile
But it's no laughing party
When you've been on the murder mile
Only takes one itchy trigger
One more widow, one less white nigger

Oliver's army is here to stay
Oliver's army are on their way
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today

Hong Kong is up for grabs
London is full of arabas
We could be in palestine
Overrun by the chinese line
With the boys from the mersey and the thames and the tyne
But there's no danger
It's a professional career
Though it could be arranged
With just a word in Mr. Churchill's ear
If you're out of luck you're out of work
We could send you to johannesburg

Oliver's army is here to stay
Oliver's army are on their way
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today

And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today
And I would rather be anywhere else
But here today