Here is contribution from Frank Andrick, a sixties memorialist and memory master.
I love these particular moments in music and poetic history though like others say about this song by Steppenwolf didn’t get the attention other songs did, I think, because it was political. The one thing this song/poetry illustrates is that while we filled the streets, while we were in the midst of the fight that is the same fight younger people today struggle with and must continue, The past, present and the future is/was/will be one big mirrored funhouse of horrors, we have to laugh to keep from crying. Don't give up Hope, Change is on the way.
Steppenwolf-Monster
Here's the lyrics to the video supplied by Frank Andrick.
MONSTER by John McKay/Steppenwolf
Once the religious, the hunted and weary
Chasing the promise of freedom and hope
Came to this country to build a new vision
Far from the reaches of Kingdom and pope
Like good Christians some would burn the witches
Later some got slaves to gather riches
But still from near and far to seek America
They came by thousands, to court the wild
But she just patiently smiled and bore a child
To be their spirit and guiding light
And once the ties with the crown had been broken
Westward in saddle and wagon it went
And till the railroad linked ocean to ocean
Many the lives which had come to an end
While we bullied, stole and bought a homeland
We began the slaughter of the red man
But still from near and far to seek America
They came by thousands to court the wild
But she just patiently smiled and bore a child
To be their spirit and guiding light
The Blue and Grey they stomped it
They kicked it just like a dog
And when the war was over
They stuffed it just like a hog
And though the past has its share of injustice
Kind was the spirit in many a way
But its protectors and friends have been sleeping
Now it's a monster and will not obey
The spirit was freedom and justice
And its keepers seemed generous and kind
Its leaders were supposed to serve the country
But now they won't pay it no mind
Cause the people grew fat and got lazy
Now their vote is a meaningless joke
They babble about law and order
But it's all just an echo of what they've been told
Yeah, there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into the noose
And it just sits there watchin'
The cities have turned into jungles
And corruption is stranglin' the land
The police force is watching the people
And the people just can't understand
We don't know how to mind our own business
'Cause the whole world's got to be just like us
Now we are fighting a war over there
No matter who's the winner we can't pay the cost
'Cause there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into the noose
And it just sits there watchin'
America, where are you now
Don't you care about your sons and daughters
Don't you know we need you now
We can't fight alone against the monster
America, where are you now
Don't you care about your sons and daughters
Don't you know we need you now
We can't fight alone against the monster
America...America...America...America...
Songwriters: Jerry Edmonton / John Kay
Monster lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Various commentary about the condition of the world as interpreted by twists and turning, mostly left.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2024
2024- anarchism, fascism and the status quo Defing political terms is one of the hardest intellectual exercises around. Everyone has an opin...
-
Don't Obey It’s the people who obey the orders who scare me Not the ones who give them, those you can ignore. It’s the obedien...
-
September 20, 2021 Words are going the way of the buffalo, though not yet extinct, the ones that are left are only for grazing the vast occ...
-
World Social Forum After the Cold War ended neoliberal capitalism , no longer fettered by the Soviet Union...
No comments:
Post a Comment