Since I'm bouncy still about winning tickets to see Billy Bragg tonight at Stubbs BBQ, I thought I'd pass on the lyrics to his latest "broadside" --- this is one that Billy is encouraging people to share, so go for it! The Price Of Oil Voices on the radio Tell us that we're going to war Those brave men and women in uniform They want to know what they're fighting for The generals want to hear the endgame The allies want to prove the plan But the oilmen in the White House They just don't give a damn Cause it's all about the price of oil It's all about the price of oil Don't give me no shit about blood, sweat, tears and toil It's all about the price of oil Now I ain't no fan of Saddam Hussein Oh, please don't get me wrong If it's freeing the Iraqi people you're after Then why have we waited so long? Why didn't we sort this out last time? Was he less evil then than he is now? The stock market holds the answer to Why him, why here, why now? Cause it's all about the price of oil It's all about the price of oil Don't give me no shit about blood, sweat, tears and toil It's all about the price of oil Saddam killed his own people Just like General Pinochet And once upon a time both these evil men were supported by the USA Whisper even Bin Laden once drank from America's cup Just like that election down in Florida This shit doesn't all add up It's all about the price of oil It's all about the price of oil Don't give me no shit about blood, sweat, tears and toil It's all about the price of oil Copyright Billy Bragg 2002 there's an mp3 of the song, in case you're curious, in many places on the 'Net. Here's one URL --- http://www.jungle.ca/ThePriceOfOil.mp3 (160Kbps ~ 5.61MB in size)5 responses total.
Billy Bragg can be entertaining as long as you don't take him too seriously. When you're at the concert, I'd be interested in knowing whether the guy at the soundboard is a gray-haired Englishman named Grant. Last time I saw Bragg (at the Majestic, in Detroit, about five years ago on a double bill with Robyn Hitchcock) his sound guy was one of the co-producers of his album, Grant Showbiz of the Moodswings. He wasn't involved in the last Moodswings project and I'm curious to know whether he's still working with Bragg. When I talked to him in Detroit at that show he was very nice and obviously very flattered that anyone in America knew who he was. At any rate, I enjoyed his music and would like to learn what he's up to..
I'm listening now. A little low key in tone for the message, but not bad.
I'm sorry that I didn't read mcnally's resp:1 before heading downtown for the concert; I would've flattered Grant again. :) He was indeed there at the soundboard, tonight. Billy even pointed him out, and told a story about the two of them, going to the Ralph Nader rally in Madison Square Garden, and watching the ASL interpreter sign "Sexual Healing" while Ben Harper performed the song. The concert was great, but it was a bit like other says --- low key is a nice adjective. I was left with a pretty good feeling, anyways. There were no "Blokes" backing up Billy tonight; only Ian McLagan on piano and that crazy organ for about half of the time. The venue was absolutely packed. I don't know why it was indoors; it was only cool outside, and not wet at all. As it was, there were fans spilling out the outside doors and even a sizeable number just listening and watching on the monitors outside. Austin was the last stop of this 2002 tour; he'd been touring since February.
re #3: It's too bad you didn't see my response before the concert. When I introduced myself after the Detroit show he seemed like a very nice person and gave every impression that I'd made his day by knowing who he was and enjoying his music. Plus, I scored a pile of free CDs for my efforts -- I told him I'd really liked "Moodfood", the album he and his musical partner JT Hood had released the year before, and he asked me for a card with my address. A few weeks later I got a package in the mail from England. Inside the package were half a dozen or so CDs plus a note from his agent to the effect that Grant had asked him to them. They included everything his band had recorded to date, including a couple of UK-only singles for which I hadn't wanted to pay import prices. Thereafter, every time they'd record something new I'd receive a package in the mail about a week or so before the release date -- it was a lot of fun. For all I know the packages are still showing up periodically at the Ann Arbor apartment where I lived at the time, though I don't know if he's still recording his own stuff or whether he's just working with other musicians..
No, it's not "all about the price of oil." If that were true, the same questions would apply. But they're damn good questions, all the same: Now I ain't no fan of Saddam Hussein Oh, please don't get me wrong If it's freeing the Iraqi people you're after Then why have we waited so long? Why didn't we sort this out last time? Was he less evil then than he is now? I've been saying that ever since this matter came up, and asking this question every time I encounter a pro-war person: why now? I've never gotten an answer that makes any sense.
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