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Song for Basra
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This is one of the two songs on the CD that also appears on Living In These Times. It’s about the second city of Iraq, the most bombed city in one of the most bombed countries in the history of the world.
politics marijuana cannabis antiwar political iraq media social struggle israel cuba pirates environment labor afghanistan empire imperialism capitalism terrorism activism bullying bullies ecoterrorism guerrilla gardening irish hunger strike oil leaks oil spills social change
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"If the great Phil Ochs were to rise from the dead today, he would probably be hailed as the new David Rovics." Andy Kershaw, BBC
Song Info
Genre
Acoustic • Acoustic Folk
Peak in subgenre #115
Author
David Rovics
Rights
David Rovics 2002 All Rights Reserved
Uploaded
May 26, 2005
Track Files
MP3
MP3 8.8 MB • 128 kbps • 0:00
Story behind the song
This is one of the two songs on the CD that also appears on Living In These Times. It’s about the second city of Iraq, the most bombed city in one of the most bombed countries in the history of the world. I would say that I included it on this CD because of the ongoing relevance of the subject material, but mainly it’s on here because I like Allie’s harmony so much. (If you want to hear Allie’s harmonies to songs that are not on this CD, you have to come to a show.)
Lyrics
If I could sing a song for every bomb that flies I'd sing each and all the days If there were to be a verse for every dying child's cries For every helpless father's gaze If I wrote a love letter to each corpse as it is carried I'd never still my pen If I had to stop a moment for each one that's been buried I'd never move again And the stocks are going up in some safe place in America Sing a song for Basra If I could shed a tear for every home that bombs destroy I'd never stop crying If every broken brick were a heart of a little girl or boy All the world's children would be sighing If I could hold each shattered body, each baby stilled at birth I'd have no time for loneliness I'd spend all my time embracing the people of this savaged earth Feeling the poisoned wind's caress And the billionaires are laughing in some safe place in America Sing a song for Basra If each barren pharmacy were a woman's shining eyes I'd fall in love forever If every bombed-out kindergarten were a factory in disguise Wouldn't that be clever But bricks are only bricks, and dust is only dust And death is all around Each day another missile falls and sometimes the only thing to trust Is the shaking of the ground And they're loading up the warplanes in some safe place in America Sing a song for Basra ---- Created July, 2001 Copyright David Rovics 2001, all rights reserved
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