Protest songs. They’ve been around forever.
This year, Childish Gambino made Number One on the Billboard chart with This is America.
But protest songs go all the way back to the American Civil War.
They take various forms. They can plead for peace. They can demand that wrongs be put right. They can be angry.
And they can be about anything. God Save the Queen was a protest song for the Sex Pistols. Glad to be Gay was a protest song for Tom Robinson. Give Ireland Back to the Irish was a protest song for Paul McCartney. Barleycorn had The Men Behind the Wire. The Wolfe Tones had, well, everything! Edwin Starr brought the Temptation’s song War – and anti Vietnam protest song – to the number one spot in the Billboard charts.
And the Beatles had Revolution while solo John Lennon had Give Peace a Chance.
But my favourite is an angry one.
I’ve checked quite a few lists claiming to name the best twenty or even the best fifty protest songs of all time.
This one didn’t make any of them.
In it, John Lennon has a go at “uptight, short-sighted, narrow minded hypocrites.”
But not just them. He also has a go at “neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians.” And “short-haired, yellow-bellied sons of Tricky Dicky.” And “tight-lipped, condescending, mommy’s little chauvinists” and finally he didn’t leave out “schizophrenic, egocentric, paranoiac prima donnas.”
Gimme Some Truth. It’s 48 years old this summer.
But if Johnny was here today, he’d have another go at it.
He’s not. So I will.
So here’s what to do.
Listen to the original.
And then hum these words.
Of course they’re not in the same league as what John Lennon wrote.
But he’s not here.
And I am.
Sorry if you don’t like it. It’s the best I can do.
GIMME SOME MORE TRUTH
I’m sick and tired of hearing things
From stupid-looking, shite-talking, fake-tanned idiots
All I want is the truth.
Just give me some truth.
I’ve had enough of reading things from psychopathic, autocratic, pussy grabbing politicians,
All I want is the truth.
Just give me some truth.
No blonde haired, flip-flopping, son of Eton College is gonna Nigel Farage soft soap me with just a pocket full of shite,
Just ‘cost I’m white
Doesn’t make it all right.
I’m sick to death of seeing things
With self-appointed, self-annointed loud hailing racist eejits,
All I want is the truth
Just give me some truth
I’ve had enough of watching scenes of bullshit spouting right wing shouting, cliché touting opportunists
All I want is the truth
Just give me some truth
Paddy's World 