Protest war in song

A "war protest song" is a piece of music or song that has an anti-war theme in it's lyrics.
If you know one post a little piece of it's lyrics and title. Or just the title if you wish.

Songs protesting specific wars or one protesting of all war in general is fine. I'll start it off with this one.

"War Pigs" Black Sabbath

Generals gathered in their masses,
just like witches at black masses.
Evil minds that plot destruction,
sorcerers of death's construction.
In the fields the bodies burning,
as the war machine keeps turning.
Death and hatred to mankind,
poisoning their brainwashed minds.
Oh lord, yeah!

Politicians hide themselves away.
They only started the war.
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor, yeah.

Time will tell on their power minds,
making war just for fun.
Treating people just like pawns in chess,
wait till their judgement day comes, yeah.

This should be a good thread!
i will offer the following?
In protest at the war in Iraq/Afghansitan

MIDDLE EASTERN HOLIDAY by HARD -FI
lyrics:

""i've got to go, but what a prize to give
Package deal to the sun, everything is inclusive
where bullet holes scar the minarets
smoke on the horizon a beautiful sunset

Going on my Middle Eastern holiday
Give me a gun, I hope I see my mum again
Going on my middle eastern holiday
Been gone so long, I hope I'm coming home some day
We can fight, we can fight

I'm 21, meanwhile back at home
My friends are out tonight all drinking and dancing
I've got a girl, is she missing me?
Watching out for me on the news on TV

[CHORUS]

Back at home, politicians sit
Over lunch discussing this
In the desert the fuse is lit, I'm the one who has to deal with it

He's got a gun, bullets meant for me
Time seems to stand still I'm so scared I can't speak
I'm flying home, above everything
I don't understand why is it my mothers crying?

Going on my Middle Eastern holiday
Give me a gun, I hope I see my mum again
Going on my Middle Eastern holiday
Top up the tan, fight for the man going far away
Far away...

"EACH DOLLAR A BULLET" by STIFF LITTLE FINGERS
Song in protest about the American civilians funding of The IRA
Lyrics:

""Oh it must seem so romantic
When the fighting's over there
And they're passing round the shamrock
And you're all filled up with tears
"For the love of dear old Ireland"
That you've never even seen
You throw in twenty dollars
And sing "Wearing of the Green"

(Chorus
Each dollar a bullet
Each victim someone's son
And Americans kill Irishmen
As surely as if they fired the gun

Now you've never stood on Belfast's streets
And heard the bombs explode
Or hid beneath the blankets
When there's riots down the road
No, you've never had your best friend die
Or lost a favourite son
But you'll stand there and tell us
Just what we're doing wrong

Each false word a bullet
Each victim someone's son
And Englishmen kill Irishmen
As surely as if they fired the gun

From the minute that you're born you're told
to hate the other side
"They're not like us, they're not the same
We know because we're right"
But can't you see we're all the same
There is no right and wrong
Why can't we stop and realise
We've hated too much, too long

Each old lie a bullet
Each victim someone's son
And Irishmen kill Irishmen
As surely as if they fired the gun

How can you convince yourself
That what you do is right?
When people are dying there
Night after night
Don't you ever wonder
Why it stilll goes on?
The hopes and fears and all the tears
Are buried in your ground
Buried in your ground

Each rumour a bullet
Each victim someone's son
And careless talk kills Irishmen
As surely as if words fired the gun

Well it's lasted for so long now
And so many have died
It's such a part of my own life
Yet it leaves me mystified
How a people so intelligent
Friendly, kind and brave
Can throw themselves so willingly
Into an open grave

Each new day a bullet
Each victim someone's son
And ignorance kills Irishmen
As surely as if we fired the gun""

Any of the earlier SLF stuff such as the following (if you want lyrics i will add them just ask)?
All the songs here relate to the ongoing conflict in Ireland/Norther Irleland, These songs were written around the late 70's when the conflict was bad!

1) Alternative Ulster
2) Suspect Device
3) Johnny Was
4) Fly the Flag
5) Bloody Sunday
6) Tin Soldiers

This will be another big thread i think!

"WAR" Edwin Starr

Ohhh? War! I despise
Because it means destruction?
Of innocent lives

War means tears
to thousands of mothers eyes
When their sons go to fight
and lose their lives

I said - War! Huh Good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it again

War! Whoa, Lord ...
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me?

War! It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
War! Friend only to the undertaker
War! It's an enemy to all mankind
The thought of war blows my mind

War has caused unrest in the younger generation
Induction then destruction-
Who wants to die?

Ohhh? War Good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it, Say it, Say it

War! Uh-huh Yeah - Huh!
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me?

War! It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
War! It's got one friend, that's the undertaker
War has shattered many a young mans dreams
Made him disabled bitter and mean
Life is much to precious to spend fighting wars these days
War can't give life, it can only take it away

War! Huh Good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it again

War! Whoa, Lord ...
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me?

War! It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
War! Friend only to the undertaker
Peace Love and Understanding;
tell me, is there no place for them today?
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there's got to be a better way

"LITTLE BOY SOLDIERS" by The JAM
Lyrics:

""its funny how you never knew what my name was,
Our only contact was a form for the election.
These days I find that you don't listen,
These days I find that we're out of touch,
These days I find that I'm too busy,
So why the attention now you want my assistance -
What have you done for me.

You've gone and got yourself in trouble,
No you want me to help you out.

These days I find that I can't be bothered,
These days I find that its all too much,
To pick up a gun and shoot a stranger,
But I've got no choice so here I come - war games.

I'm up on the hills, playing little boy soldiers,
Reconnaissance duty up at 5:30.
Shoot shoot shoot and kill the natives,
You're one of us and we love you for that.

Think of honour, Queen and country,
You're a blessed son of the British Empire,
God's on our side and so is Washington.

Come out on the hills with the little boy soldiers.""

"Live" is a rather spiritual alternative band that I like alot. Here's one of their more recent protest songs.


"What Are We Fighting For?" by LIVE

Battle flag in the bassinet
Oil and blood on the bayonet
Crowded downtown hit the floor
What are we fightin' for?

What are we fightin' for?
What are we fightin' for?

The world got smaller but the bombs got bigger
Holocaust on a hairpin trigger
Aint no game so forget the score
What are we fightin' for?

(chorus)

What will I tell my daughter?
What will you tell your son?
Where were all the doves?
That we were nothing but a shadow,
a faceless generation devoid of love?

The crucifix ain't no baseball bat
Tell me what kind of God is that?
Ain't nothing more godless than a war
So what are we fightin' for?

(chorus)

What will I tell my daughter?
What will you tell your son?
Where were all the doves?
That we were nothing but a shadow,
A faceless generation?

What are we fightin' for?

"GOD BLESS THE WORLD" by Greg Jones
about the world & the wars!!!!!!!!!
Lyrics:
""I turn on the news and see troubles, what's all this fighting for, why can't we try living together, and have a world where everybody wins, nobody suffers, each soul on earth should be cherished, no more or less in God's eyes, my brothers, my sisters, I know if we try, we can live together, under God's sky,

1st chorus: God bless the world, not just America, God bless the whole wide world so our kids can live in harmony
(God bless the world)

Look into the hearts of the children, you can see the future in their eyes, it's up to us to reassure them, that the world will be a brighter place when we realize, Peace is the answer, the solution, I pray someday that we'll see, then no more war, no fighting, no killing, no hate, it's got to change, and it starts with you and me, I'm praying,""

This song from the 80's had a video of puppets made up to look like Ronald Reagan, other world leaders, and one that looked like Phil Collins himself. The puppets came from a British t.v. show called "Spitting Image". At the end of the video Ronnie hits the button marked "nuke" instead of "nurse".

I notice that the band "Disturbed" has done a cover of this song. It's lyrics seem to still suit how some of us feel today. Especially since we still have the nuclear threat around us.


"Land of Confusion" Phil Collins

I mustve dreamed a thousand dreams
Been haunted by a million screams
But I can hear the marching feet
Theyre moving into the street.

Now did you read the news today
They say the dangers gone away
But I can see the fires still alight
There burning into the night.

Theres too many men
Too many people
Making too many problems
And not much love to go round
Cant you see
This is a land of confusion.

This is the world we live in
And these are the hands were given
Use them and lets start trying
To make it a place worth living in.

Ooh superman where are you now
When everythings gone wrong somehow
The men of steel, the men of power
are loseing control by the hour

"I DONT WANNA BE A SOLDIER" by John Lennon
Lyrics:
Well,
I don't wanna be a soldier mama,
I don' wanna die,
Well,
I don't wanna be a sailer mama,
I don't wanna fly,

Well,
I don't wanna be a failure mama,
I don't wanna cry,
Well,
I don't wanna be a soldier mama,
I don't wanna die,

Oh no,
Oh no,
Oh no,
Oh no,

Well,
I don't wanna be a rich man mama,
I don't wanna cry,
Well,
I don't wanna be a poor man mama,
I don't wanna fly,

Well,
I don't wanna be lawyer mama,
I don't wanna lie,
Well,
I don't wanna be a soldier mama,
I don' wanna die,

Oh no,
Oh no,
Oh no,
Oh no,
Oh no,
Oh no,

Well,
I don't wanna be a beggar mama,
I don't wanna die,
Well,
I don't wanna be a thief now mama,
I don't wanna fly,

Well,
I don't wanna be a church man mama,
I don't wanna cry,
Well,
I don't wanna be a soldier mama,
I don't wanna die,

Oh no,
Oh no,
Oh no,
Oh no.

"IMAGINE" by Jon Lennon (i know its a bit of a cheat this one coz it covers everything))
Lyrics:
""Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people living for today...

Imagine there's no countries,
It isnt hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people living life in peace...

Imagine no possesions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man,
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say Im a dreamer,
but Im not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.

My favorite anti-war song by Phil Ochs.

I Ain't Marchin' Anymore

Oh I marched to the battle of New Orleans
At the end of the early British war
The young land started growing
The young blood started flowing
But I ain't marchin' anymore

For I've killed my share of Indians
In a thousand different fights
I was there at the Little Big Horn
I heard many men lying I saw many more dying
But I ain't marchin' anymore

chorus)
It's always the old to lead us to the war
It's always the young to fall
Now look at all we've won with the saber and the gun
Tell me is it worth it all

For I stole California from the Mexican land
Fought in the bloody Civil War
Yes I even killed my brothers
And so many others But I ain't marchin' anymore

For I marched to the battles of the German trench
In a war that was bound to end all wars
Oh I must have killed a million men
And now they want me back again
But I ain't marchin' anymore

(chorus)

For I flew the final mission in the Japanese sky
Set off the mighty mushroom roar
When I saw the cities burning I knew that I was learning
That I ain't marchin' anymore

Now the labor leader's screamin'
when they close the missile plants,
United Fruit screams at the Cuban shore,
Call it "Peace" or call it "Treason,"
Call it "Love" or call it "Reason,"
But I ain't marchin' any more,
No I ain't marchin' any more

"Born in the U.S.A." Bruce Springsteen

Born down in a dead mans town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog thats been beat too much
Till you spend half your life just covering up

Born in the u.s.a., I was born in the u.s.a.
I was born in the u.s.a., born in the u.s.a.

Got in a little hometown jam
So they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land
To go and kill the yellow man

Born in the u.s..a.

Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man said son if it was up to me
Went down to see my v.a. man
He said son, dont you understand

I had a brother at khe sahn
Fighting off the viet cong
Theyre still there, hes all gone



Bruce singing about being sent off to the Vietnam war.

Good initiative, Elaine!

Here's the strongest ANTI-war song I know, so graphic, so played down emotional, so straight forward, so true about what the John Browns of this world will do for the sake of Ma.

Written in 1962, it has been with me for almost as long. A little known song outside the core of incarnated Bob-heads, I think.

www.dylanchords.com..." target="_blank" class="postlink">Lyrics
John Brown went off to war to fight on a foreign shore.
His mama sure was proud of him!
He stood so straight and tall in his uniform and all.
His mama's face broke out into a grin.

"Oh son, you look so fine, I'm glad you're a son of mine,
You make me proud to know you hold a gun.
Do what the captain says, lots of medals you will get,
And we'll put them on the wall when you get home."

That old train pulled out, John's ma began to shout,
Tellin' ev'rybody in the neighborhood:
"That's my son that's about to go, he's a soldier now, you know."
She made well sure her neighbors understood.

She got a letter once in a while, her face broke into a smile
she showed them to the people from next door.
she bragged about her son with his uniform and gun,
And these things you called a good old-fashioned war.

Then the letters ceased to come, for a long time they did not come.
ceased to come for about ten months or more.
Then a letter finally came saying, "Go down and meet the train.
Your son is coming back from the war."

She smiled and she went right down, she looked up and all around
But she did not see her soldier son in sight.
When all the people passed, she saw her son at last,
When she did she could not believe her eyes.

Oh his face was all shot off and his hand were blown away
And he wore a metal brace around his waist.
He whispered kind of slow, in a voice she didn't know,
While she couldn't even recognize his face!

"Oh tell me, my darling son, tell me what they done.
How is it you come to be this way?"
He tried his best to talk but his mouth could hardly move
And his mother had to turn her face away.

"Don't you remember, Ma, when I went off to war
You thought it was the best thing I could do?
I was on the battleground, you were home acting proud.
You wasn't there standing in my shoes."

"Well, and I thought when I was there, Lord, what am I doing here?
tryin' to kill somebody or die tryin'.
But the thing that scared me most when my enemy came close
I could see that his face looked just like mine."

"And I couldn't help but think, through the thunder rolling stink,
I was just a puppet in a play.
And through the roar and smoke, this string it finally broke,
And a cannon ball blew my eyes away."

As he turned away to go, his Mother was acting slow
seein' the metal brace that helped him stand.
But as he turned to leave, he called his mother close
And he dropped his medals down into her hand.

Anybody over 40 should know this song. I just wish a song like that would be written today adressing the Iraq war, with the same irony, same sarcasme, same distance to a deeply serious and deadly topic.

This song actually was the most popular, most played, hummed, most sang song among the boys overthere in Nam.

No, they didn't know what they were fighting for. Doubt they do in Iraq either.

Lyric
Yeah, come on all of you, big strong men,
Uncle Sam needs your help again.
He's got himself in a terrible jam
Way down yonder in Vietnam
So put down your books and pick up a gun,
We're gonna have a whole lotta fun.

And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Well, come on generals, let's move fast;
Your big chance has come at last.
Gotta go out and get those reds -
The only good commie is the one who's dead
And you know that peace can only be won
When we've blown 'em all to kingdom come.

And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam;
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Huh!

Well, come on Wall Street, don't move slow,
Why man, this is war au-go-go.
There's plenty good money to be made
By supplying the Army with the tools of the trade,
Just hope and pray that if they drop the bomb,
They drop it on the Viet Cong.

And it's one, two, three,
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam.
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Well, come on mothers throughout the land,
Pack your boys off to Vietnam.
Come on fathers, don't hesitate,
Send 'em off before it's too late.
Be the first one on your block
To have your boy come home in a box.

And it's one, two, three
What are we fighting for ?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Vietnam.
And it's five, six, seven,
Open up the pearly gates,
Well there ain't no time to wonder why,
Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

[edit on 27-11-2006 by khunmoon]

Guns and roses- Civil war

Look at your young men fighting
Look at your women crying
Look at your young men dying
The way they've always done before


Look at the hate we're breeding
Look at the fear we're feeding
Look at the lives we're leading
The way we've always done before


My hands are tied
The billions shift from side to side
And the wars go on with brainwashed pride
For the love of God and our human rights
And all these things are swept aside
By bloody hands time can't deny
And are washed away by your genocide
And history hides the lies of our civil wars


D'you wear a black armband
When they shot the man
Who said "Peace could last forever"
And in my first memories
They shot Kennedy
I went numb when I learned to see
So I never fell for Vietnam
We got the wall of D.C. to remind us all
That you can't trust freedom
When it's not in your hands
When everybody's fightin'
For their promised land


And
I don't need your civil war
It feeds the rich while it buries the poor
Your power hungry sellin' soldiers
In a human grocery store
Ain't that fresh
I don't need your civil war


Look at the shoes your filling
Look at the blood we're spilling
Look at the world we're killing
The way we've always done before
Look in the doubt we've wallowed
Look at the leaders we've followed
Look at the lies we've swallowed
And I don't want to hear no more


My hands are tied
For all I've seen has changed my mind
But still the wars go on as the years go by
With no love of God or human rights
'Cause all these dreams are swept aside
By bloody hands of the hypnotized
Who carry the cross of homicide
And history bears the scars of our civil wars


"We practice selective annihilation of mayors
And government officials
For example to create a vacuum
Then we fill that vacuum
As popular war advances
Peace is closer" **


I don't need your civil war
It feeds the rich while it buries the poor
Your power hungry sellin' soldiers
In a human grocery store
Ain't that fresh
And I don't need your civil war
I don't need your civil war
I don't need your civil war
Your power hungry sellin' soldiers
In a human grocery store
Ain't that fresh
I don't need your civil war
I don't need one more war


I don't need one more war
Whaz so civil 'bout war anyway

Another little known Dylan song. Written for the movie "Gods and Generals".

About the American Civil War. Far the bloodest war Americans so far have fought.
5% of the male population was killed in that war.

I cross the green mountain, I sit by the stream
Heaven blazing in my head, I dreamt a monstrous dream
Something came up out of the sea
Swept through the land of the rich and the free

I look into the eyes of my merciful friend
And then i ask myself, is this the end?
Memories linger, sad yet sweet
And I think of the souls in heaven who will meet

Altars are burning with flames far and wide
The foe has crossed over from the other side
They tip their caps from the top of the hill
You can feel them come, more brave blood to spill

Along the dim Atlantic line
the ravaged land lies for miles behind
The light's coming forward and the streets are broad
All must yield to the avenging God

The world is old, the world is gray
Lessons of life, can't be learned in a day
I watch and I wait, and I listen while I stand
To the music that comes from a far-better land

Close the eyes of our captain, peace may he know
His long night is done, the great leader is laid low
He was ready to fall, he was quick to defend
Killed outright he was, by his own men

It's the last day's last hour, of the last happy year
I feel that the unknown world is so near
Pride will vanish and glory will rot
But virtue lives and cannot be forgot

The bells of leavening have rung
There's blasphemy on every tongue
Let 'em say that I walked in fair nature's light
And that I was loyal to truth and to right

Serve God and be cheerful, look upward, beyond
Beyond the darkness of masks, the surprises of dawn
In the deep green grasses of the blood stained world
They never dreamed of surrenderin', they fell where they stood

Stars fell over Alabama, I saw each star
You're walkin' in dreams, whoever you are
Chilled are the skies, keen as the frost
The ground's froze hard and the morning is lost

A letter to mother came today
Gunshot wound to the breast is what it did say
But he'll be better soon, he's in a hospital bed
But he'll never be better - he's already dead

I'm ten miles outside the city, and I'm lifted away
In an ancient light, that is not of day
They were calm, they were blunt, we knew 'em all too well
We loved each other more than we ever dared to tell

"THE MARCHING SONG OF THE COVERT BATTALION" by Billy Bragg
Lyrics:
""Here we are, seeking out the reds
Trying to keep the communists in order
Just remember when you're sleeping in your beds
They're only two days drive from the Texas border.

How can a country large as ours
Be scared of such a threat
Well if they won't work for us
They're against us you can bet

They may be sovereign countries
But you folks at home forget
That they all want what we've got
But they don't know it yet

We're making the world safe for capitalism
Here we come with our candy and our guns
And our corporate muscle marches in behind us
For freedom's just another word for nothing left to sell
And if you want narcotics we can get you those as well

We help the multi-nationals
When they cry out protect us
The locals scream and shout a bit
But we don't let that affect us

We're here to lend a helping hand
In case they don't elect us
How dare they buy our products
But still they don't respect us

We're making the world safe for capitalism
If you thought the army
Was here protecting people like yourself
I've some news for you
We're here to defend wealth

Away with nuns and bishops
The Good Lord will help those that help themselves
I've some news for you
We're here to defend wealth
We're making the world safe for capitalism""

"UNITED STATES" by Seize The Day
This song i think was written in protest about the 911 bombings and the subsequent war! The group were band from recieving a Music award on BBC (UK) because the shows producers said that it was not a political show?

Lyrics:
""It could've been Manhattan on the day the market fell
And it could've been a candy-store in Kandahar as well
And she might have been a Moslem, but it's kind've hard to tell
When your body's ground to zero and your skin's been fried to hell

So tell me it's the war to end all war, or don't tell me nothin'
'Cos if this sacrifice was not for peace, it was not worth making.
Seems to me, you did your best to put your hand in the hornet-nest that bit you -
Jst when it hit you - There's other people hurt as much as you.
And grief is no excuse for what you do.

High-flyers at the corporation's daisy-cutting edge
They hold each other's hands and plummet from the window ledge
And the monitors have melted on the coffee-deal which meant
5000 farmers wondering where their livelihood just went.



America, my family, the whole world feels your pain …
And before this war is over, you'll make sure we do again.
Even as the tower tumbled on that fire-fighting team
We wondered who you'd barbecue for puncturing your dream
So tell me it's the war to end all war, or don't tell me nothin'
'Cos if this sacrifice does not bring peace, then it was not worth making.

Seems to me, you did your best to put your hand in the hornet-nest that bit you -
But it still don't it hit you - There's other people feel as much as you.
And freedom's no excuse for what you do.

Thanks Khunmoon. I think these threads are pretty informative and sometimes even enlightening. I'm going to buy a "bob" cd when I get a chance. What's the best one to get?


This song is by Jackson Browne from a 2005 album. Those who remember him may also remember that two of his most popular hits were "Running on Empty" and "Doctor My Eyes".


"Lives In The Balance" Jackson Browne

I've been waiting for something to happen
For a week or a month or a year
With the blood in the ink of the headlines
And the sound of the crowd in my ear
You might ask what it takes to remember
When you know that you've seen it before
Where a government lies to a people
And a country is drifting to war

And there's a shadow on the faces
Of the men who send the guns
To the wars that are fought in places
Where their business interest runs

On the radio talk shows and the T.V.
You hear one thing again and again
How the U.S.A. stands for freedom
And we come to the aid of a friend
But who are the ones that we call our friends
These governments killing their own?
Or the people who finally can't take any more
And they pick up a gun or a brick or a stone
There are lives in the balance
There are people under fire
There are children at the cannons
And there is blood on the wire

There's a shadow on the faces
Of the men who fan the flames
Of the wars that are fought in places
Where we can't even say the names

[edit on 28-11-2006 by elaine]