Cafe Hayek - Latest Comments in Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Lewis — Tue, 23 May 2006 09:03:54 -0000

"Blinded By The Darkness"

T-Bone Burnett

from his 2006 CD "The True False Identity"

The laws of God and the laws of man

The laws of man

They don't carry the same weight as the laws of God

Or the laws of nature

In the nomenclature

Do we want to inject the concept of sin

Into the Constitution?

Is this really necessary?

Does this not make you somewhat wary?

Shouldn't sin be left to the laws of God

And to the laws of nature?

Can we trust this to the legislature?

And shall we trust sin to the wisdom

Of the criminal justice system

Which can't handle the criminals we have now

Why create a whole new class of them?

Isn't crime dealt with by the laws of man?

Isn't sin dealt with by the laws of God?

If sin were dealt with by the laws of man

Everybody would be in jail for life

In solitary confinement

With no one to go his bail

Or would have gotten death

Maybe I should save my breath

But this lunacy is bound to fail

But there would be no one to get the food

Or run the machines

Mercy on us, dude

You shine your darkness on me

I am blinded by the darkness

In seven days God created evolution

When shall I expect retribution

From the counter revolution?

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

dagny — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 05:50:36 -0000

I gotta say, being as I just spent the past hour or so arguing why "Imagine" is really a god-damn terrible song, I appreciate this thread quite a bit.

Also, everyone here should get the DVDs of Firefly & Serenity, there's some great libertarianish stuff there.

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Lewis — Sun, 05 Feb 2006 16:01:18 -0000

From Bonnie Raitt’s albumn Souls Alike

I Will Not be Broken

That was then and this is now

I found my way back here somehow

Knew you'd have to let me go

I told you once I told you so

chorus;

Take me down

You can hold me but you

Can't hold what's within

Pull me round

Push me to the limit

Maybe I may bend

But I know where I'm not going

I will not be broken

I will not be broken

I will not be...

Someone other than who I am

I will fight to make my stand

Cause what is livin' if I can't live free

What is freedom if I can't be me

(chorus)

I won't let you near it

I will let my spirit fly

Fly

High

Oh take me down

Take me down

You can hold me but you

Can't hold what's within

Pull me round

Push me to the limit

Maybe I may bend

But we both know where I'm not going

I will not be broken

I will not be broken

I will not be...

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Kyle — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 13:28:26 -0000

Not an expert in the genre, but there's an awful lot of such stuff in the Filk community (Sci-fi fandom acquires folk music).

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

liberty — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 10:44:48 -0000

>BTW, Not much difference between your libertarian songs and radical communist ones, are there?

Sure there are. The Libertarian songs are about making your own life, the communist ones are weepy about not getting what you want. Your song is weepy about a lost job, rather than recognizing that people can move on and try something new, that sometimes the buggy whip factory has to close and it will be better for everyone that it does.

>taxes and regulations are more easily coped with by big established companies than by small and potential contributors. ... workers have fewer options in the labor market than they would have under laissez faire.... Let's keep the full context in mind.

Big companies always have some advantages - we should limit the ones government gives them (eliminate them if possible) but we should not add to the problem by giving workers false advantages too. I have no problem with workers spontaniously (if misguidedly) unionizing; I do have a problem with giving them help from government. But even when companies have a big advantage, they also have disadvantages - they often change more slowly, they have already invested in certain technologies and can't change as quickly as a new entrant can create a better way - hence if there are no big anti-trust interventions, new entrants can compete both for customers and for workers.

Just because wwe don't have perfect laissez-faire doesn't mean we should compensate the rigities one one side with more rigitities on the other and compound the problem. That is the way that welfare states try to fix economic problems with more welfare and go down the road toward Socialism.

Good individualist song:

Cult of personality - Living Colour

look into my eyes, what do you see?

Cult of personality

I know your anger, i know your dreams

I've been everything you want to be

I'm the cult of personality

Like mussolini and kennedy

I'm the cult of personality

Cult of personality

Cult of personality

Neon lights, a nobel prize

The mirror speaks, the reflection lies

You don't have to follow me

Only you can set me free

I sell the things you need to be

I'm the smiling face on your t.v.

I'm the cult of personality

I exploit you still you love me

I tell you one and one makes three

I'm the cult of personality

Like joseph stalin and gandi

I'm the cult of personality

Cult of personality

Cult of personality

Neon lights a nobel prize

A leader speaks, that leader dies

You don't have to follow me

Only you can set you free

You gave me fortune

You gave me fame

You me power in your god's name

I'm every person you need to be

I'm the cult of personality

Look into my eyes, what do you see?

Cult of personality

I know your anger, i know your dreams

I've been everything you want to be

I'm the cult of personality

Like mussolini and kennedy

I'm the cult of personality

Cult of personality

Cult of personality

I tell you one and one makes three

I'm the cult of personality

Like joseph stalin and gandi

I'm the cult of personality

Cult of personality

Cult of personality

Neon lights a nobel prize

A leader speaks, that leader dies

You don't have to follow me

Only you can set you free

You gave me fortune

You gave me fame

You me power in your god's name

I'm every person you need to be

I'm the cult of personality

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Maureen — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 08:28:02 -0000

A pro-chainsaw folk song!

"Caretakers" by Bill Sutton

In a time of rising mountains,

In an age when life was new,

The trees were the rulers of life on earth

And the world as a forest grew.

New life found the forest,

And the new life tore the land.

So the dryad came to protect her wood

And stay the humans' hand.

Singing,

I am the strength of the heart and the root

I am the soul of the wood.

In a time of ancient mountains,

In an age no longer new,

A man walked into the hardwood wall

With a chainsaw and his crew.

He reached for the crippled oak tree

And he waved his crew to start,

When a vision leapt from the broken limb

That burst him through the heart.

Singing,

I am the strength of the heart and the root

I am the soul of the wood.

She was sun and moon and starlight,

She was earth and sky and sea,

She was everything that he ever loved

And all that he wished to be.

And she sang of the elder forest,

And she sang of the rustling wind,

And her arms reached out

from the jagged bark,

Reached out to pull him in.

Singing,

I am the strength of the heart and the root

I am the soul of the wood.

But the man pulled out an acorn,

And he held it to her eyes,

And he sang to her of birth and life,

And that even an oak must die.

And she knew that her tree had withered,

So she turned, no longer strong,

And she passed away as the chainsaw roar

Drowned out her final song.

Singing,

I am the strength of the heart and the root

I am the soul of the wood.

In a night under ancient mountains,

In a night under autumn sky,

A man looks down at a rotting stump

And he shakes his head and he sighs.

So he kneels to plant the acorn,

And he hears a quiet sound --

The sound of joy and a hope of spring

And new life in the ground.

Singing,

I am the strength of the heart and the root

I am the soul of the wood!

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Sheldon Richman — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 05:02:21 -0000

I don't have a lyric to contribute, but I do want to suggest that maybe our attitude toward unions, labor actually, should be somewhat more nuanced. We libertarians have no trouble pointing out that a century and a half of corporate-state intervention helps to rigidify the economy: taxes and regulations are more easily coped with by big established companies than by small and potential contributors. These are barriers to entry. (It's not impossible to overcome them, but it is tougher.) Thus there is a built-in subsidy for incumbents. But if this is so, it means that workers have fewer options in the labor market than they would have under laissez faire. Fewer options means fewer potential employers bidding for their serves (and less chance for self-employment), which means lower wages. If this is so, we can hardly blame workers (however misguided) for trying to improve their lot within the current environment. This doesn't justify government intervention on their behalf. But when we criticize such intervention, we ought, at the same time, to criticize the corporate intervention that works to the prejudice of workers. We can hardly blame them for trying to get the most pay for the least exertion, when he praise business for trying to get the biggest return for the smallest expenditure. Let's keep the full context in mind.

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Monyet Miskin — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 23:36:43 -0000

Here's a real folk song (none of your Yankee crap) "Belfast Mill" I know it from the Pogues version:

At the east end of town

At the foot of the hill

There's a chimney so tall

It says Belfast Mill.

But there's no smoke at all

Coming out of the stack

For the mill has shut down

And its never coming back.

Chorus:

And the only tune I hear

Is the sound of the wind

As she blows through the town

Weave and spin, weave and spin.

There's no children play

In the dark narrow streets

And the loom has shut down

It's so quiet I can't sleep.

The mill has shut down

'Twas the only life I know

Tell me what will I do

And where will I go.

For I'm too old to work

And I'm too young to die

Tell me where will I go

My family and I.

BTW, Not much difference between your libertarian songs and radical communist ones, are there?

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

liberty — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 12:37:26 -0000

he sure is a poet.

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Dennis Gildea — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 12:15:04 -0000

Try, "Sunshine" by Jonathan Edwards.

A snippet from memory:

"Sunshine go away today

Don't feel much like dancin'

Sme man's gone, he's tried to run my life

Don't know what he's askin'

Workin' starts to make me wonder where

Fruits of what I do are goin

He say "In love and War

"All is Fair"

He's got cards he ain't showin . . ."

Also, "You Run Your Mouth (and I'll Run My Business") by Joe Jackson

"You Can't Push People Around" by Mose Allison.

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Fri, 03 Feb 2006 11:18:46 -0000

Bob Dylan's lyrics are a bit obscure, but I like to think of his "Chimes of Freedom" as a song of hope for those struggling under totalitarianism. (BTW, the song was recorded best by the Byrds.)

Far between sundown's finish an' midnight's broken toll

We ducked inside the doorway, thunder crashing

As majestic bells of bolts struck shadows in the sounds

Seeming to be the chimes of freedom flashing

Flashing for the warriors whose strength is not to fight

Flashing for the refugees on the unarmed road of flight

An' for each an' ev'ry underdog soldier in the night

An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.

In the city's melted furnace, unexpectedly we watched

With faces hidden as the walls were tightening

As the echo of the wedding bells before the blowin' rain

Dissolved into the bells of the lightning

Tolling for the rebel, tolling for the rake

Tolling for the luckless, the abandoned an' forsaked

Tolling for the outcast, burnin' constantly at stake

An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.

Through the mad mystic hammering of the wild ripping hail

The sky cracked its poems in naked wonder

That the clinging of the church bells blew far into the breeze

Leaving only bells of lightning and its thunder

Striking for the gentle, striking for the kind

Striking for the guardians and protectors of the mind

An' the poet an the painter far behind his rightful time

An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.

In the wild cathedral evening the rain unraveled tales

For the disrobed faceless forms of no position

Tolling for the tongues with no place to bring their thoughts

All down in taken-for granted situations

Tolling for the deaf an' blind, tolling for the mute

For the mistreated, mateless mother, the mistitled prostitute

For the misdemeanor outlaw, chased an' cheated by pursuit

An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.

Even though a clouds's white curtain in a far-off corner flashed

An' the hypnotic splattered mist was slowly lifting

Electric light still struck like arrows, fired but for the ones

Condemned to drift or else be kept from drifting

Tolling for the searching ones, on their speechless, seeking trail

For the lonesome-hearted lovers with too personal a tale

An' for each unharmfull, gentle soul misplaced inside a jail

An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.

Starry-eyed an' laughing as I recall when we were caught

Trapped by no track of hours for they hanged suspended

As we listened one last time an' we watched with one last look

Spellbound an' swallowed 'til the tolling ended

Tolling for the aching whose wounds cannot be nursed

For the countless confused, accused, misused, strung-out ones an' worse

An' for every hung-up person in the whole wide universe

An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Chuck Sicotte — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 09:18:06 -0000

"It Works for Me"-A recent favorite of mine by Toby Keith. Sing it loud Russ.

Never owned a brand new car

Never worked in a white collar

Never held a woman longer

Than I held one single dollar

I never went out chasin’ rainbows

’cause there can’t be that much to it

Even if I found my pot of gold

I know I’d piss right through it

I can’t remember ever wanting

For one second of my life

Even if I did it cost too much

To ever pay the price

I don’t dance out on the dark side

Ain’t no secrets I have to tell

So you don’t have to say a prayer for me

I just said one for myself

Chorus:

I’m livin’ my life

Under my terms

I’m callin’ the shots

As far as I can see

I don’t owe nobody nothin’

I don’t answer to a soul

Might not work for you

But it works for me

I’ve been bent and bruised and broken

And flat busted once or twice

I brought most of it upon myself

But I never compromised

My pride’s too hard to swallow

So I’ve chewed a lot of it

Mild-mannered and soft-hearted

And hard-headed as you get

I live out on the backroads

Where I walk my country mile

And if it’s so good in the city

Why don’t anybody smile?

The traffic’s always heavy

And the air ain’t fit to breathe

I ain’t saying that it’s wrong for you

It just don’t make sense to me

Chorus

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

SteffenH — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 03:10:23 -0000

Maybe I got the meaning of the lyrics of "Green Disease" by Pearl Jam (!) wrong, but it sounds like a anti-doomsdayer song:

t's a disease and they're all green. Pearl

It emminates from their being.

Agitation with occupation.

And like weeds with big leaves. Jam

Stealing light from what's beneath.

Where they have more. Still they take more. Green

Course I know. Then I don't.

There's a stoway with my throat. Disease

It's deceiving. I don't believe him.

We can scream out our doors. Songtexte

Behind the wall a fat man snores.

In his dreams he's choking on leaves. Songtext

Well I guess there's nothing wrong with what you say. Lyrics

But don't sell me, "There can't be better ways." Lyric

Tell the captain "This boat's not safe, and we're drowning." Liedertexte

Turns up he's the one making waves. Waves. Waves.

I said there's nothing wrong with what you say. Liedertext

Believe me just asking you to sway.

No white or black just grey. Alle

Can you feel this world with your heart and not your brain?

What do you think?

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

liberty — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 21:18:29 -0000

>Oh and for the person looking for bumper stickers, etc. check out: http://bureaucrash.com/cont...

Awesome shirts! Just bought the Marx one!!

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Helen's_kid — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 20:18:53 -0000

This is why I'm warped.

Les Miserables Soundtrack Lyrics

Artist: M. & Mme. Thenardie Lyrics

Song: Master of the House Lyrics

DRINKER THREE

Come on you old pest

DRINKER TWO

Fetch a bottle of your best

DRINKER ONE

What's the nectar of the day?

(Thenardier enters with a flask of wine)

THENARDIER

Here, try this lot

Guaranteed to hit the spot

Or I'm not Thenardier

DRINKERS

Gissa glass a rum

Landlord, over here!

THENARDIER

Right away, you scum (to himself)

Right away, m'sieur (to customer)

DINER ONE

God this place has gone to hell

DINER TWO

So you tell me every year

DRINKER SIX

Mine host Thenardier

He was there so they say,

At the field of Waterloo

DRINKER SEVEN

Got there, it's true

When the fight was all through

DRINKER ONE

But he knew just what to do

Crawling through the mud

So I've heard it said

Picking through the pockets

Of the English dead

DRINKER EIGHT

He made a tidy score

From the spoils of war

THENARDIER

My band of soaks

My den of dissolutes

My dirty jokes, my always pissed as newts.

My sons of whores

Spent their lives in my inn

Homing pigeons homing in

They fly through my doors

And their money's as good as yours

DINER ONE

Ain't got a clue

What he put in this stew

Must have scraped it off the street

DINER TWO

God what a wine!

Chateau Neuf de Turpentine

Must have pressed it with his feet

DRINKERS

Landlord over here!

Where's the bloody man?

One more for the road!

Thenardier, one more slug o' gin.

GIRL

Just one more, or my old man is gonna do me in.

(Thenardier greets a new customer)

THENARDIER

Welcome, M'sieur

Sit yourself down

And meet the best

Innkeeper in town

As for the rest,

All of 'em crooks

Rooking their guests

And cooking the books.

Seldom do you see

Honest men like me

A gent of good intent

Who's content to be

Master of the house

Doling out the charm

Ready with a handshake

And an open palm

Tells a saucy tale

Makes a little stir

Customers appreciate a bon-viveur

Glad to do a friend a favor

Doesn't cost me to be nice

But nothing gets you nothing

Everything has got a little price!

Master of the house

Keeper of the zoo

Ready to relieve 'em

Of a sou or two

Watering the wine

Making up the weight

Pickin' up their knick-knacks

When they can't see straight

Everybody loves a landlord

Everybody's bosom friend

I do whatever pleases

Jesus! Won't I bleed 'em in the end!

THENARDIER & CHORUS

Master of the house

Quick to catch yer eye

Never wants a passerby

To pass him by

Servant to the poor

Butler to the great

Comforter, philosopher,

And lifelong mate!

Everybody's boon companion

Everybody's chaperone

THENARDIER

But lock up your valises

Jesus! Won't I skin you to the bone!

(To another new customer)

THENARDIER

Enter M'sieur

Lay down your load

Unlace your boots

And rest from the road

(Taking his bag)

This weighs a ton

Travel's a curse

But here we strive

To lighten your purse

Here the goose is cooked

Here the fat is fried

And nothing's overlooked

Till I'm satisfied...

Food beyond compare

Food beyond belief

Mix it in a mincer

And pretend it's beef

Kidney of a horse

Liver of a cat

Filling up the sausages

With this and that

Residents are more than welcome

Bridal suite is occupied

Reasonable charges

Plus some little extras on the side!

Charge 'em for the lice

Extra for the mice

Two percent for looking in the mirror twice

Here a little slice

There a little cut

Three percent for sleeping with the window shut

When it comes to fixing prices

There are a lot of tricks he knows

How it all increases

All those bits and pieces

Jesus! It's amazing how it grows!

THENARDIER AND CHORUS

Master of the house

Quick to catch yer eye

Never wants a passerby

To pass him by

Servant to the poor

Butler to the great

Comforter, philosopher,

And lifelong mate!

Everybody's boon companion

Gives 'em everything he's got

THENARDIER

Dirty bunch of geezers

Jesus! What a sorry little lot!

MME. THENARDIER

I used to dream

That I would meet a prince

But God Almighty,

Have you seen what's happened since?

`Master of the house?'

Isn't worth me spit!

`Comforter, philosopher'

- and lifelong shit!

Cunning little brain

Regular Voltaire

Thinks he's quite a lover

But there's not much there

What a cruel trick of nature

Landed me with such a louse

God knows how I've lasted

Living with this bastard in the house!

THENARDIER & CHORUS

Master of the house.

MME. THENARDIER

Master and a half!

THENARDIER & CHORUS

Comforter, philosopher

MME. THENARDIER

Ah, don't make me laugh!

THENARDIER & CHORUS

Servant to the poor. Butler to the great.

MME. THENARDIER

Hypocrite and toady and inebriate!

THENARDIER & CHORUS

Everybody bless the landlord!

Everybody bless his spouse!

THENARDIER

Everybody raise a glass

MME. THENARDIER

Raise it up the master's arse.

ALL

Everybody raise a glass to the master of the house!

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Marshall S — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 17:07:03 -0000

How about Louis Armstrong's rendition of "Hello Brother"? It's all in the first line.

HELLO BROTHER

(George Weiss / Bob Thiele)

A man wants to work for his pay

A man wants a place in the sun

A man wants a gal proud to say

That she'll become his lovin' wife

He wants a chance to give his kids a better life, yes

Well hello, hello, hello brother

You can travel all around the world and back

You can fly or sail or ride a railroad track

But no matter where you go you're gonna find

That people have the same things on their minds

---

Oh and for the person looking for bumper stickers, etc. check out: http://bureaucrash.com/cont...

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

averagejoe — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 16:40:35 -0000

My vote is for the Tax Man. How about putting the 'Little Red Hen' to music?

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

liberty — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 15:19:17 -0000

Nobody has posted any country yet. They are very pro-America and many cross over to the American values of independent spirit, frontier, hence free market, low taxes, etc. -- of course some are also protectionist, pro-union etc, but at least there is a decent mix.

Here is a recent, sort of political one:

Gretchen Wilson - Politically Uncorrect Lyrics

I'm for the low man on the totem pole

And I'm for the underdog god bless his soul

And I'm for the guys still pulling third shift

and the single mom raising her kids

And I'm for the preacher who stay on their knees

And I'm for the sinner who finally believed

And I'm For the farmer with dirt on his hands

And the soldiers who fight for this land

And I'm for the bible

And I'm for the flag

And I'm for the working man

Me and Ol' hag

I'm just one of many who can't get no respect

Politically Uncorrect

I guess my opinion is all out of style

Don't get me started because i can get wild

And I'll make a fight for the fore-father's plan (That's Right)

Hell the world already knows where I stand

And I'm for the bible

And I'm for the flag

And I'm for the working man

Me and Ol' hag

I'm just one of many who can't get no respect

Politically Uncorrect

Nothing Wrong with the bible

Nothing Wrong with the flag

Nothing Wrong with the working man

Me and Ol' Hag

We're just some of many that can't get no respect

Politically Uncorrect

Politically Uncorrect

And here is a more classic example:

Artist/Band: Brooks And Dunn

Lyrics for Song: Only in America

Lyrics for Album: Greatest Hits Collection 2

Sun coming up over New York City

School bus driver in a traffic jam

Starin' at the faces in her rearview mirror

Looking at the promise of the Promised Land

One kid dreams of fame and fortune

One kid helps pay the rent

One could end up going to prison

One just might be president

Only in America

Dreaming in red, white and blue

Only in America

Where we dream as big as we want to

We all get a chance

Everybody gets to dance

Only in America

Sun going down on an La. freeway

Newlyweds in the back of a limousine

A welder's son and a banker's daughter

All they want is everything

She came out here to be an actress

He was the singer in a band

They just might go back to Oklahoma

And talk about the stars they could have been

Only in America

Where we dream in red, white and blue

Only in America

Where we dream as big as we want to

We all get a chance

Everybody gets to dance

Only in America

Yeah only in America

Where we dream in red, white and blue

Yeah we dream as big as we want to

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Steve Horwitz — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 09:04:01 -0000

Another great Police song:

THE POLICE

MURDER BY NUMBERS

Once that you've decided on a killing

First you make a stone of your heart

And if you find that your hands are still willing

Then you can turn a murder into art

There really isn't need for bloodshed

You just do it with a little more finesse

If you can slip a tablet into someone's coffee

Then it avoids an awful lot of mess

It's murder by numbers one two three

It's as easy to learn as your ABC

Now if you have a taste for this experience

And you're flushed with your very first success

Then you must try a twosome or a threesome

And you'll find your conscience bothers you much less

Because murder is like anything you take to

It's a habit-forming need for more and more

You can bump off every member of your family

And anybody else you find a bore

Because it's murder by numbers one two three

It's as easy to learn as your ABC

Now you can join the ranks of the illustrious

In history's great dark hall of fame

All our famous killers were industrious

At least the ones that we all know by name

But you can reach the top of your profession

If you become the leader of the land

For murder is the sport of the elected

And you don't need to lift a finger of your hand

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

R.J. Lehmann — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 07:10:28 -0000

Though the authors (Marvin Gaye and Sting, respectively) certainly wouldn't have shared my politics, I always thought there were some great individualist and anti-state messages in the ostensibly lefty tunes "Inner City Blues" and "Spirits in the Material World":

Inner City Blues

Rockets, moon shots

Spend it on the have nots

Money, we make it

'Fore we see it, you take it

Oh, make you wanna holler

The way they do my life

Make me wanna holler

The way they do my life

This ain't livin', This ain't livin'

No, no baby, this ain't livin'

No, no, no

Inflation, no chance

To increase finance

Bills pile up sky high

Send that boy off to die

Make me wanna holler

The way they do my life

Make me wanna holler

The way they do my life

Dah, dah, dah

Hang ups, let downs

Bad breaks, set backs

Natural fact is

I can't pay my taxes

Oh, make me wanna holler

And throw up both my hands

Yea, it makes me wanna holler

And throw up both my hands

Crime is increasing

Trigger happy policing

Panic is spreading

God know where we're heading

Oh, make me wanna holler

They don't understand

Dah, dah, dah

***

Spirits in the Material World

There is no political solution

To our troubled evolution

Have no faith in constitution

There is no bloody revolution

Our so-called leaders speak

With words they try to jail you

The subjugate the meek

But it’s the rhetoric of failure

We are spirits in the material world

Are spirits in the material world

Are spirits in the material world

Are spirits in the material world

Where does the answer lie?

We live from day to day

If it’s something we can’t buy

There must be another way

We are spirits in the material world...

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Steve Horwitz — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 04:51:11 -0000

I sent Russ a bunch of Rush lyrics links by email, but no one has yet posted "Something for Nothing":

Waiting for the winds of change

To sweep the clouds away

Waiting for the rainbow's end

To cast its gold your way

Countless ways

You pass the days

Waiting for someone to call

And turn your world around

Looking for an answer

To the question you have found

Looking for

An open door

You don't get something for nothing

You can't have freedom for free

You won't get wise

With the sleep still in your eyes

No matter what your dreams might be

What you own is your own kingdom

What you do is your own glory

What you love is your own power

What you live is your own story

In your head is the answer

Let it guide you along

Let your heart be the anchor

And the beat of your own song

You don't get something for nothing

You can't have freedom for free

You won't get wise

With the sleep still in your eyes

No matter what your dreams might be

Hayekians might also check out "Natural Science": http://www.lyricscafe.com/r...

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Randy — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 04:26:14 -0000

Not a song, but I recommend the series Firefly and the followon movie Serenity. With lines like;

"They couldn't let us profit, that would be uncivilized".

or my favorite scene,

Student; "Why would they resist us when we where only trying to bring them the benefits of civilization....Why would they fight us so hard?"

River Tam; "Because we meddle....People don't like it when we meddle...and we haven't got the right."

And the theme song for the series is pretty good too.

Take my love, take my land

Take me where I cannot stand

I don't care, I'm still free

You can't take the sky from me

Take me out to the black

Tell them I ain't comin' back

Burn the land and boil the sea

You can't take the sky from me

There's no place I can be

Since I found Serenity

But you can't take the sky from me...

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Fatty — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 03:16:23 -0000

"Don't Call Me White"

Don't call me white, Don't call me white

Don't call me white, Don't call me white

The connotations wearing my nerves thin

Could it be semantics generating the mess we're in?

I understand that language breeds stereotype

But what's the explanation for the malice, for the spite?

Don't call me white, Don't call me white

Don't call me white, Don't call me white

I wasn't brought here, I was born

Circumsized, categorized, allegiance sworn,

Does this mean I have to take such shit

For being fairskinned? No!

I ain't a part of no conspiracy,

I'm just you're average Joe.

Don't call me white, Don't call me white

Don't call me white, Don't call me white

Represents everything I hate,

The soap shoved in your mouth to cleanse the mind

The vast majority of sheep

A buttoned collar, starched and bleached

Constricting veins, the blood flow to the brain slows

They're so fuckin' ordinary white

Don't call me white, Don't call me white

Don't call me white, Don't call me white

We're better off this way

Say what you're gonna say

So go ahead and label me

An asshole cause I can

Accept responsibility, for what I've done

But not for who I am

Don't call me white, Don't call me white

Don't call me white, Don't call me white

Don't call me white, Don't call me white

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Al — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 02:55:35 -0000

Classical music composers like the Eastman kid tend to be left brainers, too. They tend to be better at math than English, and they play with numbers a lot, and translate them into notes later.

If you could locate some poetry about Hayekian themes you could probably convince a composer to set it. It wouldn't be folk music, though, which sounds like what you like.

Re: Folks Songs for Classical Liberals

Tim Worstall — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 02:28:15 -0000

Two ideas:

Information Overload, while talking about advertising, nicely encapsulates the Hayekian point that no central authority can process enough information to make decent decisions:

too many messages multi media sponge

too many to address I guess

you could say I'm out lunch

television tells me what to think.

I don't even realise I know nothing

nothing at all

nothing at all

I know nothing

Mulder tells me what to think

lunatics what would they know

coke can tell me what to drink

I can consume with nothing to show

Jerry makes me feel better

I call them all freaks and do the Jerry call

nothing makes you realise I know nothing

nothing at all

I know nothing

nothing, nothing

you won't know nothing

I took with one hand and pushed

away with the other

still my cup overflows

can't make up my mind one way

or the other information overload

can't make up my mind

Or there is the wonderful point made somewhere out on the web in the last few days. Not so much the lyrics of the song, just the sheer glory of it. When someone questions liberty, freedom, the pursuit of happiness and so on, simply slap down a copy of "The Sloop John B" and say "We did that. Come back when you’re ready".

This also works with "Lust for Life".