Everyone, everyone must read these song lyrics

[patcox2]

Someone posted this James McMurtry song earlier, I quickly copied it to send it to friends, then read it and read it again. Whoever posted it earlier deserves credit for the find.

This should be the rallying song for the next election, the marching song for every protest, this should be the democratic party's platform. McMurtry should be president. This is an anthem.

This are the best words, this is the best poem, about the situation in america today I have ever seen.

Check out this section especially, but then read the whole thing:


"Should I hate a people for the shade of their skin
or the shape of their eyes or the shape i'm in
should i hate em for having our jobs today
No I hate the men sent the jobs away
I can see them all now, they haunt my dreams
all lily white and squeaky clean
they've never known want, they'll never know need
Their shit don't stink and their kids don't bleed
their kids don't bleed in their damn little war
and we can't make it here anymore

will work for food and die for oil
will kill for power and to us the spoils
the billionaires get to pay less tax
the working poor get to fall through the cracks
so let 'em eat jellybeans let 'em eat cake
let em eat shit, whatever it takes
they can join the Air Force or join the Corps
if they can't make here anymore

So that's how it is, that's what we got
if the president wants to admit it or not
you can read it in the papers, read it on the wall
hear it on the wind if you're listening at all
get out of that limo, look us in the eye
call us on the cell phone tell us all why"


Here's from the beginning:

We Can't Make It Here Any More
By JAMES McMURTRY (Listen...)

There's a Vietnam Vet with a cardboard sign
Sitting there by the left turn line
One leg missing and both hands free
No one's paying much mind to him
The VA budget's just stretched too thin
And now there's more coming back from the mideast war
We can't make it here any more

The big ol' building was the textile mill
It fed our kids and it paid our bills
But they turned us out and then closed the doors
We can't make it here any more

See those pallets piled up on the loading dock
they're just gonna set there til they rot
cause there's nothing to ship, nothing to pack
just busted concrete and rusted tracks
empty storefronts around the square
there's a needle in the gutter and glass everywhere
you don't come down here unless you're looking to score
we can't make it here anymore

The bar's still open but man it's slow
the tip jar's light and the register's low
the bartender don't have much to say
the regular crowd gets thinner each day
some have maxed out all their credit cards
some are working two jobs and livin' in cars
minimum wage won't pay for a roof, won't pay for drink
if you gotta have proof just try it yourself mr CEO
see how far $5.15 an hour will go
take a part time job at one of your stores
bet you can't make it here anymore

There's a high school girl with bourgeois dream
just like the pictuers in the magazine
she found on the floor of the laundromat
a woman with kids can forget all that
if she comes up pregnant what'll she do?
forget the career, forget about school
can she live on faith? live on hope?
high on jesus or hooked on dope
when its way too late to just say no
you can't make it here anymore

Now I'm stocking shirts in the Wal-Mart stores
just like the ones we made before
'cept this one came from Singapore
I guess we can't make it here anymore

Should I hate a people for the shade of their skin
or the shape of their eyes or the shape i'm in
should i hate em for having our jobs today
No I hate the men sent the jobs away
I can see them all now, they haunt my dreams
all lily white and squeaky clean
they've never known want, they'll never know need
Their shit don't stink and their kids don't bleed
their kids don't bleed in their damn little war
and we can't make it here anymore

will work for food and die for oil
will kill for power and to us the spoils
the billionaires get to pay less tax
the working poor get to fall through the cracks
so let 'em eat jellybeans let 'em eat cake
let em eat shit, whatever it takes
they can join the Air Force or join the Corps
if they can't make here anymore

So that's how it is, that's what we got
if the president wants to admit it or not
you can read it in the papers, read it on the wall
hear it on the wind if you're listening at all
get out of that limo, look us in the eye
call us on the cell phone tell us all why

In Dayton Ohio or Portland Maine
or on a cotton gin out on the great high plains
that's done closed down along with the school
and the hospital and the swimming pool
dust devils dance in the noonday heat
there's rats in the alley and trash in the street
gang graffiti on a boxcar door
we can't make it here anymore

[tk2kewl]

1. if anyone is interested in seeing McMurtry perform in NYC on 10/23

PM me... I have 2 extra tix

[patcox2]

3. It was you, thanks for posting that.

nt

[tk2kewl]

4. you got it

:thumbsup: now go buy the CD :D

and check out some of his other stuff too. "To Long in the Wasteland" is an excellent album

[patcox2]

6. "Where's Johnny" is one of my favorite songs

Its from way back

[tk2kewl]

9. "choctaw bingo" was posted in another thread... that's some heavy shit

[Elwood P Dowd]

10. Self Delete

Wrong song.

[robertarctor]

2. Fuckin' A

That's quite well put.

[400Years]

5. download it if you want - mp3 link here

http://www.compadrerecords.com/downloadpages/We_Cant_Make_It_Here.mp3

[walkon]

7. Awesome lyric.

Topical - which Dylan denied being on the "No Direction Home" DVD.

From a thread awhile back on DU.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=172x8020

[koopie57]

8. I also thought these lyrics sung by Queen

would be good for a presidential campaign ... but this is just me ..



Heaven For Everyone
Words and music by Roger Taylor

This could be heaven
This could be heaven
This could be heaven for everyone

In these days of cool reflection
You come to me and everything seems alright
In these days of cold affections
You sit by me - and everything's fine

This could be heaven for everyone
This world could be fed, this world could be fun
This could be heaven for everyone
This world could be free, this world could be one

In this world of cool deception
Just your smile can smooth my ride
These troubled days of cruel rejection, hmm
You come to me, soothe my troubled mind

Yeah, this could be heaven for everyone
This world could be fed, this world could be fun
This could be heaven for everyone, yeah
This world should be free, this world could be one
We should bring love to our daughters and sons
Love, love, love, this could be heaven for everyone
You know that
This could be heaven for everyone
This could be heaven for everyone

Listen - what people do to their souls
They take their lives - destroy their goals
Their basic pride and dignity
Is stripped and torn and shown to pity
When this should be heaven for everyone

[Batgirl]

11. I like me some Choctaw Bingo

McMurtry's got a way with words. But his vocal delivery of these lyrics makes it even more amazing. It really says something that this relatively obscure songwriter is now getting an increasing amount of recognition because of this particular song. It really hits people at gut level. Me and hubby will be seeing him in Chicago tomorrow.

[Tsiyu]

12. Please, not president

I agree these lyrics are fine, but some of this dude's writing/delivery get on my last nerves. Sometimes he doesn't seem to like women very much.

Okay, my two cents. I just think maybe we should elect Viggo (so's I can look at him more) or maybe Bonnie Raitt, cuz she's the shizmet.

[mokawanis]

13. Dylan's "Master of War" is appropriate for the times

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

[tk2kewl]

14. what does he write that bugs you... specifically about women?

:shrug: