Dead children at My Lai, March 16, 1968
A dead child in Iraq
I came across an interesting song while cleaning up my hard drive.
"Jennifer Lost The War"Primal punk. I've seen video of them singing this song in 1987. Yes, twenty years ago. And My Lai was almost forty years ago. The more things change... (And yes, I know the backstory on this song, which had nothing to do with a literal war, but even if you don't know the backstory, the fact is that the same damned thing just keeps happening over and over again).
The Offspring, album: The Offspring.Jennifer lost the war today
They'll find her burned and raped
Through it all she must have wondered
What have I done
But nobody really cares today
The world's a busy place
Guess she must have really sinnedI guess we're all just soldiers
She was only six years old
Left to die by strangers
Her family waits
And if we're all just soldiers
Is it so wrong to be afraid
Jennifer lost the warPhoebe lost the war today
There must be some mistake
Say it happens all the time
And it's said and done
Little Miss 15 65
Your soul remains unclaimed
Guess you must have really sinnedMorality won't help her
When she lies silent in a morgue
And all our sorrows left her
But will the morning headlines
Even say that it's a shame
What are we heading for
Jennifer lost the warSeen it all before
Silent on the ground as he's walking away
And I wonder how many more
Everybody take it like it's nothing at all
Jennifer lost, lost, lost, lost the warNow I guess we're all just soldiers
She was only six years old
Left to die by strangers
Her family waits
And will the morning headlines
Even say that it's a shame
What are we heading for
-- Badtux the Music Penguin
"Iraq is Arabic for Vietnam".
ReplyDeleteDave
Indeed.
ReplyDeletePost now updated with Dave's input.
ReplyDeleteI was 2.
ReplyDeleteSometimes only poetry will do....
ReplyDeleteTurning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Things will get better.
ReplyDeleteAfter mankind destroys himself.
And the spirit of the planet is just bugs and critters again.
I've never seen that song, thanks for sharing.
I doubt you would like the song, BBC. It is rather punk. And frankly if your world view is that damned depressing as to think there is no hope for humanity it's a wonder you haven't offed yourself yet.
ReplyDeleteThug, some turn to poetry. Others turn to music. Which is, I suppose, poetry of a sort. The Offspring are not everybody's ball of wax, but they've been very successful at writing -- and selling -- bitter sarcastic songs about the human condition. Occasionally they even manage to thrash decently.
-Badtux the Music Penguin
thanks for sharing the song -- i was around for viet-nam and stated at the beginning of iraq-nam it would be that same stupid shit all over again...
ReplyDeleteno one listens...the media tells them it's good -- go ahead and support the president...sigh
i do wonder if we will ever learn?
"And frankly if your world view is that damned depressing as to think there is no hope for humanity it's a wonder you haven't offed yourself yet."
ReplyDeleteBut, I have. You clearly have not followed my blog much or you would have noticed that.