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The Crusades (a war poem)

from The Lost Little Indian Mixes - Album by Mark DK Berry

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about

This is a war poem. I am not sure what I make of the sentiment today. I was a little more earnest back then, I guess, and the Iraq war stuff was going on with Tony Blair lying through his teeth.

It's got a kind of "The Streets" feel and I was dabbling in ways to use the spoken word more than singing. I have a lot of poetry and wanted to try fit it with my music. I was embarrassed by these recordings and maybe I still am a bit. It is cheesy, but at the same time it captures something.

I deliberated about adding this track and the next one to the album, but then decided "shame" is a good thing and sometimes we should just face into it. Maybe that is where art truly lies; in the places we feel most uncomfortable. I've certainly done worse recordings. Like Dolphins...

This was recorded in 2002 or 2003 and mixes lost in 2004.

lyrics

"The Crusades" (A War Poem)

Live by the sword, die by the sword
Ain't that what they say?
They've got your name on a computer
That's the powers that be
Stand up and be counted
You'll go down in history
But they've got a hidden agenda
And they call it the Crusades.

Death to the enemy means
Death for all our sons
Can someone please explain to me
Why kids want to play with guns
Can any one man find a way to stop these bloody wars
These are the Crusades my friend
And we've lost them all before

They're out on night manoeuvres
And they're out to stop the foe
And when this war is over then they'll make their way back home
To find their children high on crime
And their women slept around
Their houses robbed and there's no jobs
In this town to be found.

So tell me what you're doing there
And tell me what you've done
To make this world a better place for you or anyone
Murdering for government
Is the price you're willing to pay
Because they've fooled you into thinking
That you're part of a Crusade

I can't give you solution
And I can't give you a way
To solve the riddle of our lives
Or bring us peace today
But I'll tell you now as you walk round
The streets of your home town
If you want to change the world
Then that's where you'll be found.

Talk to strangers, know your friends
Get to know the man
Fear roams our streets at nights
It's time to hunt it down
If you can't face your enemy
How then can you say
It's right to kill the people
In a country far away

I lived by the sword I'll die by the sword
I feel my guilt and shame
But I'm ready to lay down my guns if you will do the same
In the heart of my community
I see fear, theft, and rape
How can you put up with this for even one more day.

So gather round and tell your friends
We fly the flags tonight
We find a way to settle this coz the punishment ain't right
The criminals and rapists and tyrants in our way
It's time the truth came out and it's the only way we'll win
The Crusades

Written by Mark DK Berry - 2002

credits

from The Lost Little Indian Mixes - Album, released December 31, 2004

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Mark DK Berry Australia

Music Producer (From UK now in Australia)

Produces in genres from EDM, to Chillout, to Indie, to Neo- Classical.

For music videos & DJ sets see both YT links below.

D&B collaborations with Royalston released on Hospital Records, Med School, & Bad Taste Records.

All non-record company releases are on bandcamp

If you are in the Fediverse find me @markdkberry@mstdn.social ... more

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