PHIL OCHS : TALKING CUBAN CRISIS (1964)

Ελπίζω να μη χρειαστεί να μείνουμε πολύ καιρό στο αντιπολεμικό μουσικό κλίμα, όχι φυσικά γατί θα δυσκολεύουμε να αντεπεξέλθουμε (το συγκεντρωμένο από όλα τα genres υλικό επαρκεί για μήνες ολόκληρους). Η “ξεκαρδιστικά” επίκαιρη πρόταση του stcigar (βλ. στίχους) αφορά σ’ ένα τραγούδι του Phil Ochs από την εποχή της κρίσης των πυραύλων της Κούβας. Μακάρι τουλάχιστον η παρούσα να έχει παρόμοια ανώδυνη κατάληξη. I hope we won’t have to stay in this anti-war musical atmosphere for too long — not, of course, because we would struggle to keep up (the material collected from all genres is enough to last for many whole months). The “hilariously” up to date proposal by stcigar (see lyrics) refers to a song by Phil Ochs from the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. May the current crisis at least end in a similarly painless way.

Written by Phil Ochs Album All The News That’s Fit To Sing Producer Jac Holzman


It was just a little while ago I glued my ears to the radio
The announcer was sayin’ we’d better beware
A crisis was hangin’ way up in the air
Crawlin’ on the ground
Swimmin’ in the sea
Headin’ for me
Well, I didn’t know if I was for or agin’ it
He was yellin’ and screamin’ a mile a minute
Well, he said “Here comes the President
But first this word from Pepsodent
Have whiter teeth
Have cleaner breath
When you’re facin’ nuclear death”
And then President John began to speak
And I knew right away he wouldn’t be weak
Well, he said he’d seen some missile bases
And terrible smiles on Cuban faces
Close pictures
Carryin’ land reform too far
Giving land to the USSR
Well, he said we mustn’t be afraid
We’re settin’ up a little blockade
Put our ships along the Cuban shores
And if the Russian bear yells and roars
We’ll let him have it
From Turkey and Greece, Formosa and Spain
The peaceful West European plain
From Alaska and Greenland we’ll use our means
And twenty thousand submarines
We’re gonna teach the Russians a lesson
For trying to upset the balance of power
Now most Americans stood behind
The President and his military minds
But me, I stood behind a bar
Dreamin’ of a spaceship getaway car
Head for Mars
Any other planet that has bars
Yes, it seemed the stand was strong and plain
But some Republicans was a-goin’ insane
And they still are
Well, they said our plan was just too mild
Spare the rod and spoil the child
Let’s sink Cuba into the sea
And give ’em back democracy
Under the water
Well, the deadline was set for ten o’clock
For a cold war it was a-gettin’ hot
Well, the Russians tried, the Russians failed
Homeward bound those missiles sailed
Mr. Khrushchev said, “Better red than dead.”

(Visited 18 times, 18 visits today)

Discover more from OANNES

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Discover more from OANNES

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading