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The People Sang-A Brief History of the United States


 

Here's a song about the USA, history, progress, hypocrisy, and reality...We don't need a new Revolution--We're in the one that never ends....

THE PEOPLE SANG

By John Caelan

1. Let's start off in an early chapter--
Excuse the part about the natives' capture.
A tea party is a finer place to begin.

Wise words to fill a declaration.
Sovereign wills to form a sovereign nation--
But keep in mind, "white's" a synonym for human.

Old Ben, he raised a furrowed brow,
"What's freedom with our slaves behind the plow?
It don't bode well for the future this will bring.

How do we secure our liberty
If We the People includes just you and me?
Lord help us if we're only reinventing the King."

Torn Tommy takes the bully pulpit,
Strikes the gavel and he calls for quiet.
"A fair question, but we cannot solve it,
Unless we wanna lose the way we live.

We all like the taste of milk and honey,
But what's freedom if you got no money?
After all, they had no clothes or country;
They should be grateful for the scraps we give,
Anyway."

2 Page forward to a different era,
The red boogie-man has come to scare ya'.
Oh, Johnny, did you see this shit comin' on?

Neck deep inside the swampy forest.
Back home, the students form a protest.
The man drops them like they're weeds on the Union lawn.

Young Jim, he stops and looks around.
Takes cover while he writes Machine Gun down.
Oh, Jimmy, we could use a voice like yours...

They all followed to the farmer's field and played.
The man threatens, but the poets won't be swayed.
Their words thunder has the summer sky downpours.

Tricky Dicky takes the bully pulpit.
Strikes the gavel as he calls for quiet.
"We gotta a problem and we cannot solve it,
Unless we wanna lose the way we live.

You talk pretty and your clothes are sunny,
But in the end I know you like your money.
And, after all, you only rent your country.
You should be grateful for the scraps we give..."

Just then, the People Sang,
Oh brother, it's a grand illusion.
Oh, sister, won't you march with me now.
They can't stop us when we're all in motion.

Once more, the peace bell rings:
We don't need a New Revolution.
We're in the one that never ends.

3 Jump forward to the blacked-out pages.
You'd hardly know about the war that rages.
Oh, Mister Bernstein, we could use a man like you.

Lord knows, we were all thrown asunder,
But more than bodies have been buried under
The great graveyard where the towers Babel renew.

A faint cry was heard above the din:
What in hell do you think we're gonna win?
This ain't poker, and our kids are not the ante...

What'd ya' think, that we'd all just play along?
Right or left, don't we all know right from wrong?
There's no terror like our own hypocrisy.

King Georgie takes the bully pulpit,
Strikes the gavel and he screams for quiet.
We gotta a problem, and we cannot solve it,
Unless we wanna change the way we live.

So shut up! And let me make you money;
Here's a drop of all that milk and honey.
After all, you only rent your country.
You should be grateful for the scraps we give...

Just then, the People sang,
Oh, brother, it's a grand illusion.
Oh, sister, won't you march with me now?
They can't stop us when we're all in motion.

Once more, the peace bell rings,
We don't need a New Revolution.
We're in the one that never ends.

Just then, the People Sang,
We don't need a new revolution--
We're in the one that never ends.


1 Comment

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This is so beautiful, John. Thank you. I'm now sending your gift out as a gift to others.

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John Caelan

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  • Website: johncaelan.blogspot.com
  • Location Venice Beach, CA
  • Party Democrat, Sort of...not sure what that means anymore.
  • Politics I believe that a nation is composed of sovereign individuals who consent to be a Nation. In our nation, that consent is bound and declared through the Constitution. What people decide as useful for a country is not as relevant as how they decide it.

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  • Favorite Blogs Dandelion Salad
  • Favorite Books Anyting Orwell, old classics like Kipling, Tolken...
  • Favorite Quotes "If I wanted smoke blown up my ass, I'd buy a fine cigar and short length of hose..." (I don't know who said that originally)

Bio

I am a singer/songwriter from Venice Beach, CA, known for protest music in the folk tradition. I write a lot, mostly stream of consciousness diatribes that I rarely edit. I am not an authority--I have none of the pedigree that many think defines the useful opinion. I am a former-Marine and will not rest until this dishonorable war is brought to an end.

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