Steemit open mic 143 - When The Boys Are On Parade ( Marcus Turner Cover )
Hey openmic steemians
Im back after taking a couple of weeks of to find some new songs.
I've been playing around with this song written by a very clever New Zealand songwriter named Marcus Turner.
I first heard this song played by Andy Irvine who does a tremendous version of the song on his Mandocello with an amazing harmonica accompaniment.
I'll put a link to Andy's magical version of it below.
What I've done is come up with my on version of the song as I don't currently own a Mandocello but if the musical gods are good to me perhaps that will change in the future :).
For now I have this version for you guys
When The Boy's Are On Parade
by Marcus Turner
See them come marching past the houses
Shiney boots and Khaki blouses
Stiff as the creases in their trousers
Standing tall and straight and strong
Watch them all keep in step together
Glint of steel and flash of leather
Braving every kind of weather
As they boldly march along
You may dismiss it as a ploy
For the enlistment of the boys
Who'll be impressed by all the toys
And playing the games that can be played
So you may well prefer abstention
but I feel compelled to mention
You'd do well to pay attention
When the boys are on parade
Look at your sons before their older
They'll be stronger they'll be bolder
Just the thing to make a soldier
And we'll turn them into men
They'll be taught to follow orders
Keep the peace and guard the borders
To protect us from marauders
And defend us to the end
But the position they'll be filling
Is to be able and be willing
To be killed or do the killing
When there's a price that must be paid
You may well prefer abstention
I still feel compelled to mention
You'd do well to pay attention
When the boys are on parade
In the pursuit of a community
Of decency and unity
And equal opportunity
Well stand prepared to fight
If there's a threat to our position
From aggressive opposition
With our guns and ammunition
well defend with all our might
We'll dehumanise and hate them
Send the troops to decimate them
In the name of the nation all it will
Stand for is betrayed
You may well prefer abstention
I still feel compelled to mention
You'd do well to pay attention
When the boys are on parade
For merely the whim or intuition
Of an elected politician
Creates a melee without conditions
As the monster quits the cage
Its a machine that knows no quarter
Dealing death and sowing slaughter
Raping mothers wives and daughters
In an all consuming rage
We may we'll decide we need it
So we'll pay to arm and feed it
But can you tell me who will lead it
When the decisions must be made
You may well prefer abstention
I still feel compelled to mention
You'd do well to pay attention
When the boys are on parade
Some will wonder whats to fear
They'll say there is no danger here
But there has never been a year
When soldiers havent been at war
And the internal executions
and the bloody revolutions
And the ultimate solutions to
Have all been seen before
And there's always someone scheming
So some times at night when dreaming
In the distance I hear screaming
And in my heart I feel afraid
So you may love them and adore them
Straight hate them and abhor them
But for god sake dont ignore them
When the boys are on parade
Is it any cause for pride
That now the women march beside them
Will they have wiser gods to guide them
In discerning right from wrong
Cause every step is a reminder
Of the threat that lies behind
If we forget the ties that bind us
When the decisive game is played.
So as the procession marches by
consider the sight before your eyes
Cause its you they'll kill and die for
When their called to the crusade
So you may love them and adore them
Straight hate them and abhor them
But for god sake dont ignore them
When the boys are on parade
Here is the Andy Irvine concert that inspired me to come up with a version of this song.Its the very first song...