Wages of Vengeance (scars tissue)

[witty_owl]

I post these lyrics as a continuation of the Scar Tissue discussion but not about opera. I was reluctant to post this "revisited" verse at the time of Sept 11 due to the closeness of the event. Now it is presented in retrospect with the original song lyric "Collateral Damage" which was written after the Gulf War when George Bush senior approved a final strike at the Rasheed Hotel in an attempt to what-----?

A
Collateral Damage
(Slam Cam.) 1993.

Dust in the air, blood on the floor,
rubble on the stair, a cruise in the door.
Terror, confusion in the hotel lobby,
The reptile king into his favourite hobby.

Carnage; spillage, T.V.colour image.
A village now wastage; - Collateral damage.

Eternity's sand under a scorching hot sun.
A tank that is manned by young men with a gun.
A scream, that is barked down the radio wire,
"Don't worry boys,- it's just friendly fire! -*&#@?".

Rhetoric and double talk, a sanitised story,
A marketing angle to sell murder as glory.
Justice, and freedom, for sovereign soil,
but the dragon behind it is dollars and oil.

A military briefing, world wide television.
The general assures us of surgical precision.
The press and the public fed a flim flam program,
a cartogram, diagram, slam cam., ad nauseam.

B
Collateral Damage Revisited Sept 11 2001

Dust in the air blood and more gore
A seven six seven slams the ninety ninth floor
A bright red fireball and searing heat
Terrorized innocents flee down the street.

Billowing smoke, a choking pall
The only escape is a frantic fall
A suicide pact in the devil's gown
A fanatical blow brings the twin towers down.

How can this happen? Who could it be?
What other madness will now visit me?
The centre for trade now rubble and smoke
Has the free world become a cruel monster's joke?

The dust and ash settle, smoke slowly clears
All we can see is grieving and tears.
The Man on the TV vows retribution
All set once again for de-evolution.

A decade long gone since the gulf war was won
The sins of the father revisit the son
Yes time has been pregnant, now comes the birth
Oh let us all pray that we not scorch the earth.

Carnage and spillage TV colour image
A city now wastage collateral damage.

© - J.W.

The original song (93) is written not quite as a reggae beat but with a distinct accent on the off beat.

Regards, Witty Owl.

[George.Wright]

Very nice and topical song verse, Witty.
Georges

[lizzytysh]

Reading your dynamic images and commentary, Witty Owl, brings it all back. I feel it viscerally. As music goes, they could sell well, as a duo-song. Of course, the 'proper people' would need to be behind you, unfortunately; and it probably wouldn't be worth the trade-off. Very strong song[s]!