37. Songs For Economic Free-Fall (New Model Army, Pink Floyd, Ten Years After, Simon and Garfunkel, Casey Bill Weldon, and Frank Zappa)

"My Country" ( -- a song
by
New Model Army)

Tell all
the People
who believe
what they read
in the Press!

Tell all the Folk
who stare
from
behind Suburban walls!

The "Enemy"
is not some nation
far across the sea!

The "Enemy"
is with us
every single,
breathing day!

So YES --
I will "fight" for my Country --
the land that I love so well!

YES - -
for JUSTICE --
a land
fit for all our futures!
YES,
I will "fight" for my Country --
the land that I love so well!

Hear the voices
of our History
echo all around!

"Fight" all the ones
who divide us:
Rich against Poor!

"Fight" all the ones
who divide us:
White against Black!

"Fight" all the powers
who want
their missiles
in our earth!

"Fight" all the people
who would lead us into War!

No Rights were ever given to us
by the grace of God!

No Rights were ever given
by some United Nations clause!

No Rights were ever given
by some "Nice Guy" at the top!

Our Rights --
they were
bought
by all the Blood,
and all the Tears
of all our
Grandmothers,
and
Grandfathers
before.

For all the Folk
who gave their lives for us.

For all the Folk
who spit out : “Never say die!”
For all the fires
burning on our highest hills!

For all the People
spinning tales tonight.

"Fight" all the Powers
who would abuse our Common Laws!

"Fight" all the Powers
who think they only owe themselves!

So, YES!!

I will "fight" for my Country --
the land that I love so well!

YES -- for JUSTICE --
a land fit for all our futures!
YES,
I will "fight"  for my Country --
the land that I love so well!

Hear the voices
of our History
echo all around!

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[Hear the song at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnmg-k1BR6U ]

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"Money"
( -- a song by
Pink Floyd)

Money --
get away!

Get a good Job
with more Pay,
and you're OK.

Money --
it's a gas!

Grab that Cash
with both hands,
and make a stash!

New Car,
Caviar,
Four-Star
Daydream --
think
I'll buy me
a football team!

Money --
get back!

I'm alright, Jack --
keep your hands off
my stack!

Money--
it's a hit!

Don't give me
that
"Do Goody-Good"
bullshit!

I'm in
the Hi-Fidelity
First Class
"travelling set",
and I think
I need a Lear jet!

Money --
it's a Crime!

Share it fairly,
but don't take a slice
of my pie!

Money --
so they say,
is
"The Root of all Evil
today.

But, if you ask for a raise,
it's no surprise
that
they're giving none away!

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[Find the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_anbEJsr6s ]

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"I'd Love
to Change
the World"
( -- a song
by
Ten Years After)

Everywhere
is:
"Freaks",
and
"Hairies",
"Dykes",
and
"Fairies" --
tell me,
"Where is Sanity?"

Tax the Rich!

Feed the Poor!

'Til
there are
no Rich,
no more!

I'd love to change the world,
but, I don't know what to do,
so I'll leave it up to you.

Population --
keeps on breeding --
Nation bleeding --
still more feeding!

"Economy!"

Life is funny --

skies are sunny --
bees make honey --
who needs Money?

"Monopoly!"

I'd love to change the world,
but, I don't know what to do,
so I'll leave it up to you.

World Pollution --
there's no "Solution"!

"Institution!"

"Electrocution!"

Just:
"Black and White"!

"Rich or Poor"!

"Them and Us"!

STOP THE WAR!!

I'd love to change the world,
but, I don't know what to do,
so I'll leave it up to you.

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[Hear the song at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvj99sK1Gl0 ]

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"Bleeker Street"
( -- a song
by
Paul Simon)

Fog's
rollin' in
off
the East River bank;
like
a shroud
it covers
Bleeker Street,
fills the alleys
where
men sleep;
hides
the Shepherd
from
"the sheep".

Voices
leaking
from
a sad cafe;
smiling faces --
try to understand!

I saw
a shadow
touch
a shadow's hand --
on
Bleeker Street!

A Poet
reads
his crooked rhyme:
"Holy, holy"
is
his Sacrament.

"Thirty dollars"
pays your rent --
on Bleeker Street!

I heard
a Church bell
softly chime,
in
a melody
sustaining.

It's
a long road
to
Caanan,
on Bleeker Street,
Bleeker Street.

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[Hear the song at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q98pbT-ok3s  ]

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"W.P.A. Blues"
(-- a song
sung by
Casey Bill Weldon,
ca.1936)

(W.P.A. =
U.S. President
Franklin Delano
Roosevelt's
"Works Progress
Administration"
of
the Depression Era)

Everybody's
working
in this town --
and
it's worrying me,
night and day!

Everybody's
working
in this town --
and
it's worrying me,
night and day!

Yes,
that's me,
working too --
I have to work
for
the W.P.A.!

Well, well --
the Landlord
come this morning,
and
he knocked on my door.

He asked me
if I weren't going
to pay my Rent
no more.

He said,
"You have to move --
if you can't pay!"

And then
he turned,
and he
walked
slowly away!

So I have to try!
-- or find some
other place to stay!

That
House-wrecking Crew's
coming
-- ! --
from
the W.P.A.!

Well, well --
I went to the Relief station,
and
I didn't have a cent.

They said,
"Stay on
where you stand --
you don't have to
pay no Rent."

So when
I got back home,
they was tacking
a Notice
on the door:
"THIS HOUSE
IS CONDEMNED --
and
YOU CAN'T
LIVE HERE
NO MORE!"

So,
a notion struck me:
I'd best be
"on my way"!

They're going
to
tear my house down --
ooo-wooo --
that crew
from the W.P.A.!

Well, well --
I went out
the next morning,
and
put a lock
on my door --.
as though
I would move --
but
I have no place to go!

The Real Estate
people,
they all done
got so --
they don't rent to
no "Relief clients"
no more!

So I know --
I'll have to
walk the streets
night and day!

Because
that Wrecking Crew's
coming --
ooo-woo --
from that W.P.A.!

Well, well --
a notion struck me:
I'd try to stay
a day or two.

But I soon found out
that
that wouldn't do!

Early
the next morning
while I was
laying in my bed,
I heard
a mighty rumbling --
and BRICKS come
tumbling
down on my head!

So --
I had to start
"ducking and dodging",
and be
"on my way"!

They was
tearing my house down
on me --
ooo-woo --
that crew
from that W.P.A.!

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[Hear the song at: http://uncensoredhistoryoftheblues.purplebeech.com/2008/10/show-38-wpa-blues.html ]

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"Trouble
Every Day"
(-- a song
by
Frank Zappa)

Well,

I'm about to get upset
from watchin' my TV!

Been checkin' out
"the News"
until my eyeballs
fail to see!

I mean,

they say
that every day
is just another
rotten Mess!

And

when it's gonna change,
my friends,
is

anybody's guess.

So

I'm watchin'
and I'm waitin' --
I’m hopin'
for the best!
 
Even think
I'll go to prayin'
every time I hear 'em
sayin'
that
there's no way
to delay
that
Trouble
comin'
every day!
 
No way
to delay
that trouble
comin'
every day!
 
Wednesday
I watched the riot;
I seen the cops
out on the street;
watched 'em
throwin'
rocks and stuff,
and chokin'
in the heat.

Listened to reports

about the whisky
passin' 'round;
seen
the smoke and fire --
and the Market
burnin' down!

Watched

while everybody
on his street
would take a turn
to stomp
and smash
and bash
and crash
and slash
and bust
and burn.
 
And I'm
Watchin'
and I'm
Waitin' --
I’m
Hopin'
for the best!

Even

think
I'll go to
Prayin'
every time
I hear 'em sayin'
that
there's no way
to delay
that Trouble
comin'
every day!
 
No way
to delay
that Trouble
comin'
every day!

Well

you can "Cool It!",
you can "Heat It!" --
 'Cause,
baby --
I don't need it!

Take

your TV tube
and
"Eat It!"

'N all that

phony stuff
on "Sports",
'n' all those
"unconfirmed reports"!

You know

I watched that
rotten box
until my head
began to hurt,
from checkin' out
the way
the Newsmen
say they
"Get the Dirt!"

BEFORE

the guys
on
Channel so-and-so.
 
And --
further,
they assert
that
any show
they'll interrupt
to bring you
NEWS
if it
comes up.

They say that
if the place
blows up
they'll be the First
to Tell,
because
the Boys they got
Downtown
are workin' hard
and doin' swell.

And

"If anybody
gets the News
BEFORE
it hits
the Street...",
they say that
"No One
blabs it
faster!

Their coverage

can't be beat!

And if another

woman driver
gets
machine-gunned
from her seat,
they'll send
some Joker
with a
"Brownie",
and
"You'll See It All --
COMPLETE!

So

I'm Watchin'
and
I'm Waitin' --
I’m Hopin'
for the best!
 
Even think
I'll go to Prayin'
every time
I hear 'em sayin'
that
there's no way
to delay
that Trouble
comin'
every day!

No way

to delay
that Trouble
comin'
every day.

Hey --

You know something,
people?

I'm not Black,

but
there's a whole lots
of times
I wish
I could say
"I'm not White"!

Well,

I’ve seen
the fires Burnin',
and the
Local People
turnin'
on the Merchants
and the Shops
who used to
sell their Brooms
and Mops,
and
every other
Household Item.

Watched

the Mob
just turn
and
bite 'em!

And they say

"It served 'em
Right!
 
("...because
 a few of them
are White!")

And

it's "the same"
across the Nation:
Black and White
Discrimination!

They're yellin':

"You can't
Understand Me!”
 
And
all the other
Crap
they hand me!
 
In the Papers
and TV;
'n' all that
MASS STUPIDITY
that
seems to
GROW
more
every day!
 
Each time
you hear
some
Nitwit
say
he
wants to go
and
"Do you in"
because
the color
of
your skin
just
don't appeal
to him!

No matter

if it's
Black
or
White --
because
he's
"Out for Blood"
tonight!
 
You know
we gotta
sit around
at home
and
watch
this thing
begin,
but I'll bet
there won't
be many
left
to see it
really
End.

'Cause
the Fire
in the Street
ain't like
the Fire
in
my Heart!

And

in the eyes
of all these People,
don't you know
that this
could START
on
ANY Street,
in
ANY Town,
in
ANY State,
if
ANY "Clown"
decides that
"NOW'S
THE TIME
TO FIGHT"
for some
Ideal
he thinks
is Right.

And,
if

a million more
agree,
there ain't no
"Great Society"
as it
applies
to you and me!
 
Our Country
isn't Free!

And

the Law
REFUSES
TO SEE!

If

all that
you can
EVER BE
is
just
a lousy "Janitor" --
UNLESS
your Uncle
owns a store!

You know that

five
in every
four
just
won’t
"amount to"
nothin'
more!
 
They
watch
the rats
go
across
the floor,
and
make up
Songs
about
being
Poor!

Blow

your
Harmonica,
son!

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[Hear the song at : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOOUYQXqFAQ&feature=related ]

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