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England Oh England

from Where Shadows Sleep by Tim O'Connor

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lyrics

when i woke up this morning it was then that i heard
the sweet song of an African bird
as its singing was swallowed by a jet fighter’s roar
i wondered what it had flown over for

was it some old colonial come to pay its respects
pay duty in taxes of eggs
or more likely a mourner come to pity and grieve
over what the great ape has achieved

the wounds cut in the hillside left open to scar
by the bastards of minerals and ores
to carry the commerce for the wealth and the shame
for the top of the fast junk food chain

while the wire on the wood brings its faceless unknowns
talking in ivory peep-shows
the iron men sing of the power that they breath
and cast shadows on more than the fields

England oh England you arrogant whore
what on earth was your empire for
and England oh England as your last wicket falls
what on earth was your empire for

but don’t mourn for those pastures that steel and brick need
they’re the children of rapists and thieves
who cut down the heart forests that covered our land
left her naked and abused by the damned

so the spring-heads and the rivers
that ran crystal and bright (i saw eden)
stand choked up with johnnies and shite (torn by greed)
when the otters come swimming
and the badgers to drink (no trust in us)
what must the poor buggers think (can we think)

England oh England you arrogant whore
what on earth was your empire for
and England oh England as your last wicket falls
what on earth was your empire for

England oh England you arrogant whore
what on earth was your empire for
and England oh England as your last wicket falls
what on earth was your empire for

credits

from Where Shadows Sleep, released May 13, 2016
written & © Tim O'Connor

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about

Tim O'Connor Hull, UK

Tim O'Connor is an English Folk/Rock songwriter based in Yorkshire, UK, Performing & recording since the late Seventies, Tim has released a large catalogue of albums, 39 to date, available on his record label, Uilleand Music.

Band Projects:

cowfisH, from 1992 onwards.

The Ant Farm Collective, from 2014-2017.

Tim O’Connor & the Poachers 2018-
... more

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