Words and music copyright David Harley 1976.
Backup:
This song was originally part of a set of songs I started in the 1970s but never actually finished. In those days my generation was very much preoccupied with Vietnam and its neighbours, though the story wasn’t meant to be geographically or politically specific. More about the psychology of occupation and the winning (and losing) of hearts and minds… I was very much of a generation of songwriter that was very focused on issues, he said pretentiously.
A thousand years of rape
lie easy on my body
a thousand years of blood and fear
a million miles of marching feet and refugees
soldier
you come
you go
bring wampum, cookies
beads and rings
soldier
you come
you go
trade pretty things
for my pretty thing
cropped hair
and death-in-life hero eyes
how long
before you spread your epaulettes
and fly?
(smoke your Luckies
drink your words
eat your candy
suck you dry)
soldier
you come
you go
The lyric was published in Chaff 2, 1985. A version of this was recorded for the Scriptwrecked tape, but I’ve just re-recorded it for this site.
Wheal Alice Music 