Okay, we will have a Forever War, now how about some songs for it?

[Hardrada]

Hell, look at the Civil War, tons of great songs and literature too. WWI- a lot of fine tunes. Not so many in WWII but the Germans had a good one, Lili Marlene, which we borrowed. VN War had Ballad of the Green Berets and a lot of excellent antiwar songs (these count too). What do we have from Afpakiraqistan War so far? Anything we can hum or whistle? Let's hop to it, people!!

[anonymous171]

1. Modern Anti-war songs?

Off the top of my head:

Mosh by Eminem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0IxlDGGpj0

No One Gets Left Behind by Five Finger Death Punch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwBbFSfOxIg

[Hardrada]

Those are good for a start!

[dhood8083]

2. War Songs

How about the "War Song" by Culture Club?

Lyrics courtesy of http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/The-War-Song-lyrics-Culture-Club/9F2CA6DA2A6A6A29482568B2002825FA

Chorus:
War war is stupid and people are stupid
And love means nothing in some strange Quarters
War war is stupid and people are stupid
And I heard them banging on hearts and fingers
War!

People fill the world with narrow confidence
Like a child at birth, a man with no defence
What's mine's my own, I won't give it to you
No matter what you say, no matter what you do

Now we're fighting in our hearts
Fighting in the streets
Won't somebody help me?

(Chorus)

Man is far behind in the search of something new
Like a Philistine, we're burning witches too
This world of hate must be designed for you
It matters what you say, it matters what you do

Now we're fighting in our hearts
Fighting in the streets
Won't somebody help me?

(Chorus)

After the bird has flown
He walked ten thousand miles back home
You can't do that to me, no, you can't do that to me
You can't do that to me, no, you can't do that to me

War!

In this heart of mine, I'll find a place for you
For black or white, for grown-up children too

Now we're fighting in our hearts
Fighting in the streets
Won't somebody help me?

(Chorus)

No more war
say no more war
say war
Senso hantai**
Senso hantai**
Say no more war

[Hardrada]

3. Thanks, I didn't know that one.

[dhood8083]

4. Songs for the Forever War

How about the "War Song" by Culture Club?

Lyrics courtesy of http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/The-War-Song-lyr...

Chorus:
War war is stupid and people are stupid
And love means nothing in some strange Quarters
War war is stupid and people are stupid
And I heard them banging on hearts and fingers
War!

People fill the world with narrow confidence
Like a child at birth, a man with no defence
What's mine's my own, I won't give it to you
No matter what you say, no matter what you do

Now we're fighting in our hearts
Fighting in the streets
Won't somebody help me?

(Chorus)

Man is far behind in the search of something new
Like a Philistine, we're burning witches too
This world of hate must be designed for you
It matters what you say, it matters what you do

Now we're fighting in our hearts
Fighting in the streets
Won't somebody help me?

(Chorus)

After the bird has flown
He walked ten thousand miles back home
You can't do that to me, no, you can't do that to me
You can't do that to me, no, you can't do that to me

War!

In this heart of mine, I'll find a place for you
For black or white, for grown-up children too

Now we're fighting in our hearts
Fighting in the streets
Won't somebody help me?

(Chorus)

No more war
say no more war
say war
Senso hantai**
Senso hantai**
Say no more war

[Brother Buzz]

5. Waist Deep in the Big Muddy by Pete Seeger still works for me

Really, it's a timeless song

Waist Deep In The Big Muddy

by Pete Seeger


It was back in nineteen forty-two,
I was a member of a good platoon.
We were on maneuvers in-a Loozianna,
One night by the light of the moon.
The captain told us to ford a river,
That's how it all begun.
We were -- knee deep in the Big Muddy,
But the big fool said to push on.

The Sergeant said, "Sir, are you sure,
This is the best way back to the base?"
"Sergeant, go on! I forded this river
'Bout a mile above this place.
It'll be a little soggy but just keep slogging.
We'll soon be on dry ground."
We were -- waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool said to push on.

The Sergeant said, "Sir, with all this equipment
No man will be able to swim."
"Sergeant, don't be a Nervous Nellie,"
The Captain said to him.
"All we need is a little determination;
Men, follow me, I'll lead on."
We were -- neck deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool said to push on.

All at once, the moon clouded over,
We heard a gurgling cry.
A few seconds later, the captain's helmet
Was all that floated by.
The Sergeant said, "Turn around men!
I'm in charge from now on."
And we just made it out of the Big Muddy
With the captain dead and gone.

We stripped and dived and found his body
Stuck in the old quicksand.
I guess he didn't know that the water was deeper
Than the place he'd once before been.
Another stream had joined the Big Muddy
'Bout a half mile from where we'd gone.
We were lucky to escape from the Big Muddy
When the big fool said to push on.

Well, I'm not going to point any moral;
I'll leave that for yourself
Maybe you're still walking, you're still talking
You'd like to keep your health.
But every time I read the papers
That old feeling comes on;
We're -- waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool says to push on.

Waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool says to push on.
Waist deep in the Big Muddy
And the big fool says to push on.
Waist deep! Neck deep! Soon even a
Tall man'll be over his head, we're
Waist deep in the Big Muddy!
And the big fool says to push on!

[Hardrada]

17. Always liked that one!

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

6. This is the war that never ends...

yes it goes on and on my friends.
Some extremists started the killing back in two thousand and one
And the army Buscho answered with is still roaming in the sun
because...

This is the war that never ends...

[Solly Mack]

7. The War on Errorism (album), NOFX. It's mainly anti-Bush but it's still a goodie.

[yurbud]

8. two past threads on antiwar songs:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3494114

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3363788

[Hardrada]

9. Thanks. I missed those. And it seems obvious

I'm not going to come up with any gung ho war songs for this particular conflict or conflicts.

[yurbud]

10. rudyard kipling did a poem about afghanistan that might work

[Electric Monk]

11. Somehow I'd missed that one until now. Thanks for posting.

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-young-british-soldier/

[Contrary1]

12. Eve Of Destruction ~ "The eastern world it is explodin'"

The eastern world it is explodin',
violence flarin', bullets loadin',
you're old enough to kill but not for votin',
you don't believe in war, what's that gun you're totin',
and even the Jordan river has bodies floatin',
but you tell me over and over and over again my friend,
ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

Don't you understand, what I'm trying to say?
Can't you see the fears that I'm feeling today?
If the button is pushed, there's no running away,
There'll be no one to save with the world in a grave,
take a look around you, boy, it's bound to scare you, boy,
and you tell me over and over and over again my friend,
ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

Yeah, my blood's so mad, feels like coagulatin',
I'm sittin' here, just contemplatin',
I can't twist the truth, it knows no regulation,
handful of Senators don't pass legislation,
and marches alone can't bring integration,
when human respect is disintegratin',
this whole crazy world is just too frustratin',
and you tell me over and over and over again my friend,
ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

Think of all the hate there is in Red China
Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama!
Ah, you may leave here, for four days in space,
but when you return, it's the same old place,
the poundin' of the drums, the pride and disgrace,
you can bury your dead, but don't leave a trace,
hate your next-door-neighbour, but don't forget to say grace,
and you tell me over and over and over and over again my friend,
you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.
no no you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

[ConsAreLiars]

13. Rec'd, both because some of the remaining members of the

Jackass Brigade unrec'd it (a few got busted recently - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7173690&mesg_id=7173690 ), but because your observation really hit on something.

[Hardrada]

16. Thank you. I was hoping some folks would get it and you did.

[LeftyMom]

14. Hero of War

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpnWgCVfAxw

[musicblind]

15. "Roll With It" By Ani Difranco

This is about the first Iraq war but it's an excellent song:

"Roll With It"

She says my ass hurts
when I sit down
she says my feet hurt
from just standing around
I think my body
is as restless as my mind
and I don't know if I can roll with it
this time

packed his uniforms
and drove him to the base
she was crying all the way
the world looked her in the face
and said
roll with it, baby
make it your career
keep the home fires burning
till america is in the clear

the mainstream is so polluted with lies
once you get wet, it's so hard to get dry
we're all taught how to justify
history
as it passes by
and it's your world
that comes crashing down
when the big boys decide
to throw their weight around
but just roll with it baby
make it your career
keep the home fires burning
till america is in the clear

what if the enemy
isn't in a distant land
what if the enemy lies behind
the voice of command
the sound of war
is a child's cry
behind tinted windows,
they just drive by
all I know is that those
who are going to be killed
aren't those who preside
on capitol hill
I told him,
don't fill the front lines
of their war
those assholes aren't worth dying for
but he said
roll with it, baby
make it your career
keep the home fires burning
till america is in the clear

she says my ass hurts
when I sit down
she says my feet hurt
from just standing around
I think my body is as restless as my mind
and I'm not gonna roll with it this time
no, I'm not gonna roll with it this time

[Hardrada]

18. I missed that one so thanks!

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. Fer the 'oung ones Green Day has a few good ones

and for the old at heart...

The old Lie
Dulce et Decorum Est
Pro Patria Mori...

[Hardrada]

20. I am the enemy you killed, my friend....

Let us sleep now.


With this war now become unending, the poetry of Graves, Sassoon and Wilfrid Owen has suddenly, to my mind, regained full relevance.