And it seems my time has passed
Before me until now
In sequences of moments
And now I see this poster
They seem to need me anyway
I`ll take the shilling sign
I`ll make a positive move
To be an action man
The woman seem to want us to go
And so I can`t refuse
So I find myself in a country somewhere
Where mayhem`s madman minions
All march around a square
Unquestioning obedience
Is the order of the day
Your friends are coloured khaki
And your enemies are grey
THE SERGEANT-MAJOR`S PEP-TALK
Alright my likely lads
You`ve left your mums and dads, now
Our glorious leaders start a war
To protect the `ole of `umankind
That`s why they always stay be`ind
What d`ya mean
`Isn`t it wrong to kill?`
Not if the top men say so!
Where you`re going sonny
General`s top chap
Next to him you`re a small piece of crap
If none of us went out of fight
We`d never prove our side was right
Now would we?
ATTENTION!
THE COLONEL`S PEP-TALK
The front line is a pretty bloody place to be
That`s why you go instead of me
Now I`d hate to send you all off thinking
That if you get yours you`re going to fret
About your families, so don`t
They`ll get some lovely souvenirs
A nice bronze plaque
On which will be your name
You`ll get free crutches if you end up lame
`Though the numbers of dead
Will contain many zeros
The survivors will return
To a land fit for heroes
Now would I lie to you?
PRESENT ARMS!
Put next to a young boy
In a knee-deep trench
Whose hand even trembles
When he keeps it clenched
We attack tomorrow
In dawn`s early light
And as this sinks in
I`m so scared
I can`t wait for it and tonight
To be over
ALRIGHT MEN: OVER THE TOP WE GO!
I can`t make it
I just can`t take it
I trip, strumbling
Caught in the barbed wire
Amongst the heat
And smoke of the crossfire
It`s madness, madness
On a station platform
Full of stretchered flesh and bone
Legacy of how easy it is
To destroy whatever`s grown
Well maybe there`s a reason
That is worthy of a name
Just sick illusions
That I suppose will happen again
Well, next time they ask for men
At least I`m beyond recall
I didn`t gain my self-respect
I didn`t gain anything at all
If hate and war could solve anything
Don`t you think they`d have solved it
A long time ago?
There`s good and evil in all of us
It`s up to you alone
Which you follow
I know which is my cause from now on
The only one worth sacrifice
The only one I would have remain
When I`m gone -
The flags we weave
Only deceive
We must believe
We must believe ... IN LOVE
BASS AND KEYBOARDS : CLIVE MITTEN
DRUMS AND PERCUSSION : BRIAN DEVOIL
GUITAR : ANDY REVELL
KEYBOARDS
:
RICK BATTERSBY
VOCALS
: GEOFF MANN
WRITTEN BY : ANDY, BRIAN, CLIVE, RICK AND GEOFF
ORIGINALLY RELEASED ON : `LIVE AND LET LIVE` MFN.18 Jan 1984
