Music, Uncategorized

MR ANGRY’S PLAYING FIELD

by George Blamey-Steeden

G4 (B&W)‘Hot Day in Berck’

I’ve written a few protest songs before.  Generally mine are not angry songs. It’s not how I’m made. However, this one I’m playing around with is singing well enough, but singing angry. Maybe that’s the way it should be sometimes?

ONE LESS INNOCENT

Guns and souvenirs

No wasted bullets, just wasted tears

As shots ring out the big man sneers

He takes no notice of honest fears

 

To the refrain of abusive jeers

And poor excuses no one hears

They pull the strings, the puppeteers

The firearm freaks, the profiteers

 

Cries for help fall on stone deaf ears

Who cares if death finds new frontiers?

Who cares that under a gravestone she premieres

On the ‘One Less Innocent’ stage of slaughtered peers?

Here’s an example of one of my regular style protest songs. This one is from the ‘Dream Rescuer’ album that hopefully makes its point without any anger. It’s called ‘Ticking Clock’. I hope you enjoy;

Stupid things make me laugh. This is a true story. So I’m in the smelly post office. As ever a long queue. The only good thing about being in a queue is you get to listen to people chatting. In front of me two blokes. One says that he’s sick and tired of rowing with his wife all the time. He says to his mate, “I’ve told her time and time again we need to find a level playing field.” His mate agrees and says, “Perhaps you both will find that level playing field when you go on holiday. A break always helps – you know, a change of scenery and all that. Where is it you’re going by the way?” Mr Angry with his wife replies, “We’re hiking up in Welsh mountains’.” His mate says, “Well you ain’t going to find a level playing field up there it’s all hills.” Like I said, stupid things make me laugh.

Finally and probably the best lyric of all time, although you might not agree unless you’re a Gooner like me. An Arsenal classic originally from the Invincible years – before my time sadly – and just perfect after beating Newcastle ‘1 – 0’ in the first match of the new football season last Sunday. Class act.

Copyright © 2017 Zoolon Audio.  All rights reserved.  Unauthorised copying, reproduction, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting prohibited.

 

44 thoughts on “MR ANGRY’S PLAYING FIELD”

    1. Thanks, Shey. I truly believe we need more protest. There’s so much around to protest about. I just mentioned to someone else I was listening to Dylan’s ‘Masters of War’ around the time the US shooting news was breaking. That bloke is a genius. Thanks for reading – I still try to avoid the post office where I can. I tend to use My Hermes now. Cheaper and no smells. Thanks again ~ George

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    1. Thanks. Sometimes I’m surprised that more writers, lyrics or poems, aren’t writing more stuff in protest of things that are going pear-shaped in the world. Thanks again ~ George

      Liked by 2 people

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      2. It’s knife crime in the UK. I’m sure if we had guns on sale in the UK we’d have gun crime like The States. Another reason why I prefer dogs and cats to humans. ~ George

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    1. Thanks, Leslie. I didn’t know until just now having breakfast that Walmart sold guns. That’s amazing. The guy on the news was talking about them posting their financial results today and mentioned it. Maybe people should boycott the store? Just a thought ~ George

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. I, along with many others, have been boycotting them for awhile, but as I drive by one of their stores (we have four in Tallahassee) I don’t see empty parking lots. In fact, they seem as busy as ever. 😢

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Resa. You’re right. A cause worthy of protesting about does need some clout. I guess I’m working on the ‘less is more’ theory. I have a few songs that pack a punch, like this one on the environment; https://www.reverbnation.com/zoolon/song/29273343-sunlight-and-the-dust
      It’s had more streams and sales than any other of mine and got curated by the music boffins.
      I hadn’t heard the Buffalo Springfield number before. I like it – smooth and to the point.
      Thanks for reading/listening. It means a lot ~ George

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      1. Just listened to Sunlight and the Dust. Very well done! Keep with the protest songs. Be as blunt as you feel you can. Then push it one more. The world is ready!
        You know Joan Baez went to jail for a year for withholding the portion of her taxes that would go to the Vietnam War?
        She wrote many protest songs, and put her money where her mouth was.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Joan Baez has a unique voice and a passion she’d die for. I hear what you’re saying. I guess music from around the same time had something special, I was brought up on songs by Buffy Sainte-Marie – plus Leonard Cohen and Billy Bragg plus others. In terms of protest songs I think this one is it. The greatest of the lot. I has every emotion. If you don’t know it already, I hope you like ~ George

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      3. Very bittersweet! I adore Buffy. Although I know the song, I haven’t heard it for awhile. Thank you for this. The natives are ripped off big time!!!
        I did a movie for Showtime about the Vietnam war (20 years ago) I did a vignette of it and used Country Joe’s Vietnam Song. https://vimeo.com/24743005I hope you like it

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      5. I certainly did like it. I’d not heard of the band before. A clever song and a song that gets its message across, like it’s a one big chorus satire. Maybe that’s the way to protest and get heard? Thanks for that. I did try to ‘like’ but it wouldn’t let me. Anyway, thanks again ~ George

        Liked by 1 person

      7. I better watch the Woodstock movie if it’s full of music like that. I do study work by loads of songwriters and guitarists. I had to at uni, but have carried on with it because it helps me compose. I need to widen my search. Thanks, have a great weekend ~ George

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      1. Thanks for telling me that, George. I wonder if stress is what has happened to my creativity. My family has some difficult stuff going. I’ll go easy on myself and wait for my muse to return.

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    1. Thanks, Holly. I saw a spiders web today – hanging from my car mirror then onto the door – with a rain drops hanging in it from the earlier storm getting reflected in the sun and thought of this song. I’m glad I got the chance of mentioning it to another blogger as I’d forgotten all about it – which doesn’t say a lot for me because somehow it’s my best statistically audience number. Thanks again ~ George

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  10. There are many people in the USA who are appalled and FED UP with the stupidity and the greed those behind profiting from selling WARFARE weapons display. This insanity of all these horrific deaths and the sale of very dangerous weapons must stop but “we the people” are not even heard anymore. You bet “we the people” are angry. Keep singing those angry songs. They need to be heard!

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    1. Thanks, AmyRose. Isn’t it strange how here on the blog I meet with tons and tons of American artists, writers, photographers, musicians etc. etc. who are just like you, who want to see what is right is done, yet the ‘big man’ – that’s me being polite – still rules. Like with us English and the Brexit issue, where the equivalent English on WP are so anti the total wrongness of racist Brexit yet we have ‘mini-big man’ running the show here forcing right-wing politics on the good guys and girls. If only I can write an epic song and get it heard. Thanks again ~ George

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      1. My HOPE is someday CHANGE will come, George. Little by little people are “waking up” to the fact something truly stinks! For those of us who SEE the truth, all we can do is what we know how to do. I do believe in the chain reaction theory ….. (smile)

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