Remember that song from 1992 I tried to post the other day? The one where I was trying to find the lyrics? Well, still no real luck, but I did try doing a little transcribing. Yes, much of this song seems to be about Great Britain’s transgressions, but if you look at what he’s saying a bunch of it could directly relate to our current world.
Here’s what I could understand, to the best of my meager abilities. Tell me that a lot of this doesn’t hit home like a sucker punch:
<unk> <unk> of carraige lamps and selected affluence
a voting booth of certainty insures a quiet subservience
Politicians smooth their hair, a x box begins to leak
So be bold and strong and let’s sell Hong Kong, leave behind the lame and the weak
These islands of divided <unk>, we’ve sailed the world and we robbed it too
<unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> books and jingoistic ballyhoo
Children of the empire, we’re just putting up shelves
We’re shaking hands with those maniacs, no wonder whales beach themselves
Tear gas ghosts on terraces, the foreign game show parliament
In order to avoid arrest it’s best to be completely bent
Fresh air is for <unk> portfolios, available upon request
The deal was to be healed in the kingdom of the double-breast
Poll tax, blurred facts, good job there was no soul tax
For those who rule are those who could not pay
Empty prayers, loveless stares
We <unk> casualty became the casualties
Of being there...
And ten years on where did they go, what is moved and what was sold
Wisdom’s not prime time enough, so stupid words are aired instead
Ain’t nothing right and no one’s wrong and everyone has their say
The truth is now opinions in multi-colored shades of grey
We’re reeling whilst kneeling, <unk> prayers of better feeling
We’re trying to walk the soft and wounded way
We need clarity, and charity, amidst the tensions and disparity
Of being there...
We’ve sucked the breast of right to buy the six-pack evening barbecue
Whilst yet another war groans out on CNN news
So sad for them less fortunate, their lives are just crumpled leaves
But we’re in first class, the <unk> baby, ordering aperitifs - what’s yours...
We’re still casualties, we’re casualties
Of being there...