Best anti-war songs from the 60s?

I heard something about "Masters of War" by Bob Dylan on Air America the other day, and wondered what a "greatest hits" of anti-war songs would be.

For what its worth: "Ohio," CSNY

That's my all-time favorite.

Bake

Blowin' in the wind! I get goosebumps everytime I hear it!


How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
Yes, ’n’ 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.

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.

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,
Pretending he just doesn’t see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind. -Dylan


Peace!

Is the one that comes to my mind.

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

Fine choice.

But I think that was 1973. My favorite, though.

...Pete Seeger:
"Where Have All the Flowers Gone."
"Turn, Turn, Turn."

Phil Ochs:
"I Ain't Marchin' Any More."


It always cracks me up that it took an old lefty/red/commie/socialist/peacenik like Pete Seeger to get Bible verses on the radio: (Turn, Turn, Turn is from the Old Testament, Ecclesiates)

From his Live 1975-1985 Album? He has an awesome into speech before it:

"If you grew up in the 60's,
You grew up, with War on T.V. every night,
A War your friends were involved in, and ah,
I wanna do this song for all the Young People out there...
If you're in your teens...
'Cus I remember, a lotta my friends when they were 17-18 we didn't...
Have much of a chance to think about how we felt about a lotta things,
And ah, the next time, their gonna be lookin' at you,
And you're gonna need a lotta information to know, what you're,
gonna wanna do, because in 1985, Blind Faith in your leaders, or anything, will get you Killed...
'cus what I'm talking 'bout here is...WAR!...."
:hippie:

I think that song says it all.

Though I guess technically that's from the 70's

Just as the 80s ended early, when Reagan left office and it became increasingly clear the Cold War had petered out.

The most definite decade shift was 90's to year zero--it started the minute the networks revoked their projection of Florida for Gore.

Some say the 60s didn't even start until Kennedy's assassination in 1963, that his martyrdom gave a focus for the sweeping "Great Society" and other liberal programs under Johnson, who in some respects was much more liberal than Kennedy. Johnson of course had his faults, and the Tonkin Gulf resolution came on his watch, which may also have been the "beginning" of the 60s.

Likewise with the end of the decade. Some say the 60s ended with the May 1970 Kent State killings, others say the 60s lasted until Nixon's resignation in 1974.

The rock 'n' roll music culture that began in the mid 1950s remained more-or-less stable (new styles were absorbed, but there were no significant changes in the mainstream) until the British invasion of late 1963, early 1964, when many established American styles were altered by both new and reflected British styles. Home-grown stars who could not adapt to the new styles faded.

Doesn't quite fit the conformist 50's, or the counter-culture 60's.

Kind a bridge period.

Very anti-communist, very pro-business, no great social programs.

The great Kennedy era events were the failed Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Berlin Wall, all of which involved very strong national anti-communist sentiment. There was no attempt to foster even "peaceful co-existence" with the Soviets, and certainly none with Cuba. Although there were civil rights actions during Kennedy's administration, there was no significant legislation; the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 as well as Affirmative Action all came under Johnson, partly as a result of Kennedy's assassination.

The "bridge" quality of Kennedy's term was the new spotlight on youth: John and Jackie Kennedy and their children were a real break from the tradition of grandfatherly-type presidents, and it happened to coincide with a new economic power (through advertising) for younger consumers. Culturally, however, and especially in terms of pop culture, the Kennedy years were a continuation of the Eisenhower years with little change.

Pop culture -- music, art, fashion, movies, etc. -- really changed in the U.S. with the arrival of the Beatles (who were, of course, highly influenced by American pop culture). And it was the pop culture that prompted the "generation gap" that pitted the baby boomer against the traditions of their Depression and WW@-era parents.

It's a weird convergence of events in the space of one year --
MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech -- August 1963
JFK's assassination -- November 1963
Beatles debut on Ed Sullivan Show -- February 1964
Civil Rights Act -- July 1964
Gulf of Tonkin "incident" -- August 1964
Discovery of bodies of Chaney, Goodman, Schwerner, in Neshoba, MS -- August 1964.

In a way, what happened was that pop cultural influence from outside the U.S. impacted a society that was in the process of becoming a military empire and thus tempered (for a while) some of that imperialism. Politically and economically, of course, the imperialism never vanished, but at least some of its effects were mitigated by social awareness. When that died (or was murdered), the path was clear for the neocons.

I'd agree in general with most of what you wrote. Still, to say that Kennedy was very pro-business is pretty obvious: no president is going to be anti-business, as our economy depends on business. But to take the next step, and assume that Kennedy was business-as-usual, is a error that is betrayed by things such as the confrontation with the steel companies, and the details of the $6.5 billion TFX procurement.

Regarding his international policies, it is beyond question that Kennedy was taking an interest in "Latin" America that that distinct from any previous administration, and very different than any since. This includes sending an unofficial representative to meet with Castro on 11-22-63.

Many people have called Kennedy's assassination a coup. This is not accurate: his election was the coup, and his assassination was simply the realignment.

"I ain't no senator's son" -- and he was. Al Gore could've gone into some "champagne squadron" like Chimpy, but instead he went to Vietnam.

Music is so powerful.

Hekate

"Fortunate Son" sums up Bush to a friggin' T!!!

This song was the first one I thought of (although I was born in the 1970's).

>Imagine no possesions

As he sits in his bigass mansion in the NYC suburbs.

strain of bitterness to find fault with Lennon's song Imagine. I'm glad you listed it; I think it is beautiful a song as has ever been made.

We'd clearly be living in a happier world today.

And, for the record, during their career as a group, the Beatles were screwed out of most of the money their records brought in.
John and Yoko were rich later because Yoko turned out to be a brilliant(and socially responsible)businesswoman who built up their resources without exploiting people or doing the planet much damage.

It was the example of gaining wealth without causing suffering that probably caused the establishment to arrange John's assassaination(with that weirdo from Hawaii whose name Yoko asks us never to use as the patsy, a la Oswald and Sirhan.)

Eve Of Destruction
by Barry McGuire

The eastern world, it is explodin’.
Violence flarin’, bullets loadin’
You’re old enough to kill, but not for votin’
You don’t believe in war, but what’s that gun you’re totin’
And even the Jordan River has bodies floatin’

But you tell me
Over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don’t believe
We’re on the eve
of destruction.

Don’t you understand what I’m tryin’ to say
Can’t you feel the fears I’m feelin’ today?
If the button is pushed, there’s no runnin’ away
There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave
Take a look around you boy
It’s bound to scare you boy

And you tell me
Over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don’t believe
We’re on the eve
of destruction.

Yeah, my blood’s so mad feels like coagulatin’
I’m sitting here just contemplatin’
I can’t twist the truth, it knows no regulation.
Handful of senators don’t pass legislation
And marches alone can’t bring integration
When human respect is disintegratin’
This whole crazy world is just too frustratin’

And you tell me
Over and over and over again, my friend
Ah, you don’t believe
We’re on the eve
of destruction.

Think of all the hate there is in Red China
Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama
You may leave here for 4 days in space
But when you return, it’s the same old place
The poundin’ of the drums, the pride and disgrace
You can bury your dead, but don’t leave a trace
Hate your next-door neighbor, but don’t forget to say grace
And… tell me over and over and over and over again, my friend
You don’t believe
We’re on the eve
Of destruction
Mm, no no, you don’t believe
We’re on the eve
of destruction.

I heard him do an version on a PBS folk music special that had updated lyrics that took us into the 21st century, but I can't locate them on either of the internets. Bummer. But I did find this nugget that I found disturbing:

Fiercely monopolistic media conglomerate Clear Channel, which
controls an astonishing 1,170 commercial radio stations in the US
(plus some 240 elsewhere), has directed its stations to avoid playing
a list of some 150 "lyrically questionable" songs. Prominently
included in the banned list are ant-war songs such as "Knockin' On
Heaven's Door," "Eve of Destruction," "Blowin' in the Wind" and "99 Luftballoons."


I want my country back!

lyrics.

PBS/T. J. Lubinsky just did another similar show (aired last week in Phoenix) and some of the "old folks" are still out there sayin' the same things.

I always think of when anti war songs are being discussed.

Country Joe and the Fish!

GIMME AN F ...
U ...
C ...
K ...

What's that spell??????

Bake

It was pretty much a one-hit wonder from the movie "Strawberry Statement" but they play it a lot at my job and it always perks me up.

Call out the instigators
Because there's something in the air
We've got to get together sooner or later
Because the revolution's here, and you know it's right
And you know that it's right

We have got to get it together
We have got to get it together now

Lock up the streets and houses
Because there's something in the air
We've got to get together sooner or later
Because the revolution's here, and you know it's right
And you know that it's right

We have got to get it together
We have got to get it together now

Hand out the arms and ammo
We're going to blast our way through here
We've got to get together sooner or later
Because the revolution's here, and you know it's right
And you know that it's right

We have got to get it together
We have got to get it together
Now

It's not the best anti-war song, but it's one that might be forgotten.

Get anti-war songs that relevant today.

remember "One Tin Soldier" ?

"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 blowin'
Come the judgement day
On the bloody mornin after
One tin soldier rides away.

the moral lesson was cool, how the treasure the guys killed for was a stone that said "Peace on earth" :hippie:

"Cops of the World" and

"White Boots Marching in a Yellow Land"

Google "Phil Ochs lyrics" and you can get the words.

Can this be deleted? I didn't see the other reference to this song in the post below.

-- and as other DUers have posted before, "7:00 o'clock news/Silent Night" by Simon and Garfunkel.

"It was just after sunrise and down by the sea
Down on the sandflats whee nothing will grow
Come drummin' and footsteps like out of a dream
Where the golden-green waters come in

Just nine lucky soldiers had come through the night
Half of them wounded and barely alive
Just nine of of twenty was headed for home
With eleven sad stories to tell...

I remember quite clearly as I got out of bed
I said, "O good morning, what a beautiful day..."

--from James Taylor's MUDSLIDE SLIM AND THE BLUE HORIZON album, c. 1973

they co-wrote the song ...

But Black Sabbath's War Pigs should be on the list :)

Oh and Pink Floyd's Us & Them...

Aside from the classic "I feel like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag/Fish Cheer" (anti-war anthem during the Vietnam era) Country Joe also put out an album entitled "Vietnam Experience". I've only heard one of the songs on it, (Agent Orange Song) but it is a powerful one where a father/veteran expresses pride that his son is resisting the war. Country Joe is still very active and has a great website where you can download lots of free music, including "Cakewalk into Baghdad", which is obviously, about our current misguided and tragic fiasco. When will we ever learn.

I don't know if I could defend it as the greatest. Other posts in this thread have named some unforgettable songs. All I can say is that, when I read your question, I immediately heard Melanie in my mind.

Lyrics: <http://freespace.virgin.net/robert_ian.smith/Songindex/Laydown.htm>

Remember how this was banned from the Smothers Brothers show? There was a big flap over censorship. They played it anyhow and eventually led to the show being taken off the air.

Waist Deep In the Big Muddy ~~ Pete Seeger


It was back in nineteen forty-two,
I was part of a good platoon.
We were on maneuvers in Louisiana,
One night by the light of the moon.
The captain said, "We've got to ford the river",
That's where it all began.
We were knee deep in the Big Muddy,
And the damn fool kept yelling to push on.

The Sergeant said, "Sir, are you sure,
This is the way back to the base?"
"Sergeant, I once crossed this river
Not a mile above this place.
It'll be a little soggy but we'll keep slogging.
We'll soon be on dry ground."
We were waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the damn fool kept yelling to push on.

"Captain, sir, with all this gear
No man'll be able to swim."
"Sergeant, don't be a Nervous Nellie,"
The Captain said to him.
"All we need is a little determination;
Follow me, I'll lead on."
We were neck deep in the Big Muddy
And the damn fool kept yelling to push on.

All of a sudden, the moon clouded over,
All we heard was a gurgling cry.
A second 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 where he'd once been.
For another stream had joined the Muddy
A half mile from where we'd gone.
We were lucky to get out of the Big Muddy
When the damn fool kept yelling to push on.

Well, you might not want to draw conclusions
I'll leave that to yourself
Maybe you're still walking, maybe you're still talking
Maybe you've still got your health.
But every time I hear the news
That old feeling comes back on;
We're waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the damn fools kept yelling to push on.

Knee deep in the Big Muddy
And the damn fools keep yelling to push on
Waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the damn fools keep yelling to push on
Waist deep! Neck deep! We'll be drowning before too long!
We're neck deep in the Big Muddy
And the damn fools keep yelling to push on.

Love is but the song we sing,
And fear's the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
Or make the angels cry
Know the dove is on the wing
And you need not know why

C'mon people now,
Smile on your brother
Ev'rybody get together
Try and love one another right now

Some will come and some will go
We shall surely pass
When the one that left us here
Returns for us at last
We are but a moments sunlight
Fading in the grass

C'mon people now,
Smile on your brother
Ev'rybody get together
Try and love one another right now

If you hear the song I sing,
You must understand
You hold the key to love and fear
All in your trembling hand
Just one key unlocks them both
It's there at your command

C'mon people now,
Smile on your brother
Ev'rybody get together
Try and love one another right now
Right now
Right now!

whattsamatta U?

Something in the Air

Call out the instigators
Because there's something in the air
We've got to get together sooner or later
Because the revolution's here, and you know it's right
And you know that it's right

We have got to get it together
We have got to get it together now

Lock up the streets and houses
Because there's something in the air
We've got to get together sooner or later
Because the revolution's here, and you know it's right
And you know that it's right

We have got to get it together
We have got to get it together now

Hand out the arms and ammo
We're going to blast our way through here
We've got to get together sooner or later
Because the revolution's here, and you know it's right
And you know that it's right

We have got to get it together
We have got to get it together
Now

one of the greats.

Strictly speaking, not an anti-war song, but was used as one by many, especially the troops in Vietnam.

i have an offensive personality trait that causes me to blindly volunteer any useless music trivia I learned over the years :hippie:

and watched on TV as Eric Burdon performed it on a PBS special only a few weeks ago.

Boy, do I have Easter egg on my face! Thanks again.

you had better things to worry about than the artist of a song. 10 demerits for the other thing though ;O)

The War Is Over ~ Phil Ochs

Silent Soldiers on a silver screen
Framed in fantasies and dragged in dream
Unpaid actors of the mystery
The mad director knows that freedom will not make you free
And what's this got to do with me
I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over.

Cardboard cowboys of a new frontier
Drowning indians in vats of beer
The troops are leaving on the trojan train
The sun in their eyes, but I am hiding from the rain
Now one of us must be insane
I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over.

All the children play with gatling guns
Tattooed mothers with their tattooed sons
The strong will wonder if they're really strong
But surely we've been gone too long
I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over.

Angry artists painting angry signs
Use their vision just to blind the blind
Poisoned players of a grizzly game
One is guilty and the other gets the point to blame
Pardon me if I refrain
I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over.

Drums are drizzling on a grain of sand
Fading rhythms of a fading land
Prove your courage in the proud parade
Trust your leaders where mistakes are almost never made
And they're afraid that I'm afraid
I'm afraid the war is over
It's over, it's over.

But at least we're working building tanks and planes
And a raise is coming so we can't complain
The master of the march has lost his mind
Perhaps, some other war, this fabled farce would all be fine
But now we're running out of time
I declare the war is over
It's over, it's over.

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.

Oh my name it is nothin'
My age it means less
The country I come from
Is called the Midwest
I's taught and brought up there
The laws to abide
And that land that I live in
Has God on its side.

Oh the history books tell it
They tell it so well
The cavalries charged
The Indians fell
The cavalries charged
The Indians died
Oh the country was young
With God on its side.

Oh the Spanish-American
War had its day
And the Civil War too
Was soon laid away
And the names of the heroes
I's made to memorize
With guns in their hands
And God on their side.

Oh the First World War, boys
It closed out its fate
The reason for fighting
I never got straight
But I learned to accept it
Accept it with pride
For you don't count the dead
When God's on your side.

When the Second World War
Came to an end
We forgave the Germans
And we were friends
Though they murdered six million
In the ovens they fried
The Germans now too
Have God on their side.

I've learned to hate Russians
All through my whole life
If another war starts
It's them we must fight
To hate them and fear them
To run and to hide
And accept it all bravely
With God on my side.

But now we got weapons
Of the chemical dust
If fire them we're forced to
Then fire them we must
One push of the button
And a shot the world wide
And you never ask questions
When God's on your side.

In a many dark hour
I've been thinkin' about this
That Jesus Christ
Was betrayed by a kiss
But I can't think for you
You'll have to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot
Had God on his side.

So now as I'm leavin'
I'm weary as Hell
The confusion I'm feelin'
Ain't no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
And fall to the floor
If God's on our side
He'll stop the next war.

the bar girls were singing in Siagon when I was there in '67

So your brother's bound and gagged
And they've chained him to a chair
Won't you please come to chicago just to sing
In a land that's known as freedom how can such a thing be fair
won't you please come to chicago for the help that we can bring
We can change the world rearrange the world
It's dying - to get better
Politicians sit yourselves down, there's nothing for you here
won't you please come to chicago for a ride
don't ask jack to help you `cause he'll turn the other ear
won't you please come to chicago or else join the other side
We can change the world rearrange the world
it's dying - if you believe in justice
dying - and if you believe in freedom
dying - let a man live his own life
dying - rules and regulations, who needs them open up the door
Somehow people must be free I hope the day comes soon
won't you please come to chicago show your face
From the bottom of the ocean to the mountains of the moon
won't you please come to chicago no one else can take your place
We can change the world rearrange the world
It's dying - if you believe in justice
dying - and if you believe in freedom
dying - let a man live his own life
dying - rules and regulations, who needs them open up the door

Man In Black

Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.

I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
But is there because he's a victim of the times.

I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.

Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,
In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back,
Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black.

I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold,
I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been,
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.

And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,
Believen' that the Lord was on their side,
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
Believen' that we all were on their side.

Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
And things need changin' everywhere you go,
But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
You'll never see me wear a suit of white.

Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything's OK,
But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black.

Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand

Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand

Down these streets the fools rule
There's no freedom or self respect,
A knife's point or a trip to the joint
Is about all you can expect.

They kill people here who stand up for their rights,
The system's just too damned corrupt
It's always the same, the name of the game
Is who do you know higher up.

Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand

The blacks and the whites,
The idiotic, the exotic,
Wealth is a filthy rag
So erotic so unpatriotic
So wrapped up in the American flag.

Witchcraft scum exploiting the dumb,
Turning children into punks and slaves
Whose heroes and healers are rich drug dealers
Who should be put in their graves.

Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand

Listen to me Mr. Pussyman
This might be your last night in a bed so soft
We're not pimps on the make, politicians on the take,
You can't pay us off.

We're gonna blow up your home of Voodoo
And watch it burn without any regret
We got the power we're the new government,
You just don't know it yet.

Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand

For all of my brothers from Vietnam
And my uncles from World War II,
I'd like to say that it's countdown time now
And we're gonna do what the law should do.

And for you pretty baby,
I know you've seen it all.
I know your story is too painful to share.
One day though you'll be talking in your sleep
And when you do, I wanna be there.

Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand

Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand
Band of the hand

by the Doors was the first major anti-war song of the Vietnam era. It was only played by a few progressive stations, and brought Morrison to the attention of the FBI. It was curious that Morrison would be associated with the anti-war movement, considering his father's position in the military at the time.

stuff, like "There But For Fortune", one of my favorites.

Don't tell me and I don't give a damn
The next stop is Viet Nam
Five- six- seven- ,open up them pearly gates
There ain't no time to wonder why
Whoopee we're all gonna die!

http://www.countryjoe.com/feelmus.htm

Peace Frog

There's blood in the streets, it's up to my ankles
She came
There's blood on the streets, it's up to my knee
She came
Blood on the streets in the town of Chicago
She came
Blood on the rise, it's following me
Think about the break of day
She came and then she drove away
Sunlight in her hair
She came
Blood in the streets runs a river of sadness
She came
Blood in the streets it's up to my thigh
She came
Yeah the river runs red down the legs of the city
She came
The women are crying rivers of weepin'
She came into town and then she drove away
Sunlight in her hair
Indians scattered on dawn's highway bleeding
Ghosts crowd the young child's fragile eggshell mind
Blood in the streets in the town of New Haven
Blood stains the roofs and the palm trees of Venice
Blood in my love in the terrible summer
Bloody red sun of Phantastic L.A.
Blood screams the pain as they chop off her fingers
Blood will be born in the birth of a nation
Blood is the rose of mysterious union
There's blood in the streets, it's up to my ankles
Blood in the streets, it's up to my knee
Blood in the streets in the town of Chicago
Blood on the rise, it's following me

the Door's "boxed set" of CDs. It has a great version of Peace Frog.

I'd like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees
And honey bees
And snow-white turtle doves

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to hold it
In my arms
And keep it company

I'd like to see the world for once
All standing hand in hand
And hear them echo
Through the hills
Ah, peace throughout the land

I especially like "The Willing Conscript" and "Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation". "What Did You Learn in School Today" has some biting social commentary, including some anti-war lines.

The Willing Conscript
Words and Music by Tom Paxton
Oh Sergeant I'm a draftee and I've just arrived in camp.
I've come to wear the uniform and join the martial tramp.
And I want to do my duty, but one thing I do implore
You must give me lessons, sergeant, for I've never killed before.

To do my job obediently is my only desire.
To learn my weapon thoroughly and how to aim and fire.
To learn to kill the enemy and then to slaughter more,
I'll need instruction, sergeant, for I've never killed before.

Now there are several lessons that I haven't mastered yet.
I haven't got the hang of how to use the bayonet.
If he doesn't die at once am I to stick him with it more?
Oh, I hope you will be patient, for I've never killed before.

Oh, there are rumors in the camp about our enemy.
They say that when you see him he looks just like you and me.
But you deny it, Sergeant, and you are a man of war,
So you must give me lessons, for I've never killed before.

The hand grenade is something that I just don't understand.
You've got to throw it quickly or you're apt to lose your hand.
Does it blow a man to pieces with it's wicked, muffled roar?
Oh, I've got so much to learn because I've never killed before.

Oh, I want to thank you, Sergeant, for the help you've been to me.
For you've taught me how to slaughter and to hate the enemy.
And I know that I'll be ready when they march me off to war,
And I know that it won't matter that I've never killed before.
And I know that it won't matter that I've never killed before.

"We Didn't Know" From "Ain't That News", 1965
By: Tom Paxton

We didn't know said the Burgomeister,
About the camps on the edge of town.
It was Hitler and his crew,
That tore the German nation down.
We saw the cattle cars it's true,
And maybe they carried a Jew or two.
They woke us up as they rattled through,
But what did you expect me to do?

...Chorus:
...We didn't know at all,
...We didn't see a thing.
...You can't hold us to blame,
...What could we do?
...It was a terrible shame,
...But we can't bear the blame.
...Oh no, not us, we didn't know.

We didn't know said the congregation,
Singing a hymn in a church of white.
The Press was full lf lies about us,
Preacher told us we were right.
The outside agitators came.
They burned some chruches and put the blame,
On decent southern people's names,
To set our colored people aflame.
And maybe some of our boys got hot,
And a couple of niggers and reds got shot,
They should have stayed where they belong,
And preacher would've told us if we'd done wrong.

Chorus:

We didn't know said the puzzled voter,
Watching the President on TV.
I guess we've got to drop those bombs,
If we're gonna keep South Asia free.
The President's such a peaceful man,
I guess he's got some kind of plan.
They say we're torturing prisoners of war,
But I don't believe that stuff no more.
Torturing prisoners is a communist game,
And You can bet they're doing the same.
I wish this war was over and through,
But what do you expect me to do?

Chorus:

I'd never heard it before. Thanks for posting it. Paxton's sure written some good stuff. I've only heard a few of his albums, but should delve more deeply. I've been lucky enough to see him in concert twice -- but in the last 10 years. I didn't know of him when I was younger (I'm 48)

He performed with Jeff Brantley. Tom has aged like a fine wine!

My favorite of all times ....

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

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
I think 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 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
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

:kick:

It has a hauntingly beautiful melody plus powerful words.

There are so many to choose from. I don't think I saw "Bridge over Troubled Waters", Simon & Garfunkel. (sp?) That's another good one.

Right after Imagine came out we lost John, what a shame. I believe he would to this day still be a mover and shaker.

the other day on the radio and the DJ afterwards said that when John Forgerty wrote it he was making a statement about how he hated Vietnam and the unfair advantage that rich sons had over the poor.

Not much has changed since then has it.



FORTUNATE SON (J.C. 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",
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord,

It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no senator's son, son.
It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one, no,

Yeah!
Some folks are born silver spoon in hand,
Lord, don't they help themselves, oh.
But when the taxman comes to the door,
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes,

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

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

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

Ooops, brain fart - I missed the '60's part of the title - DOH!!


Rage - Testify

The movie ran through me
The glamour subdue me
The tabloid untie me
I'm empty please fill me
Mister anchor assure me
That Baghdad is burning
Your voice it is so soothing
That cunning mantra of killing
I need you my witness
To dress this up so bloodless
To numb me and purge me now
Of thoughts of blaming you
Yes the car is our wheelchair
My witness your coughing
Oily silence mocks the legless
Now traveling in coffins
But on the corner
The jury's sleepless
We found your weakness
And it's right outside our door

Now testify

With precision you feed me
My witness I'm hungry
Your temple it calms me
So I can carry on
My slaving sweating the skin right off my bones
On a bed of fire I'm choking on the smoke that fills my home
The wrecking ball rushing
My witness your blushing
The pipeline is gushing
While here we lie in tombs
While on the corner
The jury's sleepless
We found your weakness
And it's right outside your door

Now testify

Mass graves for the pump and the price is set

Who controls the past now controls the future
Who controls the present now controls the past
Who controls the past now controls the future
Who controls the present now?

Now testify

is one of the best to I think.

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 a 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, justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowin' come the judgment 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, justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowin' come the judgment 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, justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowin' come the judgment day
on the bloody morning after one tin soldier rides away.

Here is part of this wonderful song:



Where have all the young men gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young men gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young men gone?
Gone for soldiers every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to graveyards every one
When will they ever learn?
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?
Covered with flowers every one
When will we ever learn?
When will we ever learn?

Which I always took as the first rock antiwar song, a symbol of the expansion of the cultural peace movement beyond the bounds of folk.

He was talkin' 'bout the army while he passed his pipe around
An American deserter who found peace on Swedish ground
He had joined to seek adventure and to prove himself a man
But they tried to crush his spirit 'til his conscience ruined their plans
And we thought of those who suffer for the sake of honesty
All those who refuse to follow traitors to humanity

Here's to all the draft resisters who will fight for sanity
When they march them off to prison in this land of liberty

Heed the threat and awesome power of the mighty Pentagon
Which is wasting precious millions on the toys of Washington

Don't forget the Draft Resisters and their silent, lonely plea
When they march them off to prison, they will go for you and me

Shame, disgrace and all dishonor, wrongly placed upon their heads
Will not rob them of the courage which betrays the innocent

Monster

Once the religious, the hunted and weary
Chasing the promise of freedom and hope
Came to this country to build a new vision
Far from the reaches of kingdom and pope
Like good Christians, some would burn the witches
Later some got slaves to gather riches

But still from near and far to seek America
They came by thousands to court the wild
And she just patiently smiled and bore a child
To be their spirit and guiding light

And once the ties with the crown had been broken
Westward in saddle and wagon it went
And 'til the railroad linked ocean to ocean
Many the lives which had come to an end
While we bullied, stole and bought our a homeland
We began the slaughter of the red man

But still from near and far to seek America
They came by thousands to court the wild
And she just patiently smiled and bore a child
To be their spirit and guiding light

The blue and grey they stomped it
They kicked it just like a dog
And when the war over
They stuffed it just like a hog

And though the past has it's share of injustice
Kind was the spirit in many a way
But it's protectors and friends have been sleeping
Now it's a monster and will not obey

(Suicide)

The spirit was freedom and justice
And it's keepers seem generous and kind
It's leaders were supposed to serve the country
But now they won't pay it no mind
'Cause the people grew fat and got lazy
And now their vote is a meaningless joke
They babble about law and order
But it's all just an echo of what they've been told
Yeah, there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a noose
And it just sits there watchin'

Our cities have turned into jungles
And corruption is stranglin' the land
The police force is watching the people
And the people just can't understand
We don't know how to mind our own business
'Cause the whole worlds got to be just like us
Now we are fighting a war over there
No matter who's the winner
We can't pay the cost
'Cause there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a noose
And it just sits there watching

(America)

America where are you now?
Don't you care about your sons and daughters?
Don't you know we need you now
We can't fight alone against the monster

America

© Copyright MCA Music (BMI)
Words and music by John Kay, Jerry Edmonton, Nick St. Nicholas and Larry Byrom

My Uncle

A letter came today from the draft board
With trembling hands I read the questionnaire
It asked me lots of things about my mama and papa
Now that ain't what I call exactly fair

So I'm heading for the nearest foreign border
Vancouver may be just my kind of town
Because they don't need the kind of law and order
That tends to keep a good man underground

A sad old soldier once told me a story
About a battlefield that he was on
He said a man should never fight for glory
He must know what is right and what is wrong

So I'm heading for the nearest foreign border
Vancouver may be just my kind of town
Because they don't need the kind of law and order
That tends to keep a good man underground, yeah now,

I don't know how much I owe my uncle
But I suspect it's more than I can pay
He's asking me to sign a three-year contract
I guess I'll catch the first bus out today

So I'm heading for the nearest foreign border
Vancouver may be just my kind of town
Because they don't need the kind of law and order
That tends to keep a good man underground
That tends to keep a good man underground

Arlo Guthrie

This song is called Alice's Restaurant, and it's about Alice, and the
restaurant, but Alice's Restaurant is not the name of the restaurant,
that's just the name of the song, and that's why I called the song Alice's
Restaurant.

You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant
You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant
Walk right in it's around the back
Just a half a mile from the railroad track
You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant

Now it all started two Thanksgivings ago, was on - two years ago on
Thanksgiving, when my friend and I went up to visit Alice at the
restaurant, but Alice doesn't live in the restaurant, she lives in the
church nearby the restaurant, in the bell-tower, with her husband Ray and
Fasha the dog. And livin' in the bell tower like that, they got a lot of
room downstairs where the pews used to be in. Havin' all that room,
seein' as how they took out all the pews, they decided that they didn't
have to take out their garbage for a long time.

We got up there, we found all the garbage in there, and we decided it'd be
a friendly gesture for us to take the garbage down to the city dump. So
we took the half a ton of garbage, put it in the back of a red VW
microbus, took shovels and rakes and implements of destruction and headed
on toward the city dump.

Well we got there and there was a big sign and a chain across across the
dump saying, "Closed on Thanksgiving." And we had never heard of a dump
closed on Thanksgiving before, and with tears in our eyes we drove off
into the sunset looking for another place to put the garbage.

We didn't find one. Until we came to a side road, and off the side of the
side road there was another fifteen foot cliff and at the bottom of the
cliff there was another pile of garbage. And we decided that one big pile
is better than two little piles, and rather than bring that one up we
decided to throw our's down.

That's what we did, and drove back to the church, had a thanksgiving
dinner that couldn't be beat, went to sleep and didn't get up until the
next morning, when we got a phone call from officer Obie. He said, "Kid,
we found your name on an envelope at the bottom of a half a ton of
garbage, and just wanted to know if you had any information about it." And
I said, "Yes, sir, Officer Obie, I cannot tell a lie, I put that envelope
under that garbage."

After speaking to Obie for about fourty-five minutes on the telephone we
finally arrived at the truth of the matter and said that we had to go down
and pick up the garbage, and also had to go down and speak to him at the
police officer's station. So we got in the red VW microbus with the
shovels and rakes and implements of destruction and headed on toward the
police officer's station.

Now friends, there was only one or two things that Obie coulda done at
the police station, and the first was he could have given us a medal for
being so brave and honest on the telephone, which wasn't very likely, and
we didn't expect it, and the other thing was he could have bawled us out
and told us never to be see driving garbage around the vicinity again,
which is what we expected, but when we got to the police officer's station
there was a third possibility that we hadn't even counted upon, and we was
both immediately arrested. Handcuffed. And I said "Obie, I don't think I
can pick up the garbage with these handcuffs on." He said, "Shut up, kid.
Get in the back of the patrol car."

And that's what we did, sat in the back of the patrol car and drove to the
quote Scene of the Crime unquote. I want tell you about the town of
Stockbridge, Massachusets, where this happened here, they got three stop
signs, two police officers, and one police car, but when we got to the
Scene of the Crime there was five police officers and three police cars,
being the biggest crime of the last fifty years, and everybody wanted to
get in the newspaper story about it. And they was using up all kinds of
cop equipment that they had hanging around the police officer's station.
They was taking plaster tire tracks, foot prints, dog smelling prints, and
they took twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy photographs with circles
and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each
one was to be used as evidence against us. Took pictures of the approach,
the getaway, the northwest corner the southwest corner and that's not to
mention the aerial photography.

After the ordeal, we went back to the jail. Obie said he was going to put
us in the cell. Said, "Kid, I'm going to put you in the cell, I want your
wallet and your belt." And I said, "Obie, I can understand you wanting my
wallet so I don't have any money to spend in the cell, but what do you
want my belt for?" And he said, "Kid, we don't want any hangings." I
said, "Obie, did you think I was going to hang myself for littering?"
Obie said he was making sure, and friends Obie was, cause he took out the
toilet seat so I couldn't hit myself over the head and drown, and he took
out the toilet paper so I couldn't bend the bars roll out the - roll the
toilet paper out the window, slide down the roll and have an escape. Obie
was making sure, and it was about four or five hours later that Alice
(remember Alice? It's a song about Alice), Alice came by and with a few
nasty words to Obie on the side, bailed us out of jail, and we went back
to the church, had a another thanksgiving dinner that couldn't be beat,
and didn't get up until the next morning, when we all had to go to court.

We walked in, sat down, Obie came in with the twenty seven eight-by-ten
colour glossy pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back
of each one, sat down. Man came in said, "All rise." We all stood up,
and Obie stood up with the twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy
pictures, and the judge walked in sat down with a seeing eye dog, and he
sat down, we sat down. Obie looked at the seeing eye dog, and then at the
twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy pictures with circles and arrows
and a paragraph on the back of each one, and looked at the seeing eye dog.
And then at twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy pictures with circles
and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one and began to cry,
'cause Obie came to the realization that it was a typical case of American
blind justice, and there wasn't nothing he could do about it, and the
judge wasn't going to look at the twenty seven eight-by-ten colour glossy
pictures with the circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each
one explaining what each one was to be used as evidence against us. And
we was fined $50 and had to pick up the garbage in the snow, but thats not
what I came to tell you about.

Came to talk about the draft.

They got a building down New York City, it's called Whitehall Street,
where you walk in, you get injected, inspected, detected, infected,
neglected and selected. I went down to get my physical examination one
day, and I walked in, I sat down, got good and drunk the night before, so
I looked and felt my best when I went in that morning. `Cause I wanted to
look like the all-American kid from New York City, man I wanted, I wanted
to feel like the all-, I wanted to be the all American kid from New York,
and I walked in, sat down, I was hung down, brung down, hung up, and all
kinds o' mean nasty ugly things. And I waked in and sat down and they gave
me a piece of paper, said, "Kid, see the phsychiatrist, room 604."

And I went up there, I said, "Shrink, I want to kill. I mean, I wanna, I
wanna kill. Kill. I wanna, I wanna see, I wanna see blood and gore and
guts and veins in my teeth. Eat dead burnt bodies. I mean kill, Kill,
KILL, KILL." And I started jumpin up and down yelling, "KILL, KILL," and
he started jumpin up and down with me and we was both jumping up and down
yelling, "KILL, KILL." And the sargent came over, pinned a medal on me,
sent me down the hall, said, "You're our boy."

Didn't feel too good about it.

Proceeded on down the hall gettin more injections, inspections,
detections, neglections and all kinds of stuff that they was doin' to me
at the thing there, and I was there for two hours, three hours, four
hours, I was there for a long time going through all kinds of mean nasty
ugly things and I was just having a tough time there, and they was
inspecting, injecting every single part of me, and they was leaving no
part untouched. Proceeded through, and when I finally came to the see the
last man, I walked in, walked in sat down after a whole big thing there,
and I walked up and said, "What do you want?" He said, "Kid, we only got
one question. Have you ever been arrested?"

And I proceeded to tell him the story of the Alice's Restaurant Massacre,
with full orchestration and five part harmony and stuff like that and all
the phenome... - and he stopped me right there and said, "Kid, did you ever
go to court?"

And I proceeded to tell him the story of the twenty seven eight-by-ten
colour glossy pictures with the circles and arrows and the paragraph on
the back of each one, and he stopped me right there and said, "Kid, I want
you to go and sit down on that bench that says Group W .... NOW kid!!"

And I, I walked over to the, to the bench there, and there is, Group W's
where they put you if you may not be moral enough to join the army after
committing your special crime, and there was all kinds of mean nasty ugly
looking people on the bench there. Mother rapers. Father stabbers. Father
rapers! Father rapers sitting right there on the bench next to me! And
they was mean and nasty and ugly and horrible crime-type guys sitting on the
bench next to me. And the meanest, ugliest, nastiest one, the meanest
father raper of them all, was coming over to me and he was mean 'n' ugly
'n' nasty 'n' horrible and all kind of things and he sat down next to me
and said, "Kid, whad'ya get?" I said, "I didn't get nothing, I had to pay
$50 and pick up the garbage." He said, "What were you arrested for, kid?"
And I said, "Littering." And they all moved away from me on the bench
there, and the hairy eyeball and all kinds of mean nasty things, till I
said, "And creating a nuisance." And they all came back, shook my hand,
and we had a great time on the bench, talkin about crime, mother stabbing,
father raping, all kinds of groovy things that we was talking about on the
bench. And everything was fine, we was smoking cigarettes and all kinds of
things, until the Sargeant came over, had some paper in his hand, held it
up and said.

"Kids, this-piece-of-paper's-got-47-words-37-sentences-58-words-we-wanna-
know-details-of-the-crime-time-of-the-crime-and-any-other-kind-of-thing-
you-gotta-say-pertaining-to-and-about-the-crime-I-want-to-know-arresting-
officer's-name-and-any-other-kind-of-thing-you-gotta-say", and talked for
forty-five minutes and nobody understood a word that he said, but we had
fun filling out the forms and playing with the pencils on the bench there,
and I filled out the massacre with the four part harmony, and wrote it
down there, just like it was, and everything was fine and I put down the
pencil, and I turned over the piece of paper, and there, there on the
other side, in the middle of the other side, away from everything else on
the other side, in parentheses, capital letters, quotated, read the
following words:

("KID, HAVE YOU REHABILITATED YOURSELF?")

I went over to the sargent, said, "Sargeant, you got a lot a damn gall to
ask me if I've rehabilitated myself, I mean, I mean, I mean that just, I'm
sittin' here on the bench, I mean I'm sittin here on the Group W bench
'cause you want to know if I'm moral enough join the army, burn women,
kids, houses and villages after bein' a litterbug." He looked at me and
said, "Kid, we don't like your kind, and we're gonna send you fingerprints
off to Washington."

And friends, somewhere in Washington enshrined in some little folder, is a
study in black and white of my fingerprints. And the only reason I'm
singing you this song now is cause you may know somebody in a similar
situation, or you may be in a similar situation, and if your in a
situation like that there's only one thing you can do and that's walk into
the shrink wherever you are ,just walk in say "Shrink, You can get
anything you want, at Alice's restaurant.". And walk out. You know, if
one person, just one person does it they may think he's really sick and
they won't take him. And if two people, two people do it, in harmony,
they may think they're both faggots and they won't take either of them.
And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in
singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and walking out. They may think it's an
organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day,I said
fifty people a day walking in singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant and
walking out. And friends they may thinks it's a movement.

And that's what it is , the Alice's Restaurant Anti-Massacre Movement, and
all you got to do to join is sing it the next time it come's around on the
guitar.

With feeling. So we'll wait for it to come around on the guitar, here and
sing it when it does. Here it comes.

You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
Walk right in it's around the back
Just a half a mile from the railroad track
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant

That was horrible. If you want to end war and stuff you got to sing loud.
I've been singing this song now for twenty five minutes. I could sing it
for another twenty five minutes. I'm not proud... or tired.

So we'll wait till it comes around again, and this time with four part
harmony and feeling.

We're just waitin' for it to come around is what we're doing.

All right now.

You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
Excepting Alice
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant
Walk right in it's around the back
Just a half a mile from the railroad track
You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant

Da da da da da da da dum
At Alice's Restaurant

I needed that today.

gonna file it away in my file of important things to know, 'cause you know you never know when you'll need to know stuff like this.



Tansy Gold

n/t

Lyrics - http://bobdylan.com/songs/masters.html

Masters of War

I believe this is the most signifent anti-war song ever written, period. It not only talks to war itself, but the chicken hawks who, in Jesus' name, profit from it.

MASTERS OR WAR

Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

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

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead

We are free now
We can kill now
We can hate now
We can end the world
We're not guilty
He was crazy
And it's been going on for ten thousand years.

The lyrics don't seem to be available on the internets. I know someone who has the vinyl album, so I may just have to transcribe from that.

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/p/peter,-paul-&-mary/107646.html

The Great Mandala ~~ Peter Yarrow

So I told him that he’d better shut his mouth
And do his job like a man.
And he answered listen, father,
I will never kill another.
He thinks he’s better
Than his brother that died
What the hell does he think he’s doing
To his father who brought him up right?

Chorus:
Take your place on the great mandala
As it moves through your brief moment of time.
Win or lose now you must choose now
And if you lose you’re only losing your life.

Tell the jailer not to bother
With his meal of bread and water today.
He is fasting ’til the killing’s over
He’s a martyr, he thinks he’s a prophet.
But he’s a coward, he’s just playing a game
He can’t do it, he can’t change it
It’s been going on for ten thousand years

(chorus)

Tell the people they are safe now
Hunger stopped him, he lies still in his cell.
Death has gagged his accusations

We are free now, we can kill now,
We can hate now, now we can end the world
We’re not guilty, he was crazy
And it’s been going on for ten thousand years!

Take your place on the great mandala
As it moves through your brief moment of time.
Win or lose now you must choose now
And if you lose you’ve only wasted your life.


~~~~

I have all of their older albums but no turntable, which gets very frustrating when particular songs get stuck in my head. I do have many folk guitar chord songbooks from the old days & will never forget the melodies so that helps, but it sure would be nice to just listen to my records.

title right now (the ex took the John Prine CD's), but the chorus was:

"There's a hole in Danny's arm,
where all his money goes.
Jesus Christ died for nothing,
I suppose".

About a Nam vet who was wounded, and the doctors gave him so much morphine he came home an addict.

Sam Stone ~~ John Prine

Sam Stone came home,
To his wife and family
After serving in the conflict overseas.
And the time that he served,
Had shattered all his nerves,
And left a little shrapnel in his knee.
But the morphine eased the pain,
And the grass grew round his brain,
And gave him all the confidence he lacked,
With a Purple Heart and a monkey on his back.

Chorus:
There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes,
Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose.
Little pitchers have big ears,
Don't stop to count the years,
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios.
Mmm....

Sam Stone's welcome home
Didn't last too long.
He went to work when he'd spent his last dime
And Sammy took to stealing
When he got that empty feeling
For a hundred dollar habit without overtime.
And the gold rolled through his veins
Like a thousand railroad trains,
And eased his mind in the hours that he chose,
While the kids ran around wearin' other peoples' clothes...

Sam Stone was alone
When he popped his last balloon
Climbing walls while sitting in a chair
Well, he played his last request
While the room smelled just like death
With an overdose hovering in the air
But life had lost its fun
And there was nothing to be done
But trade his house that he bought on the G. I. Bill
For a flag draped casket on a local heroes' hill.


I'm an old John Prine fan & you should try & get his "Anthology"; it's a fair compilation of his best stuff. His first album didn't actually come out til '71, but he was singing "Sam Stone" long before.

I think I'll take your recommendation on Anthology. John wrote a lot of classics.

Hey
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam

Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam.
Yesterday I got a letter
from my friend
fighting in Vietnam

and this is what he had to say:
'tell all my friends
that I'll be coming home soon

my time 'll be up some time in june.
Don't forget' he said
'to tell
my sweet Mary

her golden lips as sweet as cherries'.
And it came from:
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam

Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam!

It was just the next day
his mother got a Telegram

it was addressed from Vietnam.
Now mistress Brown she lives in the U.S.A
and this is
what she wrote and said:
'Don't be alarmed'
she told me the telegram said

'but mistress Brown
your son is dead!'
and it came from:
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam

Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam!

Somebody please stop that war now!
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam

Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam!

But "Volunteers" by Jefferson Airplane is a fucking amazing song - we need a fucking revolution now.

Was Dylan ahead of his time or what??

As some warn victory, some downfall
Private reasons great or small
Can be seen in the eyes of those that call
To make all that should be killed to crawl
While others say don't hate nothing at all
Except hatred.

Disillusioned words like bullets bark
As human gods aim for their mark
Made everything from toy guns that spark
To flesh-colored Christs that glow in the dark
It's easy to see without looking too far
That not much Is really sacred.

While one who sings with his tongue on fire
Gargles in the rat race choir
Bent out of shape from society's pliers
Cares not to come up any higher
But rather get you down in the hole
That he's in.

Old lady judges watch people in pairs
Limited in sex, they dare
To push fake morals, insult and stare
While money doesn't talk, it swears
Obscenity, who really cares?
Propaganda, all is phony.

Probably one of the most obscure anti-war songs from the '60s, it was sung by a man from my area. I can't remember much of it, but it started out "America, don't let your flower children down, don't let your flower garden go to war..."