This week we discussed songs which were inspired by the war that was supposed to end all wars.

Here are my finds, you can add and discuss yours.

PJ Harvey - Let England Shake

"Let England Shake"

The West's asleep. Let England shake,
weighted down with silent dead.
I fear our blood won't rise again.

England's dancing days are done.
Another day, Bobby, for you to come home
& tell me indifference won.

Smile, smile Bobby, with your lovely mouth.
Pack up your troubles, let's head out
to the fountain of death
& splash about, swim back and forth
& laugh out loud,

until the day is ending,
& the birds are silent in the branches,
& the insects are courting in the bushes,
& by the shores of lovely lakes
heavy stones are falling.

The Times They Are A-Changin' 1964

Gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown

And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you
Is worth savin'

Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
Keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again

Don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'

For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they, they are a-changin'

Come senators, Congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand at the doorway
Don't block up the hall

For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it's ragin'

It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
Don't criticize
What you can't understand

Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'

Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend a hand
For your times they are a-changin'

The line it is drawn
And the curse it is cast
The slow one now
Will later be fast

As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'

And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'

World War I songs

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