It's all about the music.
Someone on another blog suggested, after reading one of my comments re: Hank Waste-O-Semenwilliams, in which I said I might have to start a new musical genre, "Commie Western Music" that I should do so.
It occurs to me that Woody Guthrie has sorta beat me to the punch--by about 80 years--but I can stand on the shoulders of giants. Now, all I need's some talent at song wranglin' and I can git 'er done!
I did help pen a tune (most of the lyrics), "Nikita the K" back in the early--mid 70's.
Nikita the K
(Instrumental Intro)
(Verse the first)
Oh, they're playin' rock'n'roll in Moscow, now.
Don't understand the beat but dig it anyhow.
When they're not armin' the arabs, or cancellin' some czechs,
they're groovin' to the music of Bowie and Beck.
(First instrumental bridge)
(Chorus)
Oh, Nikita the K must be rollin' in his vault, Lenin would've put this shit to a halt
and Mao says that it's all THEIR fault!
(2nd Instrumental Break)
(Verse the second)
All the Volga boatman and the Cossacks on the Dan,
They're listenin' to hard rock, just as much as they can.
There may be purges in the Kremlin and tanks on your block,
just inform on your neighbors and listen to us rock!
(Chorus)
Oh, Nikita the K must be rollin' in his vault, Lenin would've put this shit to a halt
and Mao says that it's all THEIR fault!
(Third instrumental break)
Verse the first and chorus reprise:
Fade and out.
I actually have a recording of this that was done back in the 70's, the sound quality absolutely sucks.
I know a fuckton of musicians, I may have to see if I can get some of them to cover this.
Then, of course there's the tune I wrote by my ownself (lyrics and chords, with some help from Ed "Slowhand" Connare--okay he figured out the music, based on my chords), ca 1974.
V.F.W.
(Instrumental Intro)
(Verse the first)
Well, I'll only be gone till the fightin' is over,
I'll only be gone till the killin' is done.
I'll only be gone till destruction's complete.
and our side, the RIGHT side, has won
(Chorus the first)
They're not coming home this year
to swap war stories for free beer.
They died in battle gear.
Vanguished in Foreign Wars. Vanguished in Foreign Wars.
(Bridge)
(Verse the second)
Old soldiers fade while young men die in the rain,
Wall St. gets rich from the death and the pain.
Politicians keep voting to send more bullets and guns,
but you know they won't send their own sons.
(Chorus the second)
They're not getting G.I. Bill,
They're not working at the mill.
They served and died on unnamed hills.
Vanguished in Foreign Wars. Vanguished in Foreign Wars.
(Bridge)
(Instrumental Break--a little country, at that)
(Bridge)
(Verse the third)
This country's so quick to make soldiers of boys;
Take their girls and cars and give them deadly new toys.
Genrals, admirals and pols call all the plays,
When they're wrong it's the young men who pay.
(Chorus the third)
They won't march in the parades,
Wear their medals, hear our praise.
They lie dead so far away,
Victim of Foolish Wars, Victims of Foolish Wars.
(Instrumental out)
Both of these tunes are, btw, copyright protected by other myself and other parties and may not be used without permission.
It appears to me that despite the nearly forty years that have elapsed since I wrote V.F.W. that not a lot has changed re: U.S. foreign policy. That is a fucking shame.
Sometimes I wish I was Joe Strummer--when he was still alive, I mean.
All hail "The Clash"!
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