The dead can’t hear your apologies The dead can’t see your sly smile The dead can’t hear you blaming them Like some oversized child on trail The dead can’t see the messages You accidentally lost The dead can’t ask you questions But the dead know just the cost Of your lackadaisical attitude Your laissez-faire approach The meetings you weren’t bothered by The rules with which you did not comply The business-as-usual you deny The herd immunity you tried to apply…
The dead can’t hear your apologies But the survivor understands There’s blood on your hands
He’s not looking for a fight He’s looking to look like he’s looking for a fight He’s flexing little might with the far-right He’s looking like he’s looking for a fight
He’s at the Cenotaph – singing England ‘til I die The bobbies wonder why he’s singing England ‘til I die They thought that remembrance was UK-wide He’s looking like he’s looking for a fight
He’s at the Cenotaph – shouting at the bobbies He’s at the Cenotaph – shouting where’s your poppies Bobbies without poppies – he thinks it isn’t right He’s looking like he’s looking for a fight
Bobbies without poppies – he thinks it isn’t right He’s at the Cenotaph – singing England ‘til I die He’s at the Cenotaph – flexing little might He’s at the Cenotaph – with the far-right He’s looking like he’s looking for a fight
Derek’s down with the Wetherspoons Fusiliers Forming up to guard the Cenotaph From a peaceful march that’ll never go past At least he’ll salute our brave boys with a few beers
Derek’s down with the Wetherspoons Fusiliers Following a Tommy licker sergeant major Guarding a statue that ain’t in danger ‘Fuck off you slags’ the regimental motto sneers
Derek’s down with the Wetherspoons Fusiliers To be honest he’s feeling a little bit parched But Suella called ’em out to oppose to a hate march She whistled up the dogs and Derek’s all ears
From the excoriating take down of the unhinged right on Bin Bags to the Duryesque Cockney wordplay of title track Trickle Down Town with it’s refrain of “only shit trickles down”, Steve and his Protest Family offer more opposition in 43 minutes than Starmer and his gang of wannabe Tories have offered in the last 3 years.
From four hour waits for ambulances to dumping toxic and human waste into our rivers Steve chronicles the state of the nation like a furious Billy Bragg fronting Chumbawumba.
The years in prison were not kind to Goliath He grew smaller and weaker while David grew strong His castles kicked over; his crop destroyed before him It weighed heavy on Goliath how it had gone so wrong
So, he stood and he shouted at the ranks of Israel Spoke of the river and the sea, words laden with dread David called for his sling and selected five stones He’d settle for no less now than Goliath’s head
He turned out the lights in Goliath’s prison Gave notice of Goliath’s imminent death Cut off supplies of food, fuel and water David crossed the line and the world held its breath
Just Stop Oil getting on a plane Gap year protest I hear you all complain But you know she’s right and she has a life too What exactly do you think that she’s supposed to do Affected by the issues, here’s a helpline you can ring It might make you feel better, but it won’t change a damn thing
Not a damn thing
You could be more mindful, here’s a book to colour in But that won’t stop the fascism they’re tryin’ to usher in Or you could do some yoga, do a downward dog or two Take a deep breath and welcome in the new you Affected by the issues, here’s a helpline you can ring It might make you feel better, but it won’t change a damn thing
Not a damn thing Not a damn thing
It won’t change a damn thing, but we can change anything It won’t change a damn thing, but we can change anything…. (Yes, we can)
One has got the eyes, the other’s got the stare There ain’t a fag paper between them to be fair They ain’t on your side, you know this much is true They ain’t on your side, so what you gonna do Affected by the issues, here’s a helpline you can ring It might make you feel better, but it won’t change a damn thing
Not a damn thing Not a damn thing
They won’t change a damn thing, but we can change anything They won’t change a damn thing, but we can change anything…yes, we can
How about some CBT or pop a pill or two How about you drown it out in your choice of booze Maybe you could meditate, and it would be OK Maybe if we stick together there’s a better way Affected by the issues, here’s a helpline you can ring It might make you feel better, but it won’t change a damn thing
Not a damn thing Not a damn thing
It won’t change a damn thing, but we can change anything It won’t change a damn thing, but we can change anything…yes, we can
Just Stop Oil getting on a plane Just Stop Oil glued to the road again You say the wrong tactics at the wrong time But what are you prepared to do to combat climate crime Affected by the issues, here’s a helpline you can ring It might make you feel better, but it won’t change a damn thing
Not a damn thing Not a damn thing
It won’t change a damn thing, but we can change anything It won’t change a damn thing, but we can change anything…yes, we can
Not a damn thing Not a damn thing Not a damn thing Not a damn thing
They rhymed them right They rhymed them wrong They rhymed in poetry and song And when they saw things were not fair They’d rhyme and oft times even swear
They rhymed them left They rhymed them right They rhymed them up They rhymed them down They rhymed by day They rhymed by night They rhymed the flat cap and the crown
Yes, rhymed of princes Rhymed of kings And rhymed of more important things Like rhymes of sand and outward tides They rhymed as means of taking sides
They rhymed in anger Rhymed in sorrow Rhymed the new With rhymes they’d borrow Rhymed with rage And with frustration Rhymed with wit And devastation
Armed with punches wrapped in rhyme Seemed they were rhyming all the time So when folk said, why don’t you stop Your rhyming’s just a lefty sop They said, it’s in our DNA And rhymed until they went away
I’ll tell you this and tell it true Their rhymes could turn you red from blue Their rhymes were like a megaphone Their rhymes said you are not alone
They might not rhyme you rich from poor They might not rhyme you debt from debtor But when you felt it hit the floor They’d rhyme until it all felt better
Steve White & The Protest Family 